Engineering video
0:51 · 16 December 2022
Taking a break to fix skill gaps assumes layoffs are due to personal lack of skills, overestimates how quickly gaps can be fixed alone, ignores the need for market feedback, and delays interviewing which worsens financial pressure and negotiating power.
Hear it at 0:00 →The optimal approach upon being laid off is to immediately go to the market, interview, and upskill as you go to secure a better-paying job faster while building essential interview experience.
Hear it at 0:36 →Look, taking a break to improve your skills after you got laid off is the worst thing you can do. Well, besides quitting software development altogether. Why? Number one, you are assuming that you got laid off because of your lack of skills, which is probably not the case as most layoffs are purely random. Number two, you are assuming that you can fix your skill gaps in a few weeks of self-study, which is totally false.
Number three, you are assuming that you know which gaps you have without even going to the market and getting feedback. And number four, the later you start interviewing, the later you'll land a new position, the more money problems you are going to have, which means that even if your skills are better, you'll negotiate poorly and get even a worse offer than before. The best strategy is as soon as you get laid off, you go to the market, you interview and you upskill as you go.
You're going to get a better paying job faster, have better skills, and more importantly, have interview experience, which is actually the most deciding factor in order or not you'll get the job.
