#networking

I keep my skills fresh, paid for a resume rewrite, network constantly, and still nothing after five months. The interviews I got went well and then they just stopped responding, which somehow hurts worse than a straight rejection. What else can I do?

Mainly those who were laid off? I'm just curious, because for me, as soon as they're gone, that's usually the last I hear from them, or they hear from me.

For those who recently landed a new job:

• How long did your job search take from the time you started applying until you accepted an offer?
• What was your overall approach (networking, recruiters, direct applications, referrals, etc.)?
• Roughly how many applications, interviews, and final-round interviews did you go through?
• What do you think made the biggest difference in helping you land your new role?
• Looking back, what would you do differently if you had to start your job search again?

I’m trying to get a realistic sense of today’s job market and learn from strategies that actually worked.

I am so tired of scrolling past random selfies with captions pretending to be deep insights. What does your pose have to do with industry trends? Nothing. We need LinkedIn to stay useful for networking and opportunities, not become another social feed full of empty posts. This is getting ridiculous.

Strong rumors about Networking and Security Specialist SE/AEs being moved into Portfolio Generalist AE/SE roles. Anyone hearing anything for USC and GES?

How would account mapping work? Who would handle Cat Center and Security conversations? Leader check in from today, can someone help confirm/deny rumors?

Mass layoffs continue to impact Silicon Valley tech workers. Artificial intelligence is driving these job cuts and reshaping the industry. Many displaced employees struggle to find new roles despite extensive experience. Companies are now highly selective, often demanding specific AI skills. Workers are adapting by upskilling, networking, or exploring new career paths.

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-05-19/ai-layoffs-jobless-tech-workers-silicon-valley

I was laid off in 2024 after 18 years at Cisco. It was a weird time leaving because people just stopped talking to me. It was as if I was gone in a snap. People I thought I knew and worked with everyday, people I considered a friend went radio silent. I remember who they are.

I myself had survived many rounds and I’m 1000% sure I failed in reaching out to those hit to connect before they left. When I was let go, I knew what it felt like.

So all of you who survived this one and the next one, you have an opportunity. Reach out to those you worked with who’ve been hit. Write a message, make a call, or set up a webex do what’s best. You have no idea how much that means to the person impacted. They will remember you.

Next time it could be you. When you’re on the outside, you’ll need to network to find your next job. People will remember how you made them feel. They will answer your call.

We’re all doing our best. Remember those who go before you.

I was laid off a few months ago and both I and most of my former coworkers still haven't found anything. Please make sure to update your resume now and reach out to your network. Don't put it off or think you're safe. Find something before they make the decision for you.

I've been applying for months through the big job boards and getting almost nothing back. No calls, no interviews, nothing. For those of you who've been laid off and managed to find something, which platforms actually worked for you? I need to change my approach.

• Remove any pending vacation time if your company pays out unused PTO. You do not want approved future vacation causing issues with payout processing.
• Download or screenshot your annual reviews, performance feedback and any recognition awards. You will use these later for resume bullets, interview stories and measurable accomplishments.
• Save copies of paystubs, W-2s, benefits information, commission statements and PTO balances.
• Schedule annual medical, dental and vision appointments before insurance ends and refill prescriptions if needed.
• Start applying for jobs NOW. Do not wait. Build your LinkedIn network aggressively and use AI strategically. Gather 10 job descriptions for roles you want, feed them into AI and tailor your resume/LinkedIn around the keywords, metrics and business impact repeatedly showing up in those postings. Focus on measurable results, not responsibilities.
• Save personal contact information for coworkers, leaders and recruiters while you still have access.
• Take pictures/screenshots of dashboards, workflows, presentations, trackers or work examples you personally built so you can later recreate sanitized versions for portfolios or interview discussions. Obviously do not take confidential company or customer data.
• Focus your remaining time on transition work, documentation and knowledge transfer. Stay professional until the end. The world gets very small during layoffs and reorganizations.
• Understand your severance, COBRA costs, unemployment eligibility, 401(k)/HSA options and any RSU or stock impacts before your final day.
Most importantly: do not freeze after a layoff. The people who recover fastest usually start networking and applying immediately.

