Got the email Wednesday morning. My entire team — 14 people — eliminated. 2 years at the company. Good performance reviews. Didn't matter.
This is the second round of layoffs in 8 months. The first round I survived. This one I didn't.
Severance is 6 weeks which barely covers two months of bills. COBRA health insurance is $800/month. I have savings but the clock is ticking.
Anyone else going through this? What's the tech job market actually looking like around here right now?
Skip the job boards for the first week. Reach out directly to everyone you know. LinkedIn connections, former coworkers, friends of friends. 70% of jobs are filled through networking and that's not a cliché.
Same thing happened to me in January. 3 years, great reviews, gone in a 10 minute call. The market is rough but not dead. Took me 11 weeks to find something. Apply everywhere, even stuff you think you're overqualified for.
File for unemployment the same day. Texas unemployment isn't much ($563/week max) but it buys time. Don't wait. The processing takes 2-3 weeks.
For COBRA — check healthcare.gov first. Losing your job qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period. ACA plans might be significantly cheaper than COBRA depending on your income.
Look at healthcare and government tech roles. They're not as flashy but they're still hiring and they don't lay off every 6 months. Stability matters when you've been burned.