0.000000	2.800000	 Tech It From Me is an independent and solo-produced podcast.
2.800000	6.700000	 "Welcome to the Tech It From Me podcast, I'm Mike Madole.
6.700000	13.100000	 Microsoft just laid off 9,000 people, and let's be honest, layoffs in tech aren't rare anymore.
13.100000	17.100000	 Amazon, Google, startups, nobody is immune.
17.100000	21.400000	 Today, I want to talk about how to navigate this reality as an IT professional,
21.400000	26.500000	 and how to build a career that stands strong, no matter what the market throws at you.
26.500000	28.500000	 Welcome to Tech It From Me.
28.500000	29.500000	 Let's go."
29.500000	31.500000	 This is the Tech It From Me podcast.
31.500000	34.500000	 So, by now, I'm sure you've seen the headlines.
34.500000	39.500000	 Microsoft just announced 9,000 layoffs across multiple business units.
39.500000	41.500000	 And they're not alone.
41.500000	46.500000	 Over the past year, Amazon has cut tens of thousands of jobs.
46.500000	47.500000	 Google too.
47.500000	51.500000	 Even high-growth startups have slashed entire departments overnight.
51.500000	56.500000	 It's a reminder that in tech, no matter how big the company is,
56.500000	59.500000	 nobody is guaranteed lifetime employment.
59.500000	62.500000	 So, why does this happen?
62.500000	65.500000	 Sometimes it's because revenue targets aren't met.
65.500000	70.500000	 Sometimes it's a pivot in business strategy, or integration after an acquisition.
70.500000	76.500000	 Sometimes it's restructuring to align with future priorities, or simply reducing layers of management.
76.500000	82.500000	 And sometimes, honestly, it's just about increasing shareholder value by reducing payroll costs.
82.500000	89.500000	 Cutting staff is a fastest and easiest way to show improved margins, and investors love that.
89.500000	93.500000	 But for the people affected, it doesn't matter what the reason is.
93.500000	97.500000	 When you're told your role is eliminated, it feels deeply personal.
97.500000	101.500000	 Believe me, I'm speaking from personal experience.
101.500000	105.500000	 I remember when I first saw massive layoffs happening early in my career.
105.500000	107.500000	 I thought, whoa!
107.500000	111.500000	 That person's got a family, a mortgage, kids in school.
111.500000	113.500000	 Maybe a car loan.
113.500000	115.500000	 What are they going to do?
115.500000	120.500000	 The truth is, companies can be profitable and still lay people off.
120.500000	126.500000	 Layoffs are often strategic financial decisions, not reflections of an individual's performance.
126.500000	128.500000	 But that doesn't make it any easier to accept.
128.500000	134.500000	 When you're the one sitting in that meeting room hearing the words, your position has been eliminated.
134.500000	136.500000	 I think that's what we forget sometimes.
136.500000	144.500000	 Behind every headline statistic is a real person, not just a number, trying to figure out what's next for them.
144.500000	155.500000	 That's why today I want to share what I've learned about navigating layoffs, building resilience, and ensuring that if this ever happens to you, you're as ready as you can be.
155.500000	157.500000	 I've been on both sides.
157.500000	160.500000	 Believe me, it's not fun on either side of it.
160.500000	163.500000	 Personally, I've been laid off twice in my career.
163.500000	167.500000	 The first time was after more than 15 years of service.
167.500000	171.500000	 Imagine you give over a decade and half of your life to a company.
171.500000	179.500000	 You grow with it, you build teams, you deliver results, and then one day you receive that call.
179.500000	181.500000	 And it's over.
181.500000	187.500000	 What made that call even harder to deal with was it was during COVID over a video call.
187.500000	193.500000	 An experience taught me a lot about protecting myself, my family, and my career.
193.500000	198.500000	 It was a situation where I had to advocate for myself more than I ever had before.
198.500000	205.500000	 Let's just say I walked away with some harder lessons about how these things really work behind the scenes.
205.500000	211.500000	 The second time was after just two years at a global company, and here's how that went down.
211.500000	219.500000	 Not long before that layoff, the CIO said to me at a conference, "Mike, you know what your problem is? You're just too nice."
219.500000	222.500000	 Well, that completely came out in a blue.
222.500000	229.500000	 It wasn't a review. It was just in the middle of a big room with a lot of people around us.
229.500000	233.500000	 I'm too nice. Oh, okay. And then off he went.
233.500000	240.500000	 Two months later, I received my full bonus, and three months after that, they ended up letting me go.
240.500000	247.500000	 What hurt was this? I had two yearly reviews, both were very positive.
