Laid off: what to do with your resume this week
Updated October 21, 2026
After a layoff, time matters and access to company systems disappears fast. The priority is to keep what you still can, turn your recent work into result-driven bullets, and start applying within days, with a resume tailored to each job.
Day 1: save what's still yours
Before access ends, write down (outside company systems) what you delivered: projects, migrations, incidents you resolved, numbers you tracked. Don't copy code or internal documents: note what you did and its effect.
If repositories are still cloned on your computer, the local git history is still there. Its dates and messages help you remember what you shipped in each period.
Day 2: turn accomplishments into bullets
For each accomplishment, answer two questions: what was the problem before? What changed afterwards? Then write it as verb + what + tool + result. Only use a number when you know where it came from.
Worked on month-end close, which kept breaking.
Automated month-end billing close with job queues, eliminating the manual rework that broke it every month.
Day 3: LinkedIn and your network
Update LinkedIn with the ended role and the same accomplishments as your resume. Tell your network directly: what you do, what kind of job you want and from when. People from the same layoff often trade referrals; it's worth coordinating.
From day 4: one CV per job
With the base ready, each application takes minutes: pick the accomplishments the job wants to see, use its terms and adjust the summary. Sending the same resume everywhere is the slowest way to get replies.
You don't need to explain the layoff on your resume
Your resume shows what you shipped. The end date on your last role is enough. If they ask, the explanation fits in one sentence in the interview: a layoff is a company decision, not a reflection of your work.