Should I share that I was laid off?

Question

I was just laid off. I don't think being laid off is a motivation for applying to any particular company. I will have additional reasons for that. I realize that knowledge of the layoff might lead a company to try and lowball me.

On the other hand, I fully expect to get multiple offers, so I am not too worried about the lowballing concern.

Being laid off isn't something I would blurt out in an interview unless I was directly asked, but I am also active on social media and I am planning to share my layoff journey in real time as opposed to hiding it.

Are there other reasons I am not considering that make it a much better idea to keep this quiet(er)?

Rahul Pandey · Accepted Answer

Given that you're confident in getting multiple offers, I agree that you've minimized the risk of getting lowballed.

(Side note: Make sure the companies you're interviewing at are comparable: an offer from Google and from a seed-stage startup will not help you much.)

IMO it's fine to share openly about getting laid off when done in the right way:

Talk about the excitement of the new thing that you're exploring. Don't say anything negative about your old company (certainly not publicly).
In interviews, as you mentioned, don't share what happened with your previous job. Most interviewers will not have taken the time to research you to discover that you were laid off.

The best practice for any job interview is "Don't share information that can hurt you." In an environment like an interview, where mutual trust is not yet established, your default response to any question should be positive and non-committal.

See my answer to How should I explain getting laid off in a job interview?

Should I share that I was laid off?

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