#jobsearch

I was laid off from microsoft IDC about a month ago and honestly the stress is getting to me. i have over 6 y of experience in swe engineering and thought having microsoft on my resume would make finding another job easier... apparently not. i've applied to 400+ positions and received exactly ONE interview call. i've tried naukri, instahyre, referrals, linkedin, cold messaging recruiters, pretty much everything and nothing seems to be working. what makes this soooo frustrating is how things ended at microsoft. i received a lite performance rating that i felt was completely unfair. my manager told me it triggered a choice between pip and gvsa, apparently because of some new hr policy. he kept assuring me the pip was just a formality, that the targets would be easy and that management believed in me. yet somehow i ended up with a rating that put my job at risk in the first place. i eventually decided to take gvsa and leave... and now i'm wondering whether i made the right decision. one month unemployed, hundreds of applications and practically no response. i'm based in bangalore and have been applying to fintech companies as well, both directly and through referrals. still nothing. people keep telling me to lower my salary expectations, but after spending years building my career it's difficult to accept that i might have to take a significant paycut just to get another job. i'm hearing about experienced engineers spending 6 months, 9 months or even longer looking for work... which is honestly terrifying. i'm trying to stay positive, but i also have plans for my life, getting married, buying a house, traveling. all of that becomes much harder without a steady income. i thought having 6+ years of experience and microsoft on my resume would actually mean something in this market. right now it feels like none of it matters.

I recently lost my job at Zoom and now I'm looking for another software engineering position... but honestly one of the biggest things on my mind isn't even salary or benefits anymore. It's "stability" (if there is a such thing nowadays)........ I just want to work somewhere where I don't have to constantly worry about whether my job is going to disappear in the next round of layoffs. I know the tech industry has always had its ups and downs... but at what point did it become normal to assume that every company is eventually going to lay people off??? You join a company, get comfortable with your team, learn the systems, build relationships... and then suddenly you're back looking for another job. It's exhausting just thinking about having to start the whole process over again.

What makes this soooo frustrating is that I actually enjoy software engineering. I don't mind working hard, learning new things or dealing with challenging projects... I just don't want to spend the next several years constantly wondering whether I'll still have a job six months from now.

And now that I'm looking again I'm wondering how you're even supposed to evaluate job security during interviews. Every company is going to tell you they're growing, that business is doing well and that they're investing in engineering... but what does any of that actually mean anymore???? A company can be hiring today and cutting employees tomorrow.

Someone suggested that I should just start my own business if I want stability... seriously???? Because startups are famously stable and successful, right??? I mean I understand the argument that owning your own business gives you more control, but starting a company isn't exactly my idea of reducing financial uncertainty.

At this point I'm genuinely curious whether there are software engineers out there who actually feel GOOD about their employer's stability. Not just people who survived the latest layoffs... but people who work at companies with a track record of treating employees well and not constantly reorganizing or eliminating positions.

I'm not necessarily looking for the highest paying job anymore... I'd rather find somewhere I can settle in, do good work and not have layoffs hanging over my head every few months. Maybe that's unrealistic in tech nowadays... I really hope it isn't.

Are there any SDEs here who are actually proud of their company's stability?

I recently got laid off from Atlassian. I was a SDE 2. I have about 5 years of exp in SW engineering and honestly I never thouht I'd be in this position... especially after having worked at Microsoft before this. I left a good team at Microsoft for more $$$ and now I'm sitting here unemployed for over a month wondering if I made the biggest mistake of my career. Not sure but it looks like it...

I was working at what I thought was a normal pace... doing my job, completing my work and expecting a performance rating of 3. Instead my manager pushed my rating down to a 1 and told me I wasn't being proactive enough. And the reason???? Apparently I wasn't working 10 hours a day like everyone else. Seriously... since when did putting in a normal workday become a performance problem????

What makes this soooo frustrating is that I left Microsoft where I was actually happy with my team and the work I was doing... all because I thought moving to Atlassian would be a better financial decision. More money, better opportunity... you know how it goes. Now I'm questioning that decision every single day. I guess sometimes the extra money just isn't worth it.

And now the job market is making things even worse. I've been unemployed for about a month and I'm honestly willing to take a paycut at this point... I have several EMIs and loans to pay, and I'm the ONLY earning person in my household. But smaller companies look at my previous CTC and tell me they can only offer HALF of what I was making... and some aren't even interested in interviewing me because of it. Meanwhile the larger companies aren't calling me for interviews either.

So basically I'm either too expensive for the smaller companies or not getting noticed by the bigger ones... despite having Microsoft and Atlassian on my resume. How does that even make sense????

I've also been dealing with some personal problems and depression, which makes this whole situation even harder. I'm preparing for interviews every day... studying, practicing, trying to improve my chances, but there's always that fear in the back of my mind. How long can I afford to be unemployed??? What happens if another month goes by... or three??? The loans aren't going anywhere and the bills certainly aren't stopping.

Sometimes I keep thinking maybe I should've worked harder at Atlassian... maybe I should've just done those 10 hour days like my manager wanted. But then I wonder whether that would've actually changed anything or just delayed the inevitable.

