Be kind. Don’t burn bridges. Our technology community is a small world.

A young person who built their career at Microsoft for over five years was heartbroken. Yes, it feels awful. They asked “what was the point?”

The point was to help you build a strong resume that will last for many years, and have you make valuable contributions in exchange for pay. You did that.

Now, write all about it. Create your own review. Everything you can remember while it’s fresh. Talk to your references. Reflect.

IBM and Microsoft (joint ventures) did that for me too long ago. Of course, that two-year journey ended in a layoff too. I was the last one on my team to go after watching many others go before me. Layoffs happened monthly.

Trust me…your journey in tech is not done with your first layoff.

Layoffs aren’t done either. They have been part of our tech industry for over 30 years. A wise career counselor told me to get used to it and to save my money for tech layoffs. Or leave tech and do something else. That was over 20 years ago. She was 💯 percent right.

Once you have been laid off, enjoy the break, and what comes next. Learn new things. t was time to go, even though it seemed random.

Be kind. There is survivor’s guilt and grief for those who stay. But we all take away valuable lessons and references from layoffs. Your skills/knowledge/experiences go with you. Also, with time…you will be able to see layoffs coming and get ready before they happen.