Dealing with layoffs

Question

With the economy not getting any better, how do you prepare yourself for layoffs? Even if it happens, how do you deal with it? Would love to hear your experiences or stories, if you have any.

Answer 1

Do something outside your job that increases your potential opportunities.

Examples: Contribute to an open-source project, start a blog, make a piece of shareware, get reputation on Stack Overflow.

When jobs are tight, the number of languages you know isn't what's going to get you the job. Look outside the usual resume categories.

Here's a brief article about how to get that next job, combing my experience with advice from Joel, Seth, and Warren Buffet.

Answer 2

If you are financially secure, take the off time and spend it with family and friends. Also a good time to learn newer languages and expand your knowledge of the programming art. Otherwise, prepare to fight for your position and make yourself indispensable.

Answer 3

If you suspect your employer might try to get rid of you in an unfair manner, then you want someone to call about employment law. For that I recommend a union.

During the dot com bust a company I was working for was starting to go under, and they tried to pressure people into taking compulsory redundancy for much less than the contract stated. One employee was a member of a union, got on the phone to them and the rest of us were waiting for his answers. It helped a lot in our talks with the (desperate) management to know exactly where we stood under employment law.

There's also this question on unions for further discussion of that.

Other than that, keep your CV up to date and chat to friends working places that might still be recruiting, and try to make sure you have a cushion of savings to keep you going while you have no job (3 months is a common recommendation).

Answer 4

As ever, make sure you're not a one-trick-pony. If you're really facing the prospect of job-hunting, you want to make sure you're as versatile as possible.

As with any job, it also helps if you've got a few outstanding merits against your name. Being part of a something else to show your abilities or even how good a person you are (volunteer work for charities, open source development etc)

Answer 5

If you are the person being laid off...

1. Get your CV up to date.
2. Take advantage of the help services provided post-layoff by your (ex-)employer
3. Use your network

If you are the person doing the laying off

1. Follow the procedures to the letter
2. Treat the recipients of your news like adults
3. Don't get into the why me? conversation
4. Have an experienced HR person in the room with you
5. Make sure the exit procedure is clear to you and the recipient of the news so you are both safe.

Good luck. I have been on both ends and it is not nice.

Answer 6

I unfortunately had to let six good employees go just last week. It made me sick to my stomach to do it, but we honestly couldn’t keep them on the payroll, and not bankrupt the company. That said, I extended an offer to all those employees to help them find jobs and provide recommendations to their future employers.

I extended this offer because they were good employees and this was very much a “it’s not you it’s me” situation, and I want to see them succeed. So if you are equally good at your job but happen to fall under the bar of layoffs, be sure to ask around for recommendations. The people you work with will likely be happy to help out, especially if they can see that it wasn’t your fault.

Recommendations can really help in finding a new job. Employers often want to see that you weren’t discharged from your last job due to a negative work ethic or lack of skills. New employers will understand the market, they will likely be facing similar hardships.

Finally, look for work at larger companies, the Google’s and Microsoft’s of the world are impacted less by these fluctuations in the market and may see it at a great opportunity to pick up some great talent.

Answer 7

A couple of suggestions, one tactical, one psychological:

Keep your resume up-to-date. We should all be doing this anyway, but it's easy to get out of the habit.

If/when layoffs happen, remember that being among those laid off doesn't mean anything, in terms of your value to the company or your level of contribution. "The list" is always a compromise, and the result of lots of deliberation by folks who in some cases have no idea what it is you do.

Answer 8

I like to meet/hang out with professionals from my IT field. This is not only fun but also a great opportunity to network and make friends.

We have such a regular's table at a bar once a week. That started years ago in the days when I was a game developer (it started as a lame excuse to booze, but it changed over the years).

Last time I had to look for a new job I just had to mention that I was available (no need to - most guys knew that already). The next day I got a call from the company I still work with.

Networking is the key. But it helps to be somewhat specialized in a field. That makes you stand out in the times when it's getting though.

If you don't have such a regular's table at your city -- well -- then start one. Ask around and invite some people.

Answer 9

You can't really prevent getting laid off; you can try to make yourself more essential to your current company (and/or valuable), but sometimes it can still blindside you.

As for job hunting, I would recommend:

• Be as flexible as possible. The more you need/want to get a job, the less you should be obsessed with doing exactly what you want to do. If you can fit yourself into what an employer is looking for, you can be valuable to them.
• Network as much as possible. Most good hires I have done have come through personal contacts, and it gives you an automatic step up when applying.

Lots of other good comments here, those are just mine.

Answer 10

People have already provided good answers, but I haven't seen anybody point out one obvious preparation: SAVE MONEY

The more savings you have, the more flexibility you have. The usual advice is 3 - 6 months living expenses as an emergency cushion. I think you want to be on the high end of that if at all possible.

I know 2 people who lost their houses during the dot-com bust because they had no savings at all.

So far, the job market for developers is holding up, but that can change very quickly as we saw in 2001.

Answer 11

I think you should also try to eliminate the surprise part of it as much as you can. One way is to be aware of what's happening in the company by talking to your colleagues or maybe trying to schedule meetings with your Manager. Talk to him, ask him questions. If he is a good Manager, he should be able to give you sufficient hints.

Answer 12

NETWORK, period.

During the worst days of the dot com bust, if you were unlucky enough to get laid off or your company went under it was VERY difficult to find a job even if you were a top flight developer because SOOO many companies went into almost complete hiring freezes. This time things could be even worse! Even a huge network might not be enough if enough companies go into hiring freeze or scale back mode, but when the job market is THAT tight having a ton of contacts at other companies is your absolute best bet.

Answer 13

Hmmm.. S'been a while since there has been activity under this question but still...

Maybe there will be software market open enough and large enough for you to sell the little things you do to scratch an itch or just hope your skill on...

That way you can create your own little revenue stream, just so long you are not directly competing your employer ;-) you should bee good to extend your savings for much longer or simply allow a living albeit simpler, without necessarily giving up all your comfort...

Naa that's just me dreaming here... ill, just go to bed

Answer 14

I also worry about those who keep their jobs when friends and colleagues are laid off. I mean sure, better to have the job than not, but layoffs tend to put the whole department on edge... before, during, and after. Many people have very intimate work relationships--even the concept of a "work spouse" is common these days. When your cube neighbor, or your work spouse, or the person you always went out for a smoke with leaves the company suddenly, it's emotionally painful.

It's not the worst thing ever to happen, if you're the one still working, but don't discount it. Bereavement is a big deal--and among other things it's a distraction from the normal workday. I don't have any great answers about this, but it's something managers and HR people need to pay attention to.