The moment you see an unexpected meeting with HR and your boss drop into your Teams calendar, you know what’s up. Your stomach drops. The meeting barely lasts five minutes; HR is apologetic, your manager thanks you for your time, and just like that, the rug has been pulled from under your feet and your paycheck is gone.
Your work laptop log-in, security badge access, the teams’ Slack visibility–all gone. The years of dedication and commitment you’ve put into your job vanish within a few seconds as if they never existed. And that’s when you realize: you’re nothing more than a cost line, a liability at best.
If this has recently happened to you, know that you’re not alone. The year 2025 has shaped up to be the worst since the pandemic for job cuts and layoffs.
In fact, February 2025 has experienced the largest share of job cuts more than any month since July 2020 according to a fresh report released by firm Challenger, Gray, and Christmas.
“U.S.-based employers announced 172,017 job cuts in February, the highest total for the month since 2009 when 186,350 job cuts were recorded. It is the highest monthly total since July 2020 when 262,649 cuts were announced…February’s total is a 245% increase from the 49,795 cuts announced one month prior. It is a 103% increase from the 84,638 cuts announced in the same month last year,” the report states.
“More than a third (about 62,000) of the cuts were in federal government positions,” being spearheaded by DOGE-led job cuts, Derek Saul writes for Forbes.
With thousands of workers all facing the same scenario, it can only be expected that the job market competition becomes tougher, especially when considering that the U.S. unemployment rate has ticked up to 4.1% since last month’s job report.
So how do you navigate this unexpected turmoil in your life?
How To Survive A Layoff In 2025
While a layoff can feel like it’s the end, it’s actually an opportunity for a fresh beginning in something infinitely better than you could ever imagine. Through being strategic once laid off (and if you’re still working, planning ahead for a layoff in case the next wave of layoffs affects you) you can use this moment as a career reset and land your next role faster than you imagined.
1. Build A Safety Net
Your job, regardless of how secure it may appear to be, is never really secure. Government jobs have long been viewed as comparatively secure, but recent news highlights how trust in the security of federal jobs is waning under the current administration. Regardless of how sentimental your attachment may be to your team, your clients, or the company and role itself, the harsh reality is that your employer is just a business entity and nothing more.
No, you’re not family. When other initiatives like cost-cutting efforts, improved efficiency, or simply wanting to move in a new direction and shift priorities take the reins, your role is easily liable to be cut or your wages reduced. Because of how common it is for companies to “restructure”, getting laid off at some point in your career is no longer a matter of “if”,” but more of a “when”.
But there’s a difference between those who are hit the hardest and those who bounce off quickly to their next opportunity: preparation and future-proofing.
Those professionals who are most successful in their careers don’t wait for bad news to come before they start thinking outside the box of their primary job. They prepare way in advance and build a career safety net long before it’s desperately needed.
What does a safety net look like?
Learn high-income, in-demand skills, while working in your “secure” role. Constantly update yourself on your industry and develop your craft or refine your knowledge of a specific hobby or interest. Practice it and build a portfolio. Engage actively on LinkedIn and share your knowledge, just because. Proactively build your network of industry connections.
Then, go ahead and use all of this background prep to launch multiple streams of income, through side hustles, freelancing, consulting, launching a small business in collaboration with a trusted partner, and building passive income as well. Gig work and freelancing can even turn into a full-time career if you work hard at it and market yourself well.
And finally, budget wisely and save as much as possible so you have some funds to fall back on, without needing to panic about receiving your unemployment payment or when it will run out.
2. Negotiate Your Severance Package
Many employees accept severance packages that are offered to them as is, but you might be missing out if you decide to do this without negotiating. Indeed recommends you take your time to properly review all components of the severance package–not just the pay–before rushing into signing and accepting.
Understand what you’re legally entitled to and see if it’s possible to negotiate either extended months of pay, or the other parts of the package like health insurance, PTO, stock options, and even outplacement services to help you in your search for a new role (not all employers offer this).
3. Secure A Strong Reference Before Leaving
Before you head out the door, ensure your manager (and senior management if you have a good relationship with them) leave you a recommendation on your LinkedIn profile. A glowing reference from a recent employer, on display in your profile can make a huge difference in hiring managers’ perceptions of you, your work ethic, and your results.
And of course, if your boss was also part of the layoff, offer to leave them a recommendation as well.
4. Apply For Unemployment Benefits Right Away
Unemployment insurance is there to support workers temporarily after they’ve lost a role through no fault of their own. So don’t leave this step too long, or there might be delays. As soon as you know you’re being let go, apply for unemployment benefits within your state–ideally no more than a week after being laid off. Check your state’s requirements online.
5. Tailor Your Approach
Most people panic-apply when being laid off. They hit “easy apply” for hundreds of jobs each week, sending their resume to any job that appears in the search results of Indeed, without taking the time to thoroughly check each job description, company profile, and find innovative ways to reach the hiring manager.
Don’t copy what everyone else is doing; even though it may feel counterintuitive, it’s better to only send out 10 applications a week, in which your resume has been thoroughly tailored and customized for each role, you have made personal contact with the recruiter, and you’ve even had conversations with employees and the hiring manager–than to apply for any role with no definite purpose in view and without a customized approach.
It’s much better to be strategic about which recruiters you work with than send your resume to a recruiter blindly without checking if they cover your industry or have any open job requisitions. Being generic with your applications will hurt you in the end.
And of course, while following these steps, take time for yourself and your wellbeing. Be present in your emotions and acknowledge how you feel, and take time for self-care and spending time with family and loved ones.
Layoff FAQs
Still worried about being laid off? Here’s what you need to know:
1. What should I do after being laid off?
Here’s a seven-day plan for your first week after receiving the news that you’ve been laid off:
Day 1: Journal, process your emotions, pray, meditate, and breathe. Review severance package before signing, secure a reference, and apply for unemployment.
Day 2: Do a complete revamp of your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter template, and portfolio. Get a professional career coach to help you if you’re stuck or not sure how to stand out.
Day 4: Create a targeted jobs list and list of companies you’d like to apply to. Develop your job search strategy and budgeting strategy for the next few months.
Day 5: Tap the hidden job market and reach out to hiring managers and decision-makers directly, sharing what you can offer their company, either as a freelance contractor or as a salaried employee.
Day 6: Explore freelancing and gig work options. Create profiles on Upwork, Fiverr, and more niche freelance platforms and start offering your services. Also look into free and inexpensive upskilling opportunities like Google’s career certificates.
Day 7: Reflect on your progress and recharge. Set your priorities for the days and weeks ahead.
2. What industries are still hiring despite layoffs?
While no job is 100% immune, there are some industries that offer more career resilience, like tech, healthcare, education, renewable energy, and consulting.
3. What jobs are most at risk of layoffs?
This can be hard to determine, but it depends on your employer’s motivations. If budget-cutting is the issue, ancillary roles that do not bring revenue or cost-savings might be slashed first.