Laid Off in Tech? What Your IT Recruiter Wishes You Knew

Roughly 63,000 tech workers have lost their jobs in 2025 so far. Last year, the numbers were nearly double that. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re either one of them, or the writing’s on the wall and it’s just a matter of time.

Either way, go ahead and take a deep breath. Feel better?

Because yeah, getting laid off stings, even when you know it’s coming. I’ve seen layoffs seriously hurt people’s confidence, even make them question their self-worth. If that’s you, you’re not alone.

But I’ve also seen so many tech workers make lemonade out of lemons. For them, getting laid off was the catalyst that forced them to ask: Is my career on the right track? Do I want to make a change? And, if so, what changes do I need to make?

Now, those people are thriving in high-value roles and companies and cultures they love. If that’s what you want the next step in your career to be, keep reading.

Post-Layoff Job Searching: The Mistakes I See Every Day

Reentering the talent market after a layoff is daunting, even overwhelming. Often when tech workers get laid off, they fall to one of two extremes: either applying to every job they can find, or waiting until their severance runs out to begin looking for a new job.

In my experience, both of these approaches are mistakes.

For starters, it takes the average tech worker five to six months to land a new job. Putting off your job search will only widen that gap.

But at the other extreme, applying to a hundred jobs in three days (hello LinkedIn EasyApply button!) is equally problematic. As few as 5% of job applications are read by a human being. If you want to stand out, you need to take the time to tailor your resumé, write a killer cover letter, and, ideally, have a recruiter in your corner who can advocate on your behalf. “Spray and pray” doesn’t work.

In fact, taking a job that doesn’t align with your career goals could lead to dissatisfaction, lack of motivation, or stagnation. Not to mention that a two- to three- year “detour” can negatively impact your career narrative and set you back from your next big opportunity when it comes along.

Instead, approach your post-layoff job search as a strategic career move. Be thoughtful about which jobs you apply to. That way, when that “yes” comes along, it’s a place you’d be willing to stay for the long term.

The “Perfect Fit” Is a Moving Target (and That’s Actually Good News)

So many people approach their job search looking for the “perfect fit.” And while there’s the chance that your one-in-a-million dream job is out there, the odds aren’t in your favor. Because in today’s tumultuous landscape, the “perfect fit” is a moving target.

When you were last looking for work, roles like AI engineers, solutions architects, cloud engineers, and similar roles may not have been buzzing like they are now. At the same time, there aren’t as many mainframe administrators, data center operators, and on-prem support roles as there were before.

Setting your heart on a particular role is bound to result in broken dreams. So don’t put too much stock on the job title. Instead, focus on the opportunities the job presents:

• Does this job promise and feature opportunities for me to grow?
• Does this job have a culture and core values that align with my own life, and where I’ll be able to thrive?
• Is this a job where I can work with actual mentors, not just managers?
• Is the business stable enough that I won’t (Iikely) be looking for a new opportunity in two years?
• Does the role feature tasks and projects that I’ll enjoy doing, even if the role itself isn’t exactly what I thought I’d be looking for?

The market is always changing—and, let’s face it, so are you. So the “perfect fit” is a moving target. Try to stay open to possibilities that may not be immediately obvious.

Your Competition Isn’t Who You Think It Is

It’s tempting to think of your “competition” as other laid-off workers. The reality, however, is more complicated. Tech employers aren’t just looking to hire from the pool of current job seekers, but also passive candidates, offshore talent, and even internal employees whose growing workloads stretch the definition of “other duties as assigned” (also known as dry promotions).

Bottom line: competition is thick and comes from all sides.

But more than that, companies are changing how they think about hiring altogether. For example, just a few years ago, “overqualified” used to mean an automatic no. But in 2025, that’s not the case. As team sizes tighten, more companies value experience, especially in roles where rapid impact is necessary.

The point being that while the competitive landscape is thick, there are many ways to cut through the noise—if you’re willing to get creative. One way to do that is to focus on the skills that’ll help you stand out:

• Adaptability and learning agility—this is critical as in-demand technical skills are constantly in flux
• Connecting technical work to business outcomes—demonstrating a knowledge of product-market fit, customer needs, and ROI
• Ability to explain complex ideas to non-technical stakeholders, build relationships, and work as part of a team

Most importantly: anyone can brag about their technical skills. The question for you is: can you point to real-world results and measurable impact, not just responsibilities? Even in this crowded landscape, that difference will help you stand out significantly.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

As much as layoffs suck, they can actually be a great opportunity. The trick is to make a key mindset pivot from “I need any job” to “I’m strategically choosing my next move.”

I get it, you want to close your income gap as soon as possible. And that’s real. But you’ll actually get better results if you treat job searching like a project, not a sprint. Because when you take the time to approach it strategically, you’ll see better results—and a longer-term fit.

I’ll also add here that rejection is going to happen. It’s important, however, to see rejection not as a failure, but as redirection. The perfect opportunity is out there; it just may take some time to find it.

Final Thoughts

Layoffs in tech are, unfortunately, all too common these days. But take it from someone who lives and breathes this industry day-in and day-out: You’re not broken. The system is just weird.

Whether or not you get laid off is, ultimately, out of your control. However, how you respond to it—whether you treat it as a setback or an opportunity—is within your power. If you want to seize that opportunity and take ownership of your next career move, it helps to have a recruiter who’s in your corner.

If that’s what you’re looking for right now—let’s talk!