JavaScript Developers in the 2024 Tech Lay-Offs: Opportunities in Challenges
Dear JavaScript developers, the tech industry is currently undergoing significant changes, and perhaps you too have been affected by the tech lay-offs. Although this may initially seem discouraging, there are many ways you can use this phase to your advantage and emerge stronger. Here are some positive steps you can take to optimally use this time of change.
Step Zero - Registering for Unemployment Benefits
Immediately register as unemployed at the employment office to secure financial support. In my opinion, this step is “zero” and should be completed promptly to ensure insurance coverage and avoid deductions due to delay. At this point, you should also promptly request a certificate of employment from your last employer.
Gaining Financial Overview
If you haven’t updated your finances yet, the most important step now is to get an overview of your financial situation. What are your fixed costs, what one-off costs are coming up, and how much do you currently have saved? The goal is to give you a timeline in which you need income again. If you have your fixed costs covered for 12-18 months, you can position yourself differently than someone who can only manage 2-3 months without a salary.
Updating Your Resume
If you’ve come to the conclusion in step one that you need a new job as soon as possible, you should update your CV asap and possibly bring the style and structure of your resume up to date. In general, the resume should give a good and simple overview of your skills and career path. Highlight your successes in each station and ideally create an overview of your tech or JavaScript skills.
Me Time
A lay-off or an unexpected termination can be frightening for many and cause panic. But panic is never a good advisor. If the financial situation allows it, it can be useful to take some time for yourself and calmly reflect on your professional career so far.
- How satisfied are you?
- What did you learn at the last station, in the last stations?
- How would you like to behave in the future in certain situations?
- What went well, what less so?
- What do you want to learn in the future?
- In which area do you want to develop?
- Is the balance between work and life right?
- What is important to me in my next job?
- What are must-haves, nice-to-haves, and show-stoppers?
- Do I want to continue working as an employee, or is freelancing something for me?
- etc.
Take your time, talk to your partner, friends, and/or relatives about your thoughts, and use the conversations for yourself.
In my view, the next logical step is to increase visibility: Update your profile on common business networks and/or social media. Let your network and the recruiters you trust know where your focus is and in which direction you want to go next. Also, use the opportunity to gain important insights about the market through your network and your trusted recruiters. Maybe the next gig is just a message away. Plus, with an updated CV, more than half the work is already done…
Networking as a Door Opener
After one termination is before the next gig. Use the time now to use your network as a source for new opportunities and ideas. Vitamin B often helps in job hunting. Actively approach your network and ask for short conversations to catch up. Maybe a former colleague has just the info about your dream job?
Further Education and Current Trends
If you have heeded the previous steps and the prospects for the next job or the next project are not yet given, you should deal with the topic of further education and current tech trends. This has the following advantage:
- you stay in the matter,
- you can answer well in the interview to the question of what you are currently doing
- and you can also try out topics for which you have not yet had time.
Courses and content are ubiquitous. When I want to learn a new topic, I usually start with YouTube and small tutorials and always try to get into “doing” directly. Results usually help best for motivation.
Exploring New Opportunities
This brings us to the next point: discovering new opportunities. Depending on the situation and the elapsed time, one should also think about new or alternative possibilities. If the dream job with your set conditions and key data has not been included so far, you should think about Plan B.
Here too, I suggest a very pragmatic approach: which other job or which other task do I like and is currently possible? The whole thing is of course dependent on the respective financial situation.
For example, it may happen that companies are currently having a hiring freeze, but can still hire external or freelancers for certain JavaScript projects for a period of time. Perhaps this is also an option that you should at least consider.
Register on specialized platforms like Js-Dev.tech. These offer not only the opportunity to present your skills but also access to a community that supports and inspires you. We are also constantly optimizing, improving, and onboarding new partners. Use another channel for yourself and simply let yourself be found.
Conclusion
Although tech lay-offs are a challenging time, they also offer a unique opportunity for growth and a new beginning. With optimism, openness, and the right strategy, you can use this phase to steer your career in new, exciting directions. Remember that every challenge is also an opportunity, and that with your skills and experience you are valuable and sought after.
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