If you’ve been tuned into the news over the past several months, you have probably heard of companies making decisions to lay off employees, in seemingly huge numbers. The names are familiar – Wayfair, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and more – and some are companies that have worked closely with the Career Center or have big intern and entry level hiring positions. If you are pursuing opportunities in tech and STEM, broadly, should you be concerned?
Here’s some background information: Many tech companies did a lot of hiring during the pandemic (which was great!) but as the world has returned to some semblance of normal, the companies need to start right-sizing to accommodate business needs that exist when we aren’t all working from home. That right-sizing unfortunately includes laying off folks from a variety of business areas, including human resources, analytics, software development, and more. It doesn’t appear that a single department or role is exclusively affected. Additionally, as technology evolves and business needs change, companies are also able to rethink tasks that can be completed through automation and therefore make previously filled roles redundant.
That being said, many of these companies are remaining committed to their internship and entry level hiring decisions. Layoffs often affect those who are further in their career than new graduates, and organizations can often manage this right-sizing of their organizations by making adjustments to their recruiting processes.
So, if you’ve accepted an offer from a company that is going through layoffs or if you are considering applying for roles in industries experiencing layoffs, should you be worried? Not necessarily, but here are a few things to do to remain a strong and engaged applicant:
Network!
No matter where you are in your job search process, networking can be incredibly helpful in equipping you to be in touch with people in the industries and roles you are interested in. If you are in an application or interviewing process, stay in touch with your recruiter to reiterate your continued interest in their company’s opportunities. Use Eagle Exchange to reach out to alumni who are eager to speak with BC students. Consider asking them about their roles, about what trends they see impacting the future of work, and whether there are things current students or recent graduates should be aware of in the tech or STEM space.
Stay informed!
Staying on top of tech news is a good practice no matter what. This blog post has drawn from news pieces from NPR and Forbes for background information about the layoffs. In addition to staying attuned to stories from the tech world, consider investing in your skills so that you continue to be a well rounded candidate or hire. LinkedIn Learning is a great new resource adopted by BC specifically so that students can continue to grow their career and skill competencies. Forage is another resource for students to complete real-world projects for Fortune 500 companies. We also have a number of job search-specific resources for you to practice ways to be a strong interviewer, including Big Interview.
Make an appointment!
Sometimes, it just helps to talk through your career plans and options with a career coach. Our career coaches are here to provide you with career advice and knowledge, to help you create a career plan, and to connect you with resources that will strengthen your job search. We encourage you to make an appointment on Handshake.
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