I tried to organize my thoughts around the layoffs, here is what I came up with - I hope it helps someone:
- Don't trust the news. Some companies may claim that they are hiring or willing to train since the technologies of field of knowledge is different between companies, it is not true. They just want to appear gracious and glamorous on the news. It's just corporate propaganda. I have spoken to people who are within the companies. Not only that the claims of willingness untrue, many of the companies have, in fact, freeze hiring, hence, you are really only wasting your precious time…
- Don't trust onsite interviews. Many companies are not interviewing you because they are hiring, they are interviewing for various agendas such as because they have to show evidence to the regulatory as part of the criteria to demonstrate high labor demand for corporate growth… Other reasons may be to create audit logs to lure investors, etc.
- Work on the progress, if your complaints can make a difference, you can consider the rant. No one owes anyone a job, understand the system which we lived it. Everyone is a commodity. It's the system that is in question. If you are not happy with the system, there is nothing to blame on the people who are subjected to the system. You are attacking the wrong people. Ask instead who set and who accepted the system. Be responsible for the change you want to see. If you blame people for being greedy and callous, do a reality check if we are one of them. Do we ourselves care for people around us?
- While we do our job hunt, keep your mind and body healthy, it does not help to bring yourself down during times like these. You might even find the answers in helping other people, other than yourself. Broadening your scope and your solution view will also expand accordingly. Seek help, don't work alone. Improve on a daily basis. All these will come to pass.
- This is not the worst that can happen, life is filled with troubles. Understand that the problem looks bigger when you stare at it long enough, and tunnel vision can make you lose the bigger picture. While going through rough rides like this, don't lose traction of the vital values in life. Understand why you have a job in the first place, you have certain values in life, don't lose them nor serve the other way round. It is frustrating to have worries like that, you are not alone, and bear in mind, somethings are not for sale. We question the economy later, we question why we are serving the system rather than to have to system serve us, but for now, we question why we are so willing to lose ourselves to the system so readily. Don't lose focus on the important things in life. The job is merely a subset, and be ready to expand your horizon. Embrace change and the unfamiliar. Make allies not enemies. Be ready for the paradigm shift.