Thousands of Tech Sector Layoffs: Myth Busted!

You know the headlines: tens of thousands of IT professionals have lost their jobs across the country in recent months.

How many is “tens of thousands?” Several thousand in 2022 and about 118,000 in 2023 as of March 24.

You may, therefore, believe it will take you a long time to find another position in tech.

Wrong!

How does one or two months sound?

We understand that two months doesn’t sound all that “short.”

But when compared to the “average” amount of time it has historically taken someone pink-slipped to find another position, two months sounds pretty fabulous!

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in March that the average amount of time it took for someone unemployed to find another position in recent months was 19.3 weeks (or about five months).

The truth? Plenty of positions exist for IT professionals, so long as you’re willing to look “outside” of the tech sector and look to “everyday” business for work.

There is, in fact, “an overwhelming demand” for full-stack developers, data scientists, cloud architects, software engineers, and other highly specialized roles in non-specialized companies. (The article above describes a woman who found a position as an open-data scientist at a…. consumer electronic company.)

Tech jobs are there for your taking; here’s how to get them

First, understand that your “new” job now is finding another one. Take at minimum a week or so to relax, recharge…and mourn your job loss.

Then it’s time to focus – and focus hard – on finding another position.

The best find-a-job strategy of all:

Get job referrals from people you know.

Most companies understand that great job candidates almost always come from current employees. After all, current employees know the job, the manager’s personality, what skills are needed, etc., and can tell their qualified connections about the position.

What’s more, if the referring team member is doing well in their position, then his or her manager will almost automatically decide that the person referred has the skills to do the job and, by association, also has a personality that is likely to be a good fit in the department/company.

Employers themselves love referral candidates because, if hired, they are 40 percent more likely to stay with the company after one year (compared to non-referral hires). What’s more – and good news for you – referred employees are 18 percent more likely to be happy in their position.

Receiving a job referral is also great news for you: you’re about 15 times more likely to be hired for the position than someone who applies via a job board.

How do you find these types of open positions?

Reach out to everyone you know, including former colleagues and online communities. Don’t be shy about saying you’re looking for a new position: after all, you’re among thousands of others in the tech sector looking for work so….no shame!

Craft your resume (and cover letter, if applicable) for each – and EVERY position!

That’s right: any resume you send for an open position should be edited slightly so that it better reflects how your skills and experience meet this specific position’s requirements.

(In other words, they have what you want – the job. Make it as easy as possible for them to see that you match it.)

Develop new skills; keep current skills up-to-date.

We don’t have to remind you about how fast the tech skills are evolving; having the latest skills and knowledge can help you stand out to potential employers. Online learning platforms such as Coursera and Udemy offer a wide range of affordable courses in tech-related topics, including program languages, cybersecurity and more. Want something more substantial? Grand Circus, a Dexian company, offers virtual instructor-led bootcamps in JavaScript, C#.net, Data Analytics & Engineering, and more!

Bring your in-demand tech talent to Dexian.

Send your resume to us and we’ll do our best to place you in a position that matches your skills and career goals.