Hello OP,

I was recently laid off in March. It took me around 3 months to land a job with the same compensation. Thanks to the severance period, I'm able to stay in this country while being on H-1B.

My situation was a little similar in the sense that I thought that I did not do too well in my last job. Talking to Alex, while I was on the job helped me to get a good perspective on the overall scenario. So, after getting laid off, I tried to list a few things that I could have done better in that situation. I also found that given the tough situation I was put in with ever-changing leadership and no clear higher-level goals, I did everything in my power to constantly improve.

So, without being too bitter about the company and myself, keeping in mind the learning from my job, I started interviewing.

Luckily, I did not find many problems landing interviews. However, I observed that because of the market conditions, the companies have raised their bar significantly. Also, they are willing to keep the interviewed candidates waiting for weeks before they can find that "perfect" candidate. I was made to wait for 3 weeks after a couple of onsite interviews eventually getting rejected. In another instance, I was asked to share my work samples 2 weeks after the onsite interview. This time, I rejected them for being too picky (just because I had an offer in place by then).

Therefore, I would suggest setting realistic expectations for yourself and the companies. I would suggest developing a mindset of doing your part well while not caring about the results because that is anyways not in your control. I know it's easier said than done. All the best in your search and wish you good luck. :)

I am available to chat about my layoff experience further if needed.

Senior Software Engineer at Johnson & Johnson

Naishadh Kapade

Interview