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Shreya Bhosale felt deja vu when Amazon announced last week it was laying off 14,000 corporate workers. She knew exactly what so many people were suddenly going through. Bhosale, 28, is a tech worker in Seattle and was among the 18,000 Amazon staffers laid off in January 2023. Bhosale tells CNBC Make It that two years ago, she'd heard rumors of potential layoffs swirling in news reports. By the time she received notice that she'd been let go, she says it was "a complete shock" and "disappointing" to learn the news via email. "It was just out of nowhere, and it definitely took a toll on my emotional health," Bhosale says. "It disrupted my sleep. I had a lot of self-doubt. There was difficulty in eating [and] constant anxiety." Adding to her stress, Bhosale was hired to Amazon as an engineer just out of grad school as an international student from India, and her layoff put her work visa and ability to stay in the U.S. in jeopardy. Bhosale says today's job market is a lot more challenging today than when she was laid off. Workers are fighting for a shrinking pool of job openings, AI is seemingly threatening jobs and long-term unemployment is inching up. That said, she says she learned four big lessons from her own layoff that might help people going through it today. First, Bhosale says she wish she didn't internalize the shame of losing her job. She says she's noticed people are becoming more open about being laid off these days, but just a few years ago, there was still a heavy stigma around it. It took her time to accept that the layoff wasn't a reflection of her abilities, but rather a decision made by the business. Now, "people are very empathetic towards each other. People are reaching out and helping in any way they can," she says. Second, Bhosale recommends resisting the urge to withdraw, and instead stay in touch with other people, whether they're friends or potential networking connections. "Reach out to people," Bhosale says. "Even if you are not feeling good today, just pick up your phone and call your friend and say, "Hey. This is what's happening. I feel really sad.' Just talk. Don't sit by yourself and just keep overthinking in the situation. I didn't find that helpful." Check online or on social media for communities intended to help laid-off workers find job leads, get referrals, that offer job resume or job interviewing help, and more. Next, as much as you're financially able to, Bhosale recommends taking time to deal with the shock of your layoff so you don't burn out in your next job search. Bhosale says she learned this lesson the hard way. "Take some time to heal. Don't just push yourself to find another job," Bhosale says, adding that because of her visa situation, she pushed herself to find her next position within six weeks of her layoff, which led to burnout that affected her next job. "Even when I started my new role, I was always afraid of, 'What if I do something wrong? Will they lay me off again?'" Bhosale says the lingering anxiety stuck with her for a year until she processed the layoff and that she would be able to find her way out of another situation if it happened. Finally, Bhosale recommends people start upskilling in their own time, like through LinkedIn courses, especially to incorporate AI into their work. "There are so many new technologies, and companies are looking to work with people who have that knowledge." Want to level up your AI skills? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Use AI To Communicate Better At Work. Get specific prompts to optimize emails, memos and presentations for tone, context and audience. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.
