Since the start of the year, 428 tech companies have laid off 120,342 employees, according to Layoffs.fyi<\/a>. If layoffs continue at that rate, the industry could cut more than 900,000 jobs<\/a> in 2023, per USA Today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When companies mismanage budgets, overestimate demand, or undergo corporate restructuring, workers often get the ax. Mergers and acquisitions, industry competition, a weakened economy, and corporate downsizing are just a few reasons behind the recent mass layoffs in Big Tech. According to research from Zippia, 40%<\/a> of Americans have been laid off or terminated at least once, and 28% have been laid off in the past two years alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If the recent layoffs<\/a> have impacted you, know you\u2019re not alone. Most redundancies\u2014especially at the departmental or company-wide level\u2014are completely unrelated to employee performance. When companies can\u2019t sustain payroll at current levels or face pressure from investors to cut costs, they slash headcount to brighten their balance sheets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of the shakeup, Big Tech isn\u2019t going anywhere. Recent layoffs barely made a dent<\/a> in the pandemic-fueled hiring frenzy that preceded it, and the net headcount at FAANGs remains higher than pre-COVID levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Below, we asked five Springboard career coaches<\/strong> to share their best advice for what to do if you\u2019ve been recently laid off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s tempting to apply to jobs willy-nilly and pray for callbacks. However, a layoff can be a prime opportunity to reevaluate your career path, reassess your values, or switch careers. Take inventory of your recent accomplishments. What unique contributions did you make in your last role? Think of initiatives you started, projects you led, and their outcomes. Catalog everything big and small\u2014from offering to mentor a junior employee once a week to leading an end-to-end design project<\/a>. These points will help you plan your next move, prepare stories for behavioral interviews, and update the role descriptions on your resume.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is a time to look inward and create an action plan for the future,\u201d says Maria Tomaino, a career coach at Springboard. \u201cAsk yourself what skills or experience you need to advance in your career.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, consider what you liked and disliked about your previous role. What would you change? What should stay the same? For example, while you appreciated your manager\u2019s laissez-faire style, perhaps you wished for more growth opportunities. Use these discoveries to frame the type of role you are looking for. Finally, give yourself time to pause, reflect, and find perspective. If your current role no longer affords the personal growth or compensation you desire, consider upskilling or reskilling<\/a>. Companies often turn to contractors<\/a> after mass layoffs to keep payroll costs down. You may want to consider freelancing temporarily, which lets you work with different clients and build a varied portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the mass layoffs plaguing Big Tech, digital skills\u2014including data analytics, AI, programming, cloud engineering, and cybersecurity<\/a>\u2014remain in high demand across every industry. The tech job market is still expected to grow in 2023, albeit at a more conservative rate than last year. A report from Janco Associates predicts that the IT job market will add 174,000 new positions<\/a> this year, down from 186,300 in 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Layoffs at tech companies create opportunities<\/a> for \u201ctraditional\u201d companies that struggled to acquire talent over the last two years\u2014those in retail, banking, insurance, healthcare, hospitality, travel, and management consulting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In November, there were 35,132 tech job postings in the finance and insurance sector alone, according to CompTIA\u2019s analysis<\/a> of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report released on Dec 2. Meanwhile, the green-tech sector is seeing increased government funding and demand for workers who can build climate change solutions and is eager <\/a>to recruit laid-off tech workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Companies like Home Depot, Best Buy, and Ford have undergone successful digital transformations in recent years. They need tech talent to build and manage databases<\/a>, update and maintain their web presence, and implement machine learning algorithms<\/a> for business decision-making. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExpand the aperture of companies you\u2019re considering beyond Big Tech,\u201d says Alan Stein, founder and CEO of Kadima Careers. \u201cCompanies like Pfizer, American, Express, and CVS Health still need tech talent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These \u201ctraditional\u201d firms are seeking talent with sought-after skills<\/a> in AI, machine learning, automation, data science, and programming to modernize business processes, optimize the user experience, collect data-driven insights, improve supply chain management, and manage human resource planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFocus on the mid-size companies that are usually more open to new talent and have been competing with big tech companies for good talent,\u201d says Mirela Frantz Cardinal, a career coach at Springboard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you were impacted by the layoffs but don\u2019t have a technical background, switching careers creates opportunities to work in an in-demand field and be highly compensated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Springboard recently pledged $1 million to offer a Career Reboot Scholarship<\/a> to help those impacted by the layoffs in tech. Applicants must provide proof of full-time employment at a US-headquartered tech company listed on Layoffs.fy<\/a>i. