Layoff to Liftoff: Surviving Downsizing in the Tech Industry

Reach Out

With just about every posted tech position receiving dozens or hundreds of applicants, it’s clear that you won’t find a job solely by applying online. You’ll need to reach out to other people and let them know you’re looking for work.

A network of friends and acquaintances can extend your reach, bringing opportunities and information that you wouldn’t be able to get on your own. They can also provide support, motivation, accountability, and the confidence you need to go on a job search in a tough market.

Here are some suggestions for reaching out:

• Start with friends and family: Once you’ve had a little time to process being laid off, tell your friends and family about your new situation. It can be difficult to say, “I’ve been laid off” at the beginning, which is why you should start with the people you feel most comfortable with and trust the most. If some of them work in the same field as you, make telling them a priority. They’re your first networking circle.
• Reach out to previous managers and coworkers with whom you are on good terms: They make up your second networking circle, and they’re also people who know your “work self” the best. They can be especially helpful in a couple of ways: They can vouch for you as a reference, and they may be able to refer you for positions.
• Try to apply for positions through a friend or colleague through a referral program: Many companies have an employee referral program, where they find prospective hires by taking recommendations for job candidates from their employees. You should try to take this route rather than submitting a standard application for the following reasons:
  • You’ll have a current employee’s personal endorsement: You won’t be just another applicant, but one recommended by someone “on the inside.” It adds credibility to your job application and increases the likelihood that your resume will be given more consideration.
  • It bypasses some filters: With a referral, your application will bypass any initial automated screening and make it more likely for your resume to be screened by a human.
  • You can get information: The person referring you can provide valuable insights about the company culture, the job role, and the people on the hiring team. Use this insider knowledge to tailor your application and interview effectively.
  • Your interview process might be fast-tracked: Referral candidates are usually flagged as a priority over non-referred candidates.
• Connect with the people who were laid off with you: I was laid off with hundreds of other people, and we put together our own Slack where we’ve stayed in touch, shared information about job opportunities, written LinkedIn recommendations for laid-off teammates, and simply provided some much-needed camaraderie and support. See if a similar group exists for you — and if it doesn’t, start one!
• Build your collection of “weak ties”: You have strong ties with the people you know well, such as friends and family, and weak ties with those whom you don’t know as well, such as casual acquaintances and “friends of friends.” A recent experiment that used data from 20 million LinkedIn accounts demonstrated that weak ties are more likely to be useful in finding a job than strong ones. Here’s how you can build your collection of weak ties:
  • Attend events: Go to industry meetups, seminars, and conferences. They’re “weak-tie-rich environments” that have the added benefit of offering learning opportunities. Engage with people, exchange contact information, and don’t forget to follow up to maintain connections!
  • Volunteer at conferences: Most conferences charge admission, which might be a challenge since your income has been cut off. Volunteering lets you attend a conference for free in exchange for doing work. You might not be able to catch every presentation, but you may get “backstage access” to the speakers, you’ll be seen as a person involved with the conference, and you’ll be able to do some networking.
  • Join groups and clubs: These can be in-person or online, and they feature activities and discussions that can introduce you to a wide array of people.
  • Leverage social media — especially LinkedIn: Once again, people seeking employees use LinkedIn as a search engine for candidates. Use it to connect with other techies and to be noticed by people who can connect you to opportunities. You’re also more findable on LinkedIn if you engage in discussions and post content regularly.
  • Enroll in classes or workshops: They’re a way to expand your knowledge that also lets you meet people with similar interests and aspirations.
  • Ask for introductions: Ask friends, family, or colleagues to introduce you to people they think you should meet. This might feel odd at first, but with practice, you’ll find that personal introductions pave the way for new connections!
  • Join a Job Search Council: This is an idea that comes from the book “Never Search Alone.” A Job Search Council is a mutual support group of four to six job seekers who band together to help each other find work. The book tells you how to form your own Job Search Council, or you can join one via the free matching service on the book’s site.

• You’ll have a current employee’s personal endorsement: You won’t be just another applicant, but one recommended by someone “on the inside.” It adds credibility to your job application and increases the likelihood that your resume will be given more consideration.
• It bypasses some filters: With a referral, your application will bypass any initial automated screening and make it more likely for your resume to be screened by a human.
• You can get information: The person referring you can provide valuable insights about the company culture, the job role, and the people on the hiring team. Use this insider knowledge to tailor your application and interview effectively.
• Your interview process might be fast-tracked: Referral candidates are usually flagged as a priority over non-referred candidates.

• Attend events: Go to industry meetups, seminars, and conferences. They’re “weak-tie-rich environments” that have the added benefit of offering learning opportunities. Engage with people, exchange contact information, and don’t forget to follow up to maintain connections!
• Volunteer at conferences: Most conferences charge admission, which might be a challenge since your income has been cut off. Volunteering lets you attend a conference for free in exchange for doing work. You might not be able to catch every presentation, but you may get “backstage access” to the speakers, you’ll be seen as a person involved with the conference, and you’ll be able to do some networking.
• Join groups and clubs: These can be in-person or online, and they feature activities and discussions that can introduce you to a wide array of people.
• Leverage social media — especially LinkedIn: Once again, people seeking employees use LinkedIn as a search engine for candidates. Use it to connect with other techies and to be noticed by people who can connect you to opportunities. You’re also more findable on LinkedIn if you engage in discussions and post content regularly.
• Enroll in classes or workshops: They’re a way to expand your knowledge that also lets you meet people with similar interests and aspirations.
• Ask for introductions: Ask friends, family, or colleagues to introduce you to people they think you should meet. This might feel odd at first, but with practice, you’ll find that personal introductions pave the way for new connections!
• Join a Job Search Council: This is an idea that comes from the book “Never Search Alone.” A Job Search Council is a mutual support group of four to six job seekers who band together to help each other find work. The book tells you how to form your own Job Search Council, or you can join one via the free matching service on the book’s site.