I Survived 3 Mass Layoffs at Spotify, Here’s What I Learned | by Khouloud El Alami | Dec, 2023

Imagine finally landing your dream job after years of hard work. You’re at the top of the world, living the life, and feeling secure. Then, out of nowhere, layoffs hit.

What would you do? How would you feel in that moment?

This isn’t just a hypothetical scenario — it’s the harsh reality in today’s tech world affecting hundreds of thousands.

And this year, I got to experience it firsthand, not once, but three times!

Just two months into my dream job at Spotify, 600 people were suddenly laid off. Then, six months later, boom, another wave struck, taking more people with it.

I wasn’t laid off but these events still hit me like a big wake-up slap.

I realized I needed to take control of my own career else someone else would be doing it for me. I’d always be at the mercy of the corporate world’s unpredictable slaps.

And I was right.

As I write this, we’re riding a third wave, the largest one yet, because this time, 17% of the workforce — around 1,500 people are being let go.

It’s a reality no one is safe from, which is why I want to share what I learned from this transformative experience.

Think of this as an exciting adventure, like you’re a pirate setting sail. By the end of this story, you’ll gather the essential insights you need to contemplate your own course. You’ll seize command of your ship toward a path that can set you free in your professional odyssey.

Last January, I witnessed many individuals shattered by layoffs, haunted by the question of why they were chosen for this unwelcome fate.

The reality is companies rarely share the criteria they use to decide who will leave and who will stay. You might never have that closure for reasons we…