How To Get a Job in a Lay-Off Market

Kyla Duffy
5 min readFeb 24, 2024
With the right tools and tenacity, you will succeed in your job search!

Gary* was a top-selling Account Executive at a leading technology company, rising to #1 in his region through a record-breaking sale. He was walking on clouds until the ground dropped out from under him. He got laid off.

This abrupt and unexpected change took its toll on him emotionally, but being a fighter, Gary quickly got back up and started swinging. I wrote him a new resume, and he set up a regimented application schedule, gathering meticulous data. Through swift and effective networking, he landed a new role.

That’s not the end of the story.

Gary immediately realized the culture of the new company wasn’t a fit. Accustomed to large, well-oiled corporations, he found this start-up to be a ship bobbing in stormy seas. A micro-manager circled the sales team like a vulture, expecting gold from an infrastructure supporting tin. Additionally, the job itself wasn’t fulfilling; Gary was a skilled account manager, yet his day was filled with cold calls and prospecting. Each evening, he was drained and exhausted.

So, he “quietly quit” and refocused his efforts on job hunting. This time around, beginning in December, Gary found a far different job market to navigate. Referrals were ineffective, and recruiters weren’t reaching out. Feeling lost and confused, Gary did the one thing he knew would work: hit the gas.

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Kyla Duffy

Energized by “A-ha!” moments, I’m a career coach and resume writer who helps people move toward happiness & fulfillment. Get help at https://kyladuffy.com.