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Final week, Microsoft laid off 6,000 staff—3 % of its workforce—bringing the variety of tech staff which have already been laid off in 2025 to almost 60,000, based on layoffs.fyi. In a future version we’ll contemplate the position AI is taking part in on this, and the way software program engineers ought to safeguard towards ever-smarter LLMs. However for now, I wish to share my prime advice should you’ve been laid off.
I simply spoke to a mid-level engineer who was laid off from a Massive Tech firm in London. They had been understandably distraught and feeling demoralized.
The best recommendation I’ve is kind of easy: You should determine your benefits and exploit them.
When you do some reflection, you’ll be capable to determine an extended record of individuals, sources, or alternatives that you’ve distinctive entry to. The inquiries to ask your self:
- The place do you could have a robust community of people that may refer you? (That is probably your former colleagues or faculty alumni.)
- The place do you could have confirmed experience in a ability that could possibly be precious for employers? (For instance, being very efficient with search engine optimization or prompting.)
- What are the domains that you just’ve been enthusiastic about earlier than they turned cool? (Saying that you just’re enthusiastic about AI doesn’t rely since everybody appears to be enthusiastic about AI lately.)
The “spray-and-pray” method for job purposes isn’t solely miserable but in addition ineffective. Please don’t waste your time making use of to random jobs on LinkedIn or Certainly. As an alternative, comply with the template established by folks with essentially the most enviable careers: discover positions the place you could have an “in.”
Too many engineers determine a buzzy firm and use the usual approaches in making an attempt to land a job. In an age the place the market is flooded with job seekers, there’s an excessive amount of competitors for this to be efficient. As an alternative, work ahead from distinctive benefits and promising conditions.
—Rahul
Why Engineers Still Need the Humanities
Amid widespread funding cuts to many U.S. companies, humanities analysis grants are being slashed. Historian and IEEE Spectrum contributor Allison Marsh explains how engineering is, and at all times has been entwined with the humanities. “The bygone engineers of the twentieth century acknowledged this robust bond to the humanities,” Marsh writes.
Balancing Work and Life: An Engineer’s Guide to Fulfillment
How can busy engineers obtain a work-life steadiness? The important thing to managing your profession and private life may very well lie in reframing the query. “Cease viewing work and life as opposites and begin recognizing how they complement one another.” A number of easy methods may help engineers with this widespread problem.
ICYMI: This Man Made the Modem in Your Phone a Reality
In late February, Broadcom cofounder Henry Samueli obtained the 2025 IEEE Medal of Honor for his pioneering work in broadband communication and networking expertise. Examine his profession on this profile from Spectrum senior editor emeritus Tekla Perry.