247.500000	254.500000	 But after I was gone, they told my former team that my problem was I only brought problems to the table and not solutions.
254.500000	258.500000	 That narrative never came up in any of my reviews.
258.500000	264.500000	 That's when I realized something. Companies will create their own narratives to justify decisions.
264.500000	270.500000	 Those narratives might not reflect the truth. I've always been very transparent with my people.
270.500000	276.500000	 I've always told the truth, especially in these types of discussions. They've earned that from me.
276.500000	281.500000	 If you've been laid off, know this. It's not always about your performance or value.
281.500000	287.500000	 Sometimes it truly is just business. But that doesn't make it feel any less personal.
287.500000	294.500000	 So now you might be asking, well, what can I do to protect myself? All there's no easy answer to that.
294.500000	299.500000	 Stay relevant. Keep your skills current. But here's the thing.
299.500000	303.500000	 I don't really think you need a university degree to succeed in IT.
303.500000	307.500000	 Throughout my career, I've built IT departments from the ground up.
307.500000	314.500000	 I've hired so many great people, and honestly, I've never cared where you graduated from, or if you did at all.
314.500000	320.500000	 What mattered to me was, can you prove you can do the job? Are you adaptable when things change?
320.500000	325.500000	 And do you understand how your work truly impacts the business?
325.500000	329.500000	 One of the best team members I ever hired didn't have a formal degree.
329.500000	335.500000	 But they had deep technical knowledge, a strong work ethic, and the ability to solve problems under pressure.
335.500000	339.500000	 I've also had to reinvent my own skills multiple times.
339.500000	344.500000	 I started programming basic on a TI-994A as a kid.
344.500000	352.500000	 Later I learned networking, database management, cloud, security, leadership, business strategy.
352.500000	357.500000	 Not all of it was from school, but a lot was from hands-on work and continuous learning.
357.500000	362.500000	 Healthy competition with coworkers as to who can spin up a web server at home first,
362.500000	373.500000	 who can provide secure access to files through a VPN, who can provide the best advice for dealing with a review discussion with your current supervisor.
373.500000	376.500000	 These are the things that keep you relevant.
376.500000	381.500000	 Alright, so now I know I've got the skills, I know I can do the job.
381.500000	385.500000	 Let's talk about protecting yourself legally and financially.
385.500000	391.500000	 Now, before I go into my advice here on this podcast, please note, I am not a lawyer.
391.500000	395.500000	 I've never been one, nor have I ever played one on TV.
395.500000	402.500000	 Please always, always seek legal counsel to discuss your particular situation with an expert.
402.500000	408.500000	 When you're laid off, never accept the first termination package without legal review.
408.500000	414.500000	 Companies have entire legal teams crafting those packages to protect them, not you.
414.500000	419.500000	 And don't concern yourself with the deadline date that they've given you to respond.
419.500000	421.500000	 You need someone looking out for you.
421.500000	423.500000	 I've learned this the hard way.
423.500000	427.500000	 In my first layoff, I was so shocked, I didn't even know where to turn.
427.500000	432.500000	 This wasn't an area I had expertise in, but I paused and sought guidance.
432.500000	437.500000	 In fact, to the credit of the organization, I was encouraged to seek legal advice.
437.500000	441.500000	 That decision for me changed everything.
441.500000	444.500000	 So, from me to you, here's my advice.
444.500000	449.500000	 Find an employment lawyer who specializes in severance negotiations.
449.500000	456.500000	 Ask around discreetly your network might, they will have recommendations.
456.500000	460.500000	 Know your rights in your province or state.
460.500000	463.500000	 This starts with requesting an extension to the deadline date.
463.500000	467.500000	 Again, discuss with counsel before making any decisions.
467.500000	472.500000	 And it's not just termination packages, hiring packages matter too.
472.500000	476.500000	 Negotiate your salary, your vacation, your title.
476.500000	480.500000	 And if possible, severance terms up front.
480.500000	485.500000	 Companies expect these negotiations nowadays, and you're worth it.
485.500000	489.500000	 Finally, let's touch on financial preparedness.
489.500000	493.500000	 Layoffs are easier to navigate when you have a financial safety net.
493.500000	499.500000	 If you're able, build up an emergency fund to cover at least three to six months of living expenses.
499.500000	503.500000	 I know that's easier said than done, especially with the cost of living right now.
503.500000	505.500000	 But here are a few ways to start.
505.500000	508.500000	 One is automate your savings.
508.500000	511.500000	 Even if it's just 25 or 50 bucks every payday,
511.500000	515.500000	 set up an automatic transfer to a separate account that you just don't touch.
515.500000	519.500000	 It'll be surprised how quickly it builds up over a year.