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Establishing a routine ensures you remain disciplined in your job search even on rough days involving multiple rejection emails or no callbacks. To create a routine, set goals for each day of the week. For example, Monday-Friday from 1-3 pm will be spent applying directly to jobs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Allocate time outside of that to \u201cadmin\u201d duties\u2014updating your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, and portfolio website<\/a>, and contacting professionals in your industry for informational interviews. When approaching people you don\u2019t know, look for things you have in common, such as a shared alma mater or mutual interests. Also, don\u2019t overthink whether or not someone can directly help you. They may have beneficial connections or get promoted in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use a spreadsheet or relevant activity tracker app to record every outreach and job application sent. This lets you track your activities and determine when and how to follow up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Springboard, students must make at least seven new contacts per week and participate in two informational interviews per month during the job search process. The reason we emphasize networking<\/a> is that 85%<\/a> of jobs are filled through networking, and 70%<\/a> of jobs are never advertised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you were laid off, post about it on LinkedIn, let people know what you\u2019re looking for, and start working your network,\u201d says Adenike Makinde, a career coach at Springboard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start with people in your immediate circle\u2014those you know personally, including friends, relatives, former classmates, managers, or coworkers. These are people who can speak to your skills and work ethic. Asking for referrals from someone you know personally is much easier than a cold introduction. Next, use your LinkedIn network to find people in companies or industries you wish to infiltrate. Send InMails to request informational interviews by expressing interest in their role or a recent project they posted about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen the economy is down, networking is the best way to get referrals and learn about upcoming openings,\u201d says Jan Toor, a career coach at Springboard. \u201cTalk to recruiters, hiring managers, and current employees and try to make relationships.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget to network offline. Attend industry events and use networking platforms like Lunchclub<\/a> to meet professionals in your chosen industry. At the end of every meeting, ask \u201cIs there anyone you feel would be worth me reaching out to?\u201d This is how you build your network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you start networking, make sure you\u2019re ready to put your best foot forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHave your pitch ready, be prepared to walk someone through your portfolio on the spot and explain what you\u2019re currently working on, and get in front of as many people in that industry as possible,\u201d says Makinde. \u201cNever let a week go by without connecting with someone new or joining an industry group.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Data shows that the upskilling mandate applies not only to recently unemployed professionals but anyone working in tech wishing to \u201cfuture-proof\u201d their skills. A report by PwC found that 79% <\/a>of global CEOs are \u201cextremely\u201d or \u201csomewhat\u201d concerned about finding talent with the right digital skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, the skills required to do our jobs are changing faster than ever: a recent LinkedIn analysis<\/a> concluded that necessary employee skills for an average job have changed by 25% since 2015. Employers have noticed, as 87% of hirers<\/a> agree that skills will become increasingly important to the future of hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Springboard, many of our students come from a non-technical background. An ex-performer in the Dallas Opera with a P.h.D. in vocal pedagogy, Hastings Reeves<\/a> secured a full-time role as a business intelligence analyst after graduating from Springboard\u2019s Data Science Career Track<\/a>. Despite his love of performing, Reeves craved a more stable career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt would have been easy to get down on myself for not having a bachelor’s degree in computer science, but the education I had from Springboard was valid and beneficial,\u201d said Reeves. \u201cIt comes down to having the resources to teach yourself something new and the tenacity to keep going even when you feel like you\u2019re drowning in the deep end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve seen students make incredible career transformations, going from EMT to software engineer<\/a>, Chinese translator to data scientist<\/a>, TV production coordinator to data analyst<\/a>, and school administrator to UX designer<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Before researching universities, bootcamps, or online courses, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, assess how much time and money you can spend on upskilling. If you have family responsibilities or are working a full-time survival job to pay the bills while searching for your next role, a self-paced online program may be best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Update your portfolio with projects from your previous role worth showcasing, plus any personal projects<\/a> you\u2019ve been working on. If you\u2019ve been unemployed for an extended period\u2014six months or more\u2014demonstrate to employers how you\u2019ve used that hiatus to buttress your skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFind projects you can do on your own or look for groups you can collaborate with,\u201d says Makinde. \u201cThere are a lot of volunteer opportunities at nonprofits that need help from tech professionals.