Thread regarding Microsoft Corp. layoffs

A wakeup call...

When I got laid off at Microsoft in 2014 I thought it was the worst thing that happened to me. I had to learn some tough lessons, especially that it is a business and any personal feelings about the quality of work or how invaluable you thought you were dont matter. It's just business. It was a wakeup call. Jobs are no longer careers. they are stints. they aren't even a ladder, they're more like a web where you may move from gig to gig based on what SKILL YOU WANT TO LEARN and some moves may be lateral and not up.

You should have an education plan that happens regardless of if you have a job or not. even if you are attending one class. LEARN NEW SKILLS based off of what YOU want to learn, not what some job description wants of you. doing the same thing for 5 years makes you stale and a big target. build your portfolio up and don't be scared. rebuild yourself, be flexible. Be curious. Have fun exploring new skills and do this regardless of your employment status.

Be sure to update your resume every 6 months with the new things you've learned. always network.

The outcome of this will be that lots of people will get fired, and then the positions you held will be filled again by 1/10th of the staff with a hybrid skillset between yours and what the company wants from now on and that staff will be made of VENDORS.

They wont bother retraining you because you are too expensive to keep. So all of the things you thought you were doing right, or thinking that you were indispensable or irreplaceable doesn't matter. Its just business. YOU WERE JUST ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A SQL QUERY.

Dont take it hard. Get back in the game. You have endless possibilities. its not a career ladder with a 'top' or 'finish'. there is no retirement. Its more like a web, or a rock wall that you navigate. Some moves are back, or lateral, or small steps. Each step should be a path you take based on the skills you want to learn. Training for a job position is silly now a days. Train for skills that interest you and ALWAYS keep learning <3 You can do it. Now get out there and kick a--.

by Cyrixlord
| 3731 views | | 6 replies (last July 24, 2017) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+OadFr66
Comment! It's anonymous!

6 replies (most recent on top)

I found your post to uplifting. Attitude, passion for learning and a point of view that is forward thinking and realistic in this age of change is refreshing. Thank you for your thoughts

by Misneach
| | Reply
Post ID: @giie+OadFr66

Perfect read. Thank you!

by Donald Obama
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Post ID: @3ogi+OadFr66

You are absolutely correct, OP, and it is a career prescription we all need to follow. I have not, but am working to change my mental perception of my 'job' so that I am better prepared to stay a step ahead of a layoff in the future (laid off from Oracle, so it's actually a good thing.)

The hard part is facing this reality BEFORE you become a statistic, which can be hard to do. Perhaps it's easier to face if you are in a technical role, like SW development, where continuous skills progression is expected. It's harder when success in your job is mainly around "soft skills"; persuasion, building conviction, earning trust, etc. A person might assume moving companies would be EASIER since those qualities will still be needed in your next job, but that isn't the case. When I walk into a customer's office as a representative of any company or solution, I'm staking my reputation on what I'm selling. If I walk in today and tell you Azure is best, then in 6 months that Oracle's Cloud is best and 6 months later that Google's Cloud is best, I need to be sure from Day 1 to Day 370 that I know my facts and don't compromise myself for a sale. It's the difference between being a great salesman and being a used car salesman. If you build trust in your customers, they will remember what you say. As soon as you contradict yourself for a sale, you've lost their trust and your reputation.

That's why good salespeople have a hard time jumping from one company to another, while many poor ones don't. Unfortunately, OP's reality still applies; we are still a line on a spreadsheet, regardless of the trust and goodwill we foster with customers. Get the wrong set of accounts during the wrong part of a sales cycle and you are gone. That is another reason salespeople often stay in one place; you can never count on the grass being greener simply because it's a newer play field. The technical knowledge you gain to do your job may help you to land another one, but it will not insure success. Learning outside of your field, understanding the technical underpinnings of WHY the market is or will change and positioning yourself on your career 'web' is the best way to keep moving forward.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @2kur+OadFr66

Good post, a bit mellow but good

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @1snk+OadFr66

I couldnt agree more with DeepRed.. this is the exact kind of thinking that I hope is seen more often on the layoff site. Your post has given me, not what i was looking for, but exactly what I needed!! Thanks..

by Dotai
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Post ID: @vaw+OadFr66

well said, the best viewpoint i have seen about a career in the current age.

by deepred
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Post ID: @dbd+OadFr66

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