It’s been exactly one week since I was laid off from my job as a junior frontend developer.
My company had already been going through financial struggles; there were three rounds of layoffs, and in the last one, I was let go too.
When I asked my manager if there was anything in my performance or attitude that might have contributed to my dismissal, the answer was the most startling one possible: no.
What happened was that, with AI becoming increasingly prevalent, projects kept shrinking, and the company could no longer afford my salary.
This leads me to a question: is the development market absolutely terrible right now?
When I asked this same question to a senior dev who has mentored me since the start of my career, he said that the market has actually been rough since 2022. And—in his view—for things to improve, the AI bubble needs to burst and people need to realize that "AI isn't all that."
But then, I'm left wondering: is AI really not all that?
Anyway... that’s a question only time will answer. But within the sphere of things I can control, I have a clear conscience knowing I did my best work, and I remains optimistic about my income potential.
So, re-evaluating my life after this layoff, I decided to do all the things I’d put aside lately because my job took up so much of my time and mental energy.
I finished a book my girlfriend recommended three months ago and started coding v2 of Mentoriah (it's not finished yet, but keep an eye on the project to see how beautifully v2 is coming along).
After a frantic period finishing all the tasks I’d left open over the last few months, I realized that I actually needed to stop for a bit—I, like many Gen Zs, have a thing with anxiety and "doing nothing."
By stopping, I saw friends I hadn't seen in a long time, and it was a very productive time to process the layoff itself. During one of these meetups, a friend told me how the most fruitful and high-growth periods of her life happened between jobs. Another friend mentioned how he has a side project that generates some income, even if it's small, and how that’s already enough to pay his electricity bill. And let's be honest, having the light bill paid every month is a win.
The thing is, in these moments, we never quite understand what’s happening. But as time passes, we realize that when life asks us to recalculate our route, we often end up in places much closer to where we actually wanted to be. (I told you I was an optimist).
As this first week comes to a close, I’ve listed three thoughts for anyone going through something similar:
Stay close to people you admire.
Don't let your brain think this is the end of the world—or at least, not for long.
This is your story; tell it in the best way possible.
Bye! For those who read until the end, just so you know, I also recorded a YouTube video about this. I'd love for you to watch it.
youtube.com
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