Excellent advice, bumping from @b3+1krbx7cem for visibility.

• the best opportunities come when you aren’t expecting/looking for them.
• always have a mind set of “what’s the next best role/job for me”.
• always be working toward the next thing.
• there are always jobs available at companies, just not when it’s convenient to you.
• make friends in life not enemies.
• you never know who you will cross paths with in life.
• always be showing your “brand” around others. Your personality and work ethic will always be remembered.

I spent a long time at Synopsys and I learned one thing above all else. No one is safe. The people who thought they were indispensable got cut just like everyone else. You are an at will employee which means they can let you go whenever they want. Job security is a myth. If you're smart, keep your resume updated and your network active.

For those of us impacted by the greatest economy of all time and it’s not even close, here’s a LinkedIn template for your layoff with gratitude, grace and a pivot for what’s next!

Thrilled to share a growth opportunity I didn’t see coming.

I’ve been impacted by a recent layoff, and while this wasn’t the outcome I originally envisioned, I’m choosing to see it as a powerful reset and realignment moment.

Endless gratitude to Verizon for the journey, the incredible people, and the experiences that shaped me into the thought leader I am today. Nothing but appreciation as I close this chapter.

Now it’s time to lean into what’s next. The market is…dynamic, and this transition may come with trade-offs—whether that’s compensation, benefits, PTO, or starting fresh without tenure. But growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones.

I’m energized by the chance to rebuild, reimagine, and reinvent.

Because sometimes you don’t get what you wanted—you get what you need.

Open to opportunities. Ready to add value. Let’s connect!

i see there’s another trade show in philly —/ do people actually still go to these ?

I know exactly what is going on with Cisco? I follow networking companies earnings report and Gartner report. I know exactly where Cisco and other networking companies stand in each networking technology.

Greed is everywhere at top level and hiring is broken with favoring friends and family members in most of the groups.

Many know how to play the corporate game! 60-70% of Directors, managers and VPs do not know how to motivate team and no good vision in their tech domain. There are 20-30% good managers, rest are useless !!

I left the group of old networking technology in my group at Cisco and nepotism. Got a better opportunity to learn a different technology and better pay. I don't have to deal with the incompetent Indian manager any more from my group at Cisco.

Reposted from: Post ID: @mz+1kqae1qpk

Just curious if anyone has insight - I was impacted on 3/31 but was contacted by Oracle for positions they are trying to fill for the VA. I submitted my application(s) and also have been networking within Oracle Health. It seemed positive, but things have gone "quiet" and I have received the "Dear John" rejects about my applications.

Any insight?

Layoffs continue across major industries, causing financial and emotional shock for many. Experts advise workers to focus on perspective, networking, and new tools to move forward. Monique Kelley emphasizes consistent networking, especially on LinkedIn, as a crucial strategy. She also suggests embracing artificial intelligence to strengthen job applications. Layoffs can also provide an opportunity to reevaluate career goals and pursue new paths.

https://abc7.com/post/got-laid-off-7-side-shares-top-tips-help-rebuild-confidence-find-new-job/18979231/

Is anyone else seeing a sudden increase in invites for attending career related sessions? In Greensboro/Triad they just keep coming out. Resume building, networking, luncheons with leaders on career paths. Why so many all of a sudden? Anyone other areas seeing the same?

With all of the recent layoffs on the Atleos Service side of the world interested if anyone has any connections on the Business Partner/Dealer side of the business? Curious of what their thoughts are on the impending acquisition and open positions that may be available. I would think they would interested in beefing up their teams with all of the talent on the streets.

I had to reactivate my account because recruiters kept asking for it, but the constant posts about nights out, people partying with coworkers, and random personal photos feel so unprofessional. Does anyone actually use this platform to help others find real work? It feels more like a social feed than a job tool most days.

Remember when you'd apply and actually hear back? Not anymore. Now all I get is silence. And most of the jobs on LinkedIn aren't even real. They're phantom postings that go nowhere. The only way I see people actually getting hired is through networking. Someone knows someone who knows someone. That's it. The economy is really bad and the old methods don't work anymore.