519.500000	523.500000	 If you think to yourself, can you afford a dollar every Friday?
523.500000	527.500000	 A successful strategy I've used in the past is every Friday.
527.500000	531.500000	 I deposit one dollar more into a savings account than last week.
531.500000	533.500000	 So what do I mean by this?
533.500000	535.500000	 Well, start this Friday.
535.500000	536.500000	 Take one dollar.
536.500000	537.500000	 That's it.
537.500000	539.500000	 Put it into a savings account.
539.500000	542.500000	 Make sure you sign up for one without fees.
542.500000	546.500000	 In Canada where I live, wealth simple is a great place.
546.500000	550.500000	 I don't work for wealth simple nor have I ever worked for them.
550.500000	553.500000	 They also do not sponsor this podcast.
553.500000	560.500000	 Their savings account starts paying interest at 1.75% for balances of a dollar or more.
560.500000	564.500000	 That's just why I've suggested these guys.
564.500000	567.500000	 Next Friday add a dollar to last week.
567.500000	570.500000	 So that means depositing two dollars.
570.500000	575.500000	 The following Friday put in three dollars and so on for the rest of the year.
575.500000	581.500000	 There's 52 weeks in a year and the final Friday of the year, you will deposit $52.
581.500000	589.500000	 If you do that every Friday at the end of the year, you will have $1,378 in a savings account.
589.500000	593.500000	 Plus $7.85 in interest.
593.500000	599.500000	 Now that $7.85 doesn't sound like a lot, but at the beginning of your savings schedule,
599.500000	603.500000	 that comes up to almost your first month of Fridays.
603.500000	610.500000	 It's a nice start to a career cushion or holiday spending money or an alternative to paying for pet insurance.
610.500000	613.500000	 Secondly, treat it like a bill.
613.500000	617.500000	 Pay yourself first before the money gets eaten up by your other spending.
617.500000	621.500000	 Thirdly, start small, aim bigger.
621.500000	626.500000	 If six months feels overwhelming, start with a goal of a thousand dollars.
626.500000	631.500000	 Then work up to one month's expenses and keep going from there.
631.500000	634.500000	 Fourth, cut back strategically.
634.500000	638.500000	 Review those subscriptions or expenses you just don't use.
638.500000	642.500000	 Read or wreck those funds into your emergency savings.
642.500000	647.500000	 And finally, renegotiate existing home contracts.
647.500000	648.500000	 What do I mean by this?
648.500000	653.500000	 If you're locked in on a cell phone contract, you'll have to let that run the course.
653.500000	658.500000	 But if your month to month, a quick phone call to your provider and asking for a review,
658.500000	661.500000	 it's free to do, phone calls are free.
661.500000	666.500000	 If your month to month on your home internet, find a competitor who's offering a sign-up offer.
666.500000	671.500000	 Either consider switching or give your current provider the option to match.
671.500000	677.500000	 If you reduce your cell phone bill by $10 a month and your home internet by, say, $20 a month,
677.500000	683.500000	 that minuscule $30 a month in savings adds up to $360 a year.
683.500000	687.500000	 You just found money to start your automated savings plan we discussed earlier.
687.500000	691.500000	 Having this buffer buys you confidence and time.
691.500000	695.500000	 Confidence is to negotiate properly if you're laid off.
695.500000	701.500000	 And time to find the right next opportunity instead of taking the first job out of fear.
701.500000	704.500000	 It's not about creating a fortune overnight.
704.500000	706.500000	 It's about building breathing room.
706.500000	710.500000	 So that if the unexpected happens, you're ready.
710.500000	712.500000	 So we talked about your skills earlier.
712.500000	717.500000	 We've talked about preparing yourself financially, legally.
717.500000	723.500000	 And one of your biggest assets in a layoff isn't just about your skills, isn't just about those things we just talked about.
723.500000	725.500000	 It's really your network.
725.500000	727.500000	 Now, hear me out.
727.500000	731.500000	 Keep your LinkedIn profile current before you need it.
731.500000	733.500000	 Treat it like a living resume.
733.500000	738.500000	 Update your skills, your certifications, and your accomplishments regularly.
738.500000	745.500000	 Don't disregard the free or low-cost training courses on websites like Udemy or LinkedIn.
745.500000	750.500000	 During my initial layoff, I signed up for a Udemy course for AWS Cloud Practitioner.
750.500000	753.500000	 I think it was just around $80 or so.
753.500000	757.500000	 I took the 40 to 50-hour course.
757.500000	759.500000	 I studied for the exam and wrote it.
759.500000	764.500000	 And I passed and I became a certified AWS Cloud Practitioner.
