LinkedIn is more and more green these days and not in a good way....

 

If you browse LinkedIn these days, you can't escape the fact that a lot of profiles have a green #opentowork badge. I know a bunch of these people personally and know that they are technically very strong. But it's looking bleak at the moment, uncertainty with the tariffs and the overall economy has forced a lot of companies to not even give earnings guidance. These same companies have also instituted a hiring freeze for the foreseeable future. 

Then there is the elephant in the room... AI. Perhaps 1 person + AI can now do the same work as 2 or 3 people before? Time will tell but for sure it's a factor to take into account in regards to all these layoffs

This period right now reminds me of the period around October and November 2001. First you had the dot com crash in 2000, this was followed by the September 11 attacks which caused a massive stock market crash, all this resulted in massive layoffs.  

Back to current times: If you check the layoffs.fyi site, you can see a lot of layoffs in Tech and Federal Government

Here is an example

Let's go back to to the year 2001 again: I used to work in Silicon Alley, this was in New York City around 23rd Street and Broadway/5th Avenue, you might recognize some of these companies that had offices there like RazorFish and Kozmo.com.  

I was a web programmer doing ASP/JSP/ColdFusion and SQL Server.  Life was good in the summer of 2001, so good in fact that we used to have this massive 3 year project plan printed out and taped to the wall. Then in September someone took it off. A few weeks later we were called into a meeting and were told our last day was today. So of course the first thing we did was buy some beer and huddle together to says goodbyes and reminisce about the past few years. 

Now it was November, who will hire anyone in November? I decided to have 2 types of resumes, one was a Web Developer focused resume, the other was a SQL Server focused resume. I uploaded my resume to monster.com and a few days later someone contacted me that they had a 2 month contract job that needed someone with SQL Server 2000 and DTS skills. I decided to take it since like I said earlier, nobody will hire you in November/December. Well I got the job, after 2 months, they extended it for 3 more months, after that, they made me a full time employee. I stayed there for 3.5 years.

Why am I telling you this? Most people will not take this 2 month contract, but you never know, it might get extended like in my case, or you might learn a new skill during that time that might help you land the next gig. In addition, the co-workers at this temporary job  might know someone that needs a full time job filled

A few other things that come to mind:

Customize your resume and cover letter for each job. Highlight the skills and experience that match the job description exactly. Use keywords from the job posting: many companies use automated systems that screen for them.

Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and reflects your current skills, accomplishments, and job goals. Recruiters often search LinkedIn before reaching out. Use a professional photo, write a compelling summary, and showcase measurable achievements.

Reach out to people in your industry: friends, alumni, or professionals on LinkedIn. Ask for informational interviews or referrals. A warm introduction often leads to more interviews than cold applications. Ask for feedback about your resume to these people as well as endorsements on LinkedIn

Jobs often receive the most attention in the first few days after posting. Apply early, and focus on roles you’re genuinely qualified for. Quality over quantity improves your chances of standing out.

After applying, follow up with a short, professional message to the recruiter or hiring manager if you can find their contact. Reaffirm your interest and briefly restate why you’re a strong fit.

If you are 55 or over, do you know about the Rule Of 55?

Ageism is a thing, companies might say you are overqualified or use some other excuse not to hire someone who is older.  For those that are 55 or older, keep reading. 

The Rule of 55 is an IRS provision that allows individuals to withdraw funds from their 401(k) or 403(b) without the usual 10% early withdrawal penalty if they leave their job in or after the year they turn 55. This rule applies only to the retirement account from the employer they just left, not IRAs or accounts from previous jobs. It’s designed to offer more flexibility for those who retire or are laid off early. While the penalty is waived, regular income taxes still apply to the withdrawals. 

See more here at the IRS site: Retirement topics - Exceptions to tax on early distributions

This can help you out if you are in a cash crunch since there is no 10% withdrawal penalty, you do however still pay regular income tax on that amount