It seems This will affect several sites make sure you start networking

I thought we had great working relationships with some brilliant ex-colleagues, but I’ve been cut off after they left the company. It hurts more than I’d like to admit, and it’s happening more often. I genuinely value those people and would really like to work with them again. Why does it happen? I want to keep the relationship but they don’t.

I am. Sent out a lot of applications, then started getting smarter and more targeted. Getting more interviews, but then when the third one comes, it goes well, then ghost town. Tried leveraging contacts, but some were lying or leading me on when I wished they had said they couldn't (or didn't) want to help. With friends like these, am I right?

Still somehow, through it all, hopeful, we sent Gen X astronauts the furthest anyone has gone (well done, Artemis); then anything is possible.

Anyone else having difficulty landing even something part-time to bring in cash? Maybe it's the overqualified part. One food chain I went to said they had over 300 applications for that one store alone. I don't know how many of them are "overqualified", but that sounds like way more than they usually expect...

Hope you all are well and finding your way.

I was given the devastating news March 26. I already have an interview April 13 (Monday). No guarantees of course, but it gives some hope. I have probably applied to 10 positions so far. 2 rejections. And there was a contractor who sent me an email that seemed interested. But the role was in DC and paid significantly less with no benefits so I passed on that - not that desperate YET.

I never thought I would be playing this game again. I hope everyone who has gone down this cr-p road is making progress. I told the recruiter I secured this interview with that if they see T Rowe people applying that they are the best (workers not managers). Good luck all.

Watching promotions happen makes you wonder whether performance is really the deciding factor or if knowing the right person is the trump card.

Anyone know anything about a meet & greet in FW on 4/22, hosted my UHC Tech? Feels like a trap somehow lol.

Oracle layoffs hit this morning, so I’m suddenly available for daytime games while I figure out what’s next.

If you know of openings, recruiters hiring, or just want to connect, I’d appreciate it. Also accepting pickleball invites, networking chats, and strong coffee.

I have a 95% feeling I'll be included tomorrow, and I want to join a support group, mostly for tips on next steps and get constant reminders that I'm not alone in this.

Layoffs do happen often in this industry, but right now is especially bad for finding a new job. If you think there are layoffs coming start putting out the resumes and making connections now. I know people that have been looking for work for a year now, and they all say hiring is slow on the open market, and the best way to get a job is through your own network and making the right connections ahead of any layoffs. I am hearing stories of people applying for hundreds of jobs and not even getting a sniff of interest. If you have a good paying jobs with benefits keep it and start looking while you have a job. That has always been the advice people have given me, but it seems like it is more true now than ever. Good luck for those looking in this current environment.

What’s exhausting is the sense that there’s a permanent inner circle. The same names recommend each other, amplify each other, and open doors for each other while outsiders are quietly ignored. It creates a culture where talent and contribution matter less than who you’re already connected to.

I spent four months searching while employed and it was one of the hardest stretches I've had. The pattern was always the same. Clock out from the day job, eat something quick, then sit back down for round two. Applying, networking, following up. It felt like a second full time job that paid nothing. The market is strange right now. Companies post roles but they want a unicorn. Someone with twenty years experience who will accept a junior salary. Or they list requirements that have nothing to do with the actual work. I questioned myself a lot during that time. Wondered if I was the problem. Eventually I found a place that felt right, but it wasn't luck. It was persistence. I sent out over a hundred applications, had thirty screens, and got two offers. The math is brutal but you just have to keep going.

RTO = More collaboration, problem solving and networking which leads to better raises, bonuses and career opportunities. All of which are raises.

I wish I could share more but connect with your colleagues.

Here it comes..... :\ Reach out to your network.

Happy Friday! Could someone share details on a recruiter at Comcast that I can contact.

Do you think that UCS can survive this situation?

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https://www.crn.com/news/networking/2026/cisco-revises-partner-contract-terms-in-response-to-soaring-memory-prices