764.500000	770.500000	 My next role, which I didn't know, was with a company who used the AWS platform.
770.500000	774.500000	 And I was proud to share my recent certification during the interview.
774.500000	779.500000	 Stay in touch with colleagues, former bosses, and mentors as well.
779.500000	786.500000	 Even a quick comment on their posts on LinkedIn or a check-in message through email, it goes a long way.
786.500000	788.500000	 Their connections will see you.
788.500000	793.500000	 And one of them could be a recruiter or could be a hiring manager.
793.500000	797.500000	 In my career, I've landed opportunities because of my network.
797.500000	803.500000	 A recruiter found me through a mutual connection of ours on LinkedIn for the role that I'm in today.
803.500000	809.500000	 Your reputation, combined with your relationships, is what will carry you through times of uncertainty.
809.500000	811.500000	 So now let's shift gears a little bit.
811.500000	817.500000	 And for the leaders that are listening to this podcast, let's talk about how to keep great people.
817.500000	824.500000	 I've managed teams where people followed me from one company to another. They didn't do it for perks or for the pay.
824.500000	827.500000	 They did it because of how I treated them.
827.500000	836.500000	 People want to work for managers who trust them, empower them to grow, listen to them, and value their input.
836.500000	842.500000	 I remember one team member telling me, "I've never had a boss who actually cared about where I wanted to go in my career."
842.500000	851.500000	 That's stuck with me. Retention isn't about providing free coffee in the office or ping pong tables or anything like that.
851.500000	858.500000	 It's about respect, growth opportunities, and creating an environment where people will feel safe to do their best work.
858.500000	862.500000	 This means embracing mistakes. We all make them.
862.500000	867.500000	 But it's important that people are not afraid to own up to them when they do occur.
867.500000	879.500000	 There was one time, many years ago, pre-COVID era, a network analyst that ultimately rolled up into me, pushed out a configuration to a network switch during office hours.
879.500000	888.500000	 He knew he needed to go through our change advisory board, that's CAB for the ITIL folks listening in, prior to implementing any change.
888.500000	895.500000	 His reasoning for stepping around CAB was it was a small configuration change and he was sure it wouldn't impact anything.
895.500000	898.500000	 I think we've all heard that one before.
898.500000	904.500000	 Anyway, he committed to change and the switch was stuck in post or power on self-test.
904.500000	909.500000	 Even worse, the config change had been pushed to all network switches in our building.
909.500000	918.500000	 Everyone in the office was now offline. And because it was pre-COVID, everyone was actually in the office.
918.500000	923.500000	 The impact was an unscheduled outage that lasted over four hours.
923.500000	932.500000	 Through the culture I had encouraged in the IT department, within the first 20 minutes, we gathered the primary IT resources in a meeting room.
932.500000	939.500000	 The network analyst had confessed to the error and the entire team was able to rally behind him to help resolve the issue.
939.500000	943.500000	 Sure, he was nervous and confessing as he knew he did something he should know.
943.500000	952.500000	 But because he stepped up and he knew he would be supported, we didn't have to waste time at the beginning trying to figure out what exactly it happened,
952.500000	960.500000	 but the truth was, reading between the lines, we were able to step into resolution mode right away and act.
960.500000	966.500000	 So there you have it. It's not a fun place to be getting let go from your job.
966.500000	970.500000	 But if there's one thing I want you to take away from today, it's this.
970.500000	975.500000	 Your career is a business and you are the CEO.
975.500000	979.500000	 Always invest in yourself. Protect yourself.
979.500000	985.500000	 Build relationships that last beyond any job title. Remember, job titles are free.
985.500000	990.500000	 Layoffs don't define your worth. They just redirect your path.
990.500000	999.500000	 So as you reflect on some of the points I've shared here in this podcast and it took me a while to put this together to make it meaningful for sure.
999.500000	1003.500000	 But what do you think is most important for job security in IT?
1003.500000	1011.500000	 Do you think it's certification and skills? Am I wrong in assuming that not everybody needs a university degree?
1011.500000	1014.500000	 Do you need a strong professional network?
1014.500000	1017.500000	 What about the company performance?
1017.500000	1022.500000	 Luck? Something else? I'm curious to see what you all think.
1022.500000	1033.500000	 As always, if you got thoughts or stories to share, email me at Inspire@TechItFromMe.com or leave a comment wherever you're listening to this podcast from.
1033.500000	1039.500000	 Thanks for joining me today on Tech It From Me. Until next time, keep building the career you deserve.
1039.500000	1042.000000	 This is The Tech It From Me Podcast.
1042.000000	1043.226062	 [BLANK_AUDIO]