A software engineer's journey through layoffs, job hunting, and rediscovering professional identity
One year ago, I was laid off from Pluralsight - my dream company where I'd spent three years growing as a software engineer. That day started a challenging four-month journey that taught me more about my career, resilience, and professional identity than I expected.
After sending 100+ applications and facing countless rejections in a competitive market flooded with laid-off tech talent, I eventually landed at a 40-person startup through a former colleague's referral.
For those navigating similar waters right now, I want to share some hard-earned insights from my experience.
Three Key Lessons From My Layoff
1. The Professional Identity Crisis
"Working with my therapist, I realized how much of my identity was wrapped up in being 'a software engineer at Pluralsight.' When that was suddenly taken away, I felt lost."
One of the most difficult aspects of being laid off wasn't just losing my job - it was losing part of how I defined myself. I discovered that building an identity beyond your employer provides essential resilience when facing career disruptions.
2. The Structure Survival Strategy
Job hunting is a full-time job that requires structure. I dedicated every morning from 9-12 to "job time" - either applying for positions or upskilling. Afternoons were for house renovations, meeting friends, or other activities.
Having this structure prevented me from spiraling into unproductive patterns or despair during an emotionally challenging time.
3. The Truth About Job Market Timing
Despite solid experience and referrals, I often couldn't get past initial screenings. Why? I was competing against candidates from Meta, Google, and other tech giants who had also been laid off in mass reductions.
I learned that timing and market conditions play a significant role in job searches—factors entirely outside my control. Understanding this helped me take rejections less personally.
Read My Full Journey
These three insights are just the beginning. On my personal blog, I share all ten lessons from my layoff experience, including:
- How tracking my 100+ applications revealed surprising patterns
- Why resume optimization is an imperfect science
- The emotional resilience strategies that kept me going
- How openness dissolves shame
- Finding gratitude even after goodbye
Continue reading the complete post on my personal blog →
About Me
As a woman of color, lesbian, first-generation American, and software engineer, I write about tech careers, DEI issues, and navigating the industry from my intersectional perspective. My blog explores these topics alongside technical content and personal reflections.
Have you experienced a layoff? What helped you through it? Share in the comments below, and don't forget to check out the full article for all 10 lessons.
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