I know layoffs are happening everywhere but it's a very different feeling when you're the one without a paycheck and other people depend on your income... I wouldn't wish this uncertainty on anyone.

I'm curious whether other Atlassian employees have experienced something similar, particularly SDE 2 engineers. Are managers really expecting 10 hour workdays and giving low performance ratings to people who don't meet those expectations? Has anyone else been pushed from an expected 3 rating to a 1??? And for those who left Microsoft or another big tech company for more money... did you end up regretting it?

I was laid off by Edelman after 9 years with the compny. Honestly I wasn't expecting it... I knew layoffs were always a possibility but somehow after almost a decade you just don't think it's going to happen to you. And now here I am... still kind of in shock trying to figure out what comes next. I worked in market research for Edelman and over the years I ended up specializing in a pretty narrow part of the business... mostly managing secondary research projects. I guess I got comfortable doing what I was good at, and nobody really pushed me to develop outside of that area. Looking back maybe that was a mistake... because now I'm realizing how many market research jobs require experience managing primary research, especially surveys, and I just don't have much beyond analyst level experience doing that stuff.

What makes this soooo frustrating is that I gave this company 9 years of my career... and while I wasn't completely blindsided by the possibility of cuts, I certainly didn't expect to be the one leaving. I was already at the top of my salary band and probably wasn't going to get promoted anytime soon... so I knew that might make me a target if layoffs started. Still... knowing something is possible and actually having it happen to you are two very different things.

At least Edelman is providing 3 months of severance and healthcare, so I know things could be much worse... I'm grateful for that. But 3 months can go by pretty quickly when you're suddenly looking for another job, especially in this market. And to make matters worse, a lot of the positions in my field seem to be in NYC... and I don't live there anymore.

For 9 years I had a job, a steady paycheck and a pretty clear idea of what I was doing professionally... now suddenly I'm questioning whether I even have the right skills for the jobs that are out there. It's a strange feeling realizing that spending almost a decade specializing in something might actually make finding your next job harder (????)

I'm trying to stay positive and figure out my next move... maybe this is an opportunity to do something different. But right now it's hard not to wonder whether those 9 years at Edelman actually prepared me for anything outside of Edelman.

I'm curious whether others at Edelman have been affected by layoffs recently... Which teams and departments were impacted? And for those who have been laid off after spending 8, 9 or 10+ years with the same company... how difficult was it to find something else?

Here it comes. Just got confirmation Oct 29th is my last day !

Ignoring it since it's pointless and most likely not anonymous. Focusing on getting through the day and getting another job.

Our division was eliminated a few months ago. Wells Fargo contracted LHH, a firm to assist us in finding employment. They offer job coaching, website links and other supposedly helpful details to finding employment. My guess is they were offered as a way to help us find jobs and help Wells stop having to pay unemployment benefits. So far I have found LHH to be pretty darn useless. So what am I missing?

I wake up with a raging headache, already stressing over Monday. This place has a hold of me even on weekends. And please don't tell me I should just leave. I know that. I've been trying to for over a year. The jobs are simply not there.

Should I start the job search right away?

I heard firsthand from two friends that Fortinet has reportedly conducted widespread layoffs affecting its H-1B workforce across the United States. Some employees were given September as their final employment date, while others with more time remaining on their visas were reportedly given until February.

Surprisingly, I haven’t seen any discussion of this on public forums. It would be interesting to know whether others can confirm these layoffs and, more importantly, where those jobs are going.

Another example I’m aware of is Johnson & Johnson (J&J), which reportedly carried out significant layoffs affecting both U.S. workers and visa holders, while shifting some of those positions to India.

I’m curious whether others are seeing similar patterns at these or other companies.

I kept waiting for this place to recognize the work I was already doing, just to see two promotional opportunities pass me by. That was the push I needed to start applying elsewhere and after four (long) months I found a position that pays considerably more and gives me benefits I actually prefer. The many rejections over the past months were frustrating, but it paid off in the end and I'm glad I didn't take them as a reason to stop trying.

To all those requesting information be shared. That's NOT how business works. Legally they cannot share impacted work groups or reduction figures until after it settles down. To do otherwise would be stupid. I put up with it for 30+ years and knew every 3-4 years heads are cut. It's part of the game.

Please, if you are not satisfied, get a new job elsewhere. Life is too short!

Independent game studio Gravity Well has laid off more than 40 developers due to a withdrawal of funding. The studio's leadership is actively seeking a new financial backer to continue operations. Employees were kept informed of the potential for layoffs if new funding was not secured. A reduced team will work to keep the studio running in a challenging industry climate. The studio has encouraged other businesses to consider hiring the affected developers.

https://wnhub.io/news/hr/item-52319

Every single IT recruiter and hiring manager is now Indian. Your chances of landing a job are almost zero.
In your own country foreigners have taken over an entire industry and shut you out.

New Jersey experienced over 15,000 job eliminations by the end of September, a notable increase from the previous year. Pharmaceutical companies contributed significantly to these layoffs, with several major players announcing substantial workforce reductions. Other sectors, including hospitality and finance, also saw positions cut. These figures are based on notices filed with the New Jersey Department of Labor. The trend indicates a challenging job market for the state.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/amp/34964432/nj-layoffs-hit-15k-as-pharmaceutical-companies-ax-more-jobs-in-september

After months of unemployment after being cut and a brutal job search, I finally have an offer in hand. I'm still processing the fact that I can actually stop applying.

