How to 'layoff-proof' your job, from 6 top recruiters at Netflix, McKinsey, Walmart, and more

• AJ Eckstein hosts a podcast interviewing recruiters from major tech, retail, and finance companies.
• He reached out to six leading recruiters to share advice on potential layoffs.

Since the start of 2023, more than 108,000 employees in the tech industry have been laid off, the layoff tracker layoffs.fyi found, with big-name companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook each cutting thousands of positions.

Many employees are stuck feeling anxious about their job security. While you can't control external factors that may impact your job, you can take action to make yourself a more valuable and secure employee.

I'm a podcast host and job-search expert who interviews leading recruiters at some of the world's largest companies including Netflix, McKinsey & Company, Accenture, and Walmart. I've interviewed more than 30 recruiters in order to pull back the curtain on the recruitment process and help job seekers.

In light of the current job market, I asked some of my previous recruiter guests: "What advice would you give employees to strengthen their job security as some companies are undergoing layoffs?"

These are the answers they gave:

Marie Ablaza, who recruits for Netflix in the Bay Area, told me workers should "keep growing their skills, take an interest and help other teams, keep an open dialogue about growth and development opportunities with your manager, and network internally in your company and outside of it."

Ablaza added that employees should be aware of areas within their company that need support or extra resources and see if their skill set can fill those gaps. Offering to help out, if you can, shows versatility, she added.

PricewaterhouseCooper's talent-acquisition and onboarding leader, Rod Adams, has been at the company for more than 25 years and experienced several market fluctuations.

Adams believes that workers today have more career opportunities than past generations.

"In a constantly shifting job market, employees shouldn't be stagnant either," he said.

"Take advantage of all the learning and development opportunities that your company offers, and try to come away from each project or experience having learned something new," Adams continued. Upskilling can help strengthen your position in a company, he added.

Erika Love, a lead recruiter and DEI specialist at McKinsey & Company, said the recent layoff news was "disheartening," but employees should feel comforted by the "outpour of support" on social media for those who have been affected.

"Companies will continue to seek talent to help them navigate uncertainty," Love told me. "Now is the time to take inventory of your skill set, jump at the opportunity to join projects that will directly improve efficiencies across your teams, and network internally and externally to continue fostering learning, growth, and relationships."

She said the rise of remote work since the pandemic has meant it's easier than ever to connect virtually with people for learning opportunities or to network.

She recommended collaborating as much as possible with peers and being vocal about what you're doing. Love said this will allