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Ask HN: What do you do if you get laid off

by a_lifters_life on 2/19/25, 5:00 PM with 6 comments

• by epc on 2/19/25, 5:18 PM

  Haven’t worked in awhile (by choice) but the last time I was terminated for profits I spent the weeks leading up to the awkward conversation copying key personnel files / messages, reducing discretionary spending, and verifying that my company email account was removed from any personal accounts (social media, LinkedIn, Github, etc). Assume your access to all company systems is revoked without notice, what, if anything in your life breaks? Remove the company mdm from your personal phone ahead of time, even if it makes work difficult.

  Create a clean digital and physical separation between you and the job.

  Note that some companies with decent information security will be logging any file downloads you make. My previous employer had no information security so it wasn't an issue.

• by gregjor on 2/19/25, 5:15 PM

  Not in danger now, but have got laid off in the past.

  - Make yourself as valuable as possible at your current job. Solve business problems and raise your profile so your managers and other managers see you as too important to lay off.

  - Start making as many new professional friends/contacts as you can. If you do get laid off you want to have plenty of people to call who can give you leads and inside tracks.

  - Look into freelancing.

  The last time I worked for a company that started laying people off I volunteered to work on some key projects outside of my team, including stuff no one else wanted to do. I kept in touch with people I had worked with at previous jobs, and then people laid off from the current employer because they went out looking for jobs. And I started taking on freelance work.

• by sds357 on 2/19/25, 5:10 PM

  Last time I was laid off, I used my time to build a side project. While it hasn't grown to fully support me, it does provide a nice addition to my income.

  If I worked in cybersec, I'd probably leverage my skills in bug bounty while I look for another position.

• by toomuchtodo on 2/19/25, 5:16 PM

  Have 6-12 months of living expenses, apply for unemployment when dismissed, negotiate the best severance agreement you can (if applicable), start looking for your next gig.

• by billconan on 2/19/25, 8:15 PM

  I have a pet project and some topics I want to learn. I will try to finish the pet project and see if I can generate some income and then I will start to find a job.

• by hirvi74 on 2/19/25, 6:27 PM

  I'd give myself one 24 hour period of "moping." I'd probably get piss drunk and just "get it all out," so to speak. The next day, I would then:

  1. Work on myself -- start getting in shape, learn something new, etc..

  2. Build things that I have wanted to work on.

  3. Apply for new jobs.

  4. Apply for jobs completely outside of tech.

  (In all honesty, I should probably do all these things anyway, but for some reason, having a job makes much of this too difficult for whatever reason.)

  Just remember, now is the time for strength.

  Good luck.