It's been one of the worst job markets for employees for two if not three years, is it ever going to shift in our favor again? No wonder companies are getting away with insulting offers folks are actually accepting when there's no choice right now. How much longer can this last?

Long time high perming employee here. I have really, really tried to do an exceptional job, always going the extra mile, even in these tough times. I had hopes that things would eventually start looking up, but the Fiserv management team has officially crushed my spirit.

I now understand that no matter how much of my blood, sweat and tears I give to Fiserv, it will never be enough. It's impossible to be successful due to totally incompetent management, severely understaffed teams and the drastic loss of institutional knowledge due to layoffs.

It's not a fluke that the stock is in the tank, and clients can't get off this sinking ship fast enough. I've had enough, the job search starts today. Wish me luck!

How’s the job market there with tech booming. It is possible there is too much competition too, but just wondering if anyone has landed jobs there after moving away from T

Are you managing to get any interviews? I've sent out hundreds of applications with no luck. I'm now starting to get really worried.

Nothing for me yet, but I'm wondering about others who were laid off in the last round. Any luck?

Well-founded rumors have it that management has finally decided to close the site in Cluj, Romania. Some employees have already been kindly advised to start looking for jobs elsewhere.

Find another job now!

To everyone denigrating those of us who are resting and vesting, please send out a list of all the high tech companies that are hiring.

Truist is not a democracy! If your not in a position of effect change or a major voting shareholder, you are wasting you time writing/complaining to Santa Clause on this website. Only you are in charge of your career. If you are unhappy or your boss/leadership puts themselves first, you need to do the same and move on and look for something better. Waiting around for things to get better or the next layoff is a fools game.

I have followed this advise and rest assured, your job will be posted within a few weeks for the next su---r to come along. Your replacement will figure things out and the cycle will continue.

I saw a job posting that looks almost like my role appear on LinkedIn, but searching internally for it I cannot find it, even using the reference number. Is it just blocked from me? Or was the posting removed?

King County's information sector has seen a significant increase in layoffs this year, surpassing previous annual totals. These job losses disproportionately affect highly skilled workers, with many experiencing extended periods of unemployment. The current job market presents challenges, as companies increasingly invest in AI, leading to industry restructuring. Support groups and job fairs are emerging to assist these displaced professionals. The transition back into the tech industry is proving more difficult than in prior years.

Seattle, Washington

https://www.king5.com/article/money/economy/information-sector-hit-hard-by-continuing-layoffs/281-815cd405-cffc-420f-ab7c-bfae601a3a4f

Layoffs in Western New York significantly decreased in the third quarter of 2026. Employers eliminated 157 positions during this period. This number represents a substantial drop compared to the first two quarters of the year. The trend indicates a slowdown in job cuts across the region.

Buffalo, New York

https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2026/10/01/western-new-york-layoffs-third-quarter.html

Sometimes I think I'll never be able to find any decent job. I feel like I should give up searching for jobs completely - I guess I am just depressed.

I wish the best for everyone here. I got let go last year and found a new job. I hope everyone gets out!

Anybody experienced this? Were you able to find something immediately?

Started as a CM and absolutely hate it. How soon does HR let you apply for other positions internally?

Some wait for 6 weeks severance
Some people jumping off the ship while they have the job with better negotiation power with new employer.

My main focus right now is looking for another job. That's where most of my energy is going to. For work, I do what I have to, and that's it. Nothing extra, nothing outside of my original job description, nothing beyond working hours... I'm just done with that cr-p.

Let's talk about it. 507 positions and counting! WTH! is anyone who was RIF thinking of applying back to the company? Or those who took VSP how's it looking out there if you are looking for jobs? Is it as brutal as the media tells us?

Many people in this forum, told me not to follow the work and most may be right, but I ran out of all options (no payment for movement, couldn't land a job , no other income, no own home) . Anyone followed to work for similar reasons? How do you find the move and adjusting to 2 hour commutes?

I think they should add a question about whether people are looking for other jobs just so they're left in shock when they realize that the majority of employees answered "yes" to it.

I did everything I was supposed to and just like that it ended in a split second. After almost three decades of commitment it all came to end so abruptly. Without warning, without cause, I’m doing the right things yet here I am… jobless. Today was the day ya’ll, they finally called my number. What’s next for me?

It's been a year since the work transformation announcement! How time flies! I just want to hear how you folks are doing, either have successfully moved on, waiting for the right opportunity, taking early retirement or something else. I'm still in this sinking boat waiting and figuring out what to do next.

Got my package! Paid off my car, credit card, personal loan, and 2 months of my mortgage. Another job secured! For a lot of us, the VSP was a much needed blessing. A win is a win! I wanted to spread some GOOD NEWS for folks who are still trying to secure a job and wait on their package. It’s coming your way! You will WIN!
Side note: avoid a lot of the negativity on here. It’s not worth digging into.