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Join hackathons, contribute to open-source projects, volunteer, and start personal projects based on topics of interest or skills you\u2019d like to learn. For example, to practice your data analysis skills, find publicly available datasets<\/a> and run your analyses. Or, if you\u2019re a budding UX designer, prototype an app you\u2019ve always wanted to use and create a case study to walk hiring managers through your thought process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Joining a bootcamp or enrolling in a degree program also afford opportunities to work on portfolio-ready projects. At Springboard, students in all career tracks are required to work on at least two capstone projects throughout the course. Their work is reviewed not only by their instructor but a 1:1 mentor<\/a> who is a seasoned professional in their industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Career switchers often suffer from crippling impostor syndrome, but they have a distinct advantage that sets them apart: domain knowledge in another industry or profession. When Reagan Tatsch <\/a>was laid off from his job in marketing operations, he expected to take an entry-level data job after completing Springboard\u2019s Data Analytics Career Track<\/a>, given his lack of a technical background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But thanks to his years of leadership experience in marketing, he leveraged his transferable skills to land a team lead role and is now a data operations manager at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the data world, you don\u2019t see a lot of people that can articulate and communicate effectively with people\u2014in other words, people with leadership qualities,\u201d says Tatsch. \u201cThese companies knew my data skills were entry-level, but it didn\u2019t matter because I had a lot of leadership experience, and that\u2019s what they were interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, while applying for her first software engineering role, Kristy Chu used her background as an accountant to land a role at FloQast, which provides software for accounting professionals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe company hires a lot of people with a background similar to mine\u2014people who were accounting auditors in the past who then went to a bootcamp to become a software engineer,\u201d says Chu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Find ways to frame your prior career as an enhancement to your technical skills, no matter how unrelated it seems. This means identifying transferable soft skills\u2013communication, teamwork, time management, and initiative\u2013plus any domain knowledge that makes you uniquely suited to a particular company or role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those entering a new field after switching careers tend to be more intentional and have overcome numerous barriers to acquire new skills, such as balancing a full-time job while studying or simply managing fear of the unknown. Let your career switch be a testament to your passion and work ethic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt shows perseverance and a willingness to go the extra mile,\u201d says Makinde. \u201cCareer switchers know they have to put in the extra legwork to succeed, step out of their comfort zone, and be willing to do things other people might not be willing to do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tech jobs are competitive\u2014Google receives three million<\/a> job applications per year\u2014so it\u2019s imperative to follow best practices for your resume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your resume should be neat, presentable, and easy to scan by a recruiter (most spend an average of six seconds<\/a> per resume). Don\u2019t forget to use keyword optimization (reusing keywords from the job description throughout your resume) to improve your chances of clearing the applicant tracking system (ATS). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re applying for jobs in data science or software engineering, list the programming languages you\u2019re proficient in and note your fluency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When writing role descriptions, try the \u2018X-Y-Z formula<\/a>\u2019 created by Laszlo Bock, former SVP of people operations at Google: \u201cAccomplished [X] as measured by [Y] doing [Z].\u201d For example, \u201cReduced page load time by 3 seconds using asynchronous and defer loading for CSS and Javascript files.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Include a section dedicated to personal projects. Perhaps an app you wireframed and prototyped, a data visualization you created on a topic you\u2019re passionate about, or a machine learning model you built to classify images or explore relationships between two or more datasets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Explain the impact and value you brought to your previous employer. On your resume, you can note in parentheses if your layoff was companywide or department-wide by stating \u201cmass corporate layoff.\u201d Don\u2019t go into more detail\u2014the time to do so will be face-to-face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnless you have a substantial employment gap of two years or more, I wouldn\u2019t suggest addressing the layoff in your cover letter or resume,\u201d says Makinde. