Getting a Job After Being Laid Off in Tech
On a Sunday night, two days before my vacation ended, I gave a thumbs-up to a message on my company’s WhatsApp group. A few minutes later, I got a text message from my manager stating that my contract would not be renewed. I was on a ride to dinner and asked the driver to kindly turn back and drop me back off at my parent’s place.
My contract was not supposed to be up for renewal for another three months. As a knowledge migrant (also called a Highly skilled migrant in some countries), my residence in the Netherlands was dependent on my work visa. I was visiting my parents after a year and a half, the duration I needed to land my job contract as a form of stability. This family trip was supposed to be a way to let out steam and re-evaluate life decisions, and my job situation was definitely not part of the agenda.
That night was terrible because my residence status and the life I had built were threatened. By morning, I decided I had to get back on my feet, and this was not the time to mourn. In the Netherlands, you get three months to search for a job if you are laid off on a work visa. It says nothing about contract jobs, but I assume the same duration holds good, and this was not my time to test work visa duration limits.
I told myself that three months was enough time to live out my work visa. I would "live it up" and look for a job replacement, but I would not exist just to "find a job," so I could keep my visa. In the back of my head, I knew my work visa was a bigger deal than I told myself, but I had to console my broken heart at the moment.
My job search strategy
Arriving back in Amsterdam, I started the search. I created three versions of my CV (my advice is to find the three most significant selling points and make those main versions of my CV) :
- Product Owner - I had been in this role for a year in a Scrum, Agile startup setup for e-commerce.
- Project Manager - which I had done in various capacities over the past four years in startups, scaling businesses, corporations, and companies of various sizes.
- Technical Skills Master CV - As I had worked a decade in tech, including roles as a developer, UX engineer, solution architect, and professional services consultant, I consolidated all these skills into one resume version. For example, As a UX engineer, I had expertise in prototyping tools and frameworks, XML expertise as a solution architect, and prioritization frameworks are more important and relevant than we give credit for.
In the first week, I worked from 9 to 5 with focused effort. I admit I did not know much about the Pomodoro or other time management techniques. My day split looked roughly like this:
- 1 hour of searching and narrowing down job profiles.
- Next 2.5 hours researching jobs and companies and customizing my CV and cover letter.
- Repeat in the afternoon stretch.
- Every day, I made sure to stop by 5 pm. Some sunny days, I took a break by 3 pm and took long walks or a swim. I was entirely guilt-free and consciously happy with these.
In most European countries, you need to make customized applications with motivation letters to be considered. I made 60 applications. Admittedly, some were generic, mostly these were created by the end of the day when I was emotionally exhausted from customizing my profile to each job. But the majority of these applications ( CV and motivation letter combination) were my best shot at convincing the recruiter why I was a great fit.
I got several calls within the next 2 days. But I kept the application submissions going to build a pipeline and not give up early.
During the second part of the week, I scheduled the first rounds. Some of these opportunities fell off early. Some others progressed to the next round.
By the second week, I also expanded the keywords I was searching for. I looked for "product specialist," "delivery manager," "business/commercial owner," and "business analyst" to cast a wider net on roles.
Here’s What I Learnt
Getting laid off is never easy, especially when you’re in a country requiring a work visa. Some tips from my experience:
Don’t take it personally
While it feels personal, remind yourself it is “just business.” Companies restructure, projects end, and interests and loyalties shift. Or you might just be a wrong cultural fit. Sure, that’s as personal as it should be impersonal.
Act fast, but keep it strategic
I created multiple versions of my resume to target different roles. At the moment, I had confidence in myself, but I was consciously casting a wide net. I did not decide if I am qualified or not and I believe this increased my chances.
Job hunt is a full-time job
I will go with this “saying” because working structured hours with specific goals kept me productive and focused.
Cast a wide net, but decide when to be selective.
A lot of it is your discretion. I would definitely recommend applying to many positions, but take time to customize applications for roles you really care for.
Prioritize mental health.
The emotional toll of rejection can spiral anyone into self-pity mode or depression (of any intensity). I made sure I actively reached out to ‘good’ friends who would not judge me but respect my need to ‘hang out’ after my intensive job searching.
Just hanging out or jamming in the park preserved my well-being, and I am truly thankful to the people who supported me during this period. Don’t forget your human connection.
Bridge jobs are equally important.
Although the initial shock gave me an ego hit, I landed a start-up job in 2.5 weeks where I could leverage one of my previous experiences. I knew it might be a bridge job or at least a bouncing ground till I stabilized. Some of the job criteria did not meet my exact needs, but some requirements aligned better with my long-term career goals.
Tech or other stream, a career is a long journey that spans 4 decades (assuming you won’t retire early). Technology will change, job descriptions evolve, and juniors will overtake you (maybe an earthquake will happen, phew!). Keep at it and leverage every experience, connect all possible dots and build your amazing profile. Good luck!
