Coping With Job Layoff Stress

Getting laid off shakes more than your income. It hits your identity, your confidence and your sense of momentum. If you’re not careful, you start to question your own value - just because a company made a business decision. Here’s how I coach laid-off professionals to bounce back stronger: 1️⃣ Separate fact from story. Story: “I wasn’t good enough.” Fact: You were laid off. Those are not the same. Most layoffs are structural, not personal. Stop internalizing systems. 2️⃣ Write your rebound resume. Before you job hunt, list every win from the last 12 months. Quantify outcomes. Reflect on growth. You need a record of proof, not just for recruiters, but for you. 3️⃣ Rework your narrative. You didn’t “lose a job.” You closed a chapter. Learn how to talk about your transition with clarity and confidence: → “My team was impacted, but here’s what I’m taking forward.” → “That chapter ended, and I’m excited to apply everything I’ve built to a new challenge.” 4️⃣ Talk to people who get it. Layoffs can feel isolating. Don’t go through it alone. Find others who’ve landed on the other side. Borrow their perspective until you rebuild your own. 5️⃣ Shift from job seeker to value creator. Don’t just apply. Start conversations. Share ideas. Remind yourself that you still have something to contribute right now. Layoffs happen. What matters is what you do next. If you’re rebuilding, make it intentional. And remember, your value didn’t disappear. It just needs a new place to shine.

10 Gentle Steps After a Layoff: A Different Kind of Guide 🌱 The last thing you need right now is another post telling you to update your resume. Let's focus on you first. 1. 🛑 Don't Job Hunt Yet Give yourself at least a week. Your mind needs space to process. The jobs will still be there, and you'll approach them with fresher eyes. 2. 📱 Digital Detox Day Step away from LinkedIn and industry news for 24 hours. The constant stream of updates can wait. Your peace of mind can't. 3. 🤙 One Call, One Day Connect with one person daily. Not about jobs - just connect. You'd be amazed how a friendly voice can shift your perspective. 4. ✨ List Your Superpowers Write down everything you're great at - work stuff, life stuff, all of it. Read it when doubt creeps in. 5. 🌟 Be Someone's Hero Consider mentoring a junior dev or student. Nothing reminds you of your value like helping others grow. 6. 🎨 Revisit Old Passions Remember that game design you sketched years ago? That story you wanted to write? Now's the time. 7. 🌿 Nature Reset Take a walk without your phone. Let your mind wander. Solutions often appear when we stop searching. 8. 💝 Self-Care Ritual Create one small daily practice that's just for you. Morning coffee in silence. Evening sketching. Whatever fills your cup. 9. 🎮 Play Games Not for research - for joy. Reconnect with why you fell in love with this industry in the first place. 10. 🤗 Share Your Story When you're ready, share with others going through the same thing. You're not alone in this journey. Remember: This pause isn't a setback - it's a reset. Our industry is built on second chances and comeback stories. You've got this. 💪 #gamedev #gamedevelopment #career #layoffs #mentalhealth

To the 16% of #Automattic employees laid off yesterday, some reminders: A. I've been there. B. As a friend and as a coach, I have born witness to the unique fuckery that many a12s experienced before and after #layoffs. Here's what I offer with my gentle heart: ↳ It was about performance, but not yours. Bad leaders pass the buck; this isn't your fault. ↳ For some, Automattic is a heaven. For others, it's a battlefield. Layoffs hit everyone hard. But when the layoff is coupled with PTSD, burnout, or toxicity recovery--the path can be even longer. Be gentle with yourself. ↳ BIG emotions can arise after a layoff. Be with and be there for these big emotions, lest you carry them with you for longer than you need to. ↳ You will likely feel the immediate desire to find a new job. To the extent possible, be slow. Get clear on what you need to be well in your next role. Make decisions from that clarity. I've coached ex-a12s that went on to live happier, more balanced lives in organizations that respect and support them. It gets better. May you be well, Santana #Layoff #techlayoffs #toxicworkplace #badleaders

Just a reminder to those laid off this month, or who will be laid off this month or who will be laid off at the beginning of the new calendar year as we kick off a new fiscal the following: 1. It has nothing to do with your individual performance. It has everything to do with organizational performance. 2. It’s a spreadsheet exercise. The exercise literally is like this: “Hey we need to cut $XY million in fixed budget. Labor is the largest cost. Get me a list by Friday so we can run it by HR before we set the notification date.” It’s a very rational exercise where many try not to twist up in emotions although that’s hard not to do. 3. Your manager should deliver the news. Not some stranger. If they are a true leader they will deliver the news in a 1:1 not some group setting in a Zoom. They are usually required to read a script so don’t hold that against them if they sound cold and rational. It is what it is. 4. A job is not your identity. People who think this need to touch more grass in life. Maybe take up something that truly tests your will. 5. It’s okay to cry, feel stress, feel anxiety. A layoff is trauma. Especially since so many live paycheck to paycheck. Stages of grief are natural: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Each person has a different timeline. Some jobs people are so over it as they’re being told so they are in acceptance immediately. Others are so shocked it takes them a few months maybe even years. You do you. 6. Spend time with people who love you for who you are. And love titles like dad, mom, grandpa, Nonna, brother, sister, cousin, boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, cool person, etc., and could care less about the fact you were the Senior Fellow Philosopher Lead Engineer of BS Hype. 7. Reach out. I’ll listen!!!!