Ilyes Bacha

Oracle just laid off up to 30,000 people with a 6am email. We're now closing in on 100k tech layoffs in 2026 and it's only April. The stock market is near all time highs, and most of these companies are posting record revenue. They're not struggling, they simply just don't need you anymore. This doesn't mean give up on work. You obviously need to work hard to put a roof over your head and to live a good life. But it means setting your expectations accordingly. For most of you reading this, your work should not be your life. It should be a tool to get you where you want to go, not your entire identity. I was the #1 recruiter at my last company for years. The definition of a company man. I was still laid off last year along with a ton of other US based recruiters and sales reps due to "offshoring and AI". Everyone realizes this eventually. The only question is whether you realize it today or 40 years from now when you wasted your life on a few companies or a whole industry that gives two shi*ts about you. So here's the mindset: your company is a tool. Try hard. Make money. But understand it can all go away tomorrow. Build your golden parachute. In this market, you should have at least a few months of cash to cover bills while you job search, plus a buffer for emergencies. But don't stop there. As you make more money, keep your expenses low. Invest the difference. Get out of corporate America as fast as you can. Take it from all the people in their 50s+ laid off, it's pretty hard to job search at that point. Tap into your network now, not when you need it. If you're good at your job, your body of work does most of the heavy lifting here. That's why it still matters to try hard. Start with previous colleagues. But you have to be genuine, like you're actually making friends. You can't just ask for stuff, you need to give value and care about the other person. And when it comes to your industry, skate to where the puck is going, not where it is. The skills that got you here might not be the skills that keep you employed in 3 years.

@dvorahfr We will pause moving forward with this until further consideration