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Final week, Microsoft laid off 6,000 workers—3 % of its workforce—bringing the variety of tech workers which have already been laid off in 2025 to almost 60,000, in response to layoffs.fyi. In a future version we’ll think about the function AI is enjoying 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 in case you’ve been laid off.
I simply spoke to a mid-level engineer who was laid off from a Large Tech firm in London. They had been understandably distraught and feeling demoralized.
The simplest recommendation I’ve is sort of easy: It’s essential to determine your benefits and exploit them.
When you do some reflection, you’ll be capable of determine a protracted record of individuals, sources, or alternatives that you’ve got distinctive entry to. The inquiries to ask your self:
- The place do you may have a powerful community of people that might refer you? (That is possible your former colleagues or college alumni.)
- The place do you may have confirmed experience in a talent that could possibly be beneficial for employers? (For instance, being very efficient with web optimization or prompting.)
- What are the domains that you just’ve been obsessed with earlier than they grew to become cool? (Saying that you just’re obsessed with AI doesn’t depend since everybody appears to be obsessed with AI today.)
The “spray-and-pray” strategy for job functions shouldn’t be 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, observe the template established by individuals with essentially the most enviable careers: discover positions the place you may have an “in.”
Too many engineers determine a buzzy firm and use the usual approaches in attempting to land a job. In an age the place the market is flooded with job seekers, there may be 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. businesses, 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 stability? 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 can assist engineers with this frequent problem.
ICYMI: This Man Made the Modem in Your Phone a Reality
In late February, Broadcom cofounder Henry Samueli acquired 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.