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you must address the layoff in your cover letter, keep it brief and positive. For example, \u201cMy layoff from Company X afforded me time to earn a certificate in Y.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mention courses, personal projects, and volunteer work, if applicable. This shows you\u2019re a self-starter with a strong work ethic who knows how to keep their skills sharp in a fast-moving tech industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Interviewing is a distinct skill requiring consistent practice. Don\u2019t worry about your layoff holding you back during an interview. Be upfront and authentic when discussing the situation. Don\u2019t express bitterness towards your previous employer. Find something positive from the experience (eg: \u201cI was able to spend more time with my family while teaching myself principles of accessible design\u201d) and lean into it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHave your pitch ready, be prepared to walk someone through your projects, and get yourself in front of as many people in the industry as possible,\u201d Makinde advises. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Practice behavioral and technical interview questions<\/a>. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Response) format when answering scenario-based questions about your prior work experience (eg: \u201cTell me about a time when you disagreed with a manager\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n For data science and software engineering jobs, consider joining Pramp<\/a>, a platform that lets users practice live interviews with peers on data structures and algorithms, product management, system design, front-end development, data science, and more. Techmockinterview.com<\/a> is a similar platform connecting users with professional interviewers and mentors from Big Tech companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Job searching can be emotionally harrowing, especially if it takes a while to see results. Finding ways to cope with uncertainty and taking care of your mental health is essential during this time. Take regular breaks and treat each interview as a learning opportunity regardless of the outcome. Always ask for feedback. Understanding what you can do better will prepare you to land your ideal role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t compare your job search process with others,\u201d says Cardinal. \u201cComparing ourselves with others only intensifies insecurity, which decreases motivation. Even if it takes longer than you would like to get the job, that\u2019s not related to your value as a professional.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since you’re here… Being laid off from a job can be a devastating experience psychologically, emotionally, and socially. Laid-off workers lose their income and daily routine\u2014potentially even their self-esteem and a sense of purpose. While your default reaction might be immediately firing off hundreds of job applications\u2014after all, you have bills to pay\u2014caring for your mental health and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":42015,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_eb_data_table":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[],"marketing_tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-41995","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-career-advice"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41995"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41995"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43281,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41995\/revisions\/43281"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41995"},{"taxonomy":"marketing_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/marketing_tags?post=41995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Write down your accomplishments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Laid](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shutterstock_1927357667-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Remember that you have an in-demand skillset.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Create daily routines.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Laid](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shutterstock_1995035261-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Leverage your network.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Consider reskilling or upskilling <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Upskilling](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shutterstock_2148135535-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
6. Update your portfolio. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Use your prior skillset as an advantage.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Marketing](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shutterstock_1668462145-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n8. Revamp your resume and cover letter.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Practice your interviewing skills.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Interviewing](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/shutterstock_1897911709-scaled.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n10. Have faith in the process. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Were you one of the tens of thousands of workers impacted by this year’s tech layoffs? Springboard wants to help. Our new Career Reboot Scholarship is intended to assist job seekers from tech looking to upskill, reskill and stand out in a competitive hiring environment. Get $1,000 off any Springboard bootcamp in software engineering, data analytics, UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more.\u00a0Visit this page<\/a>\u00a0for eligibility requirements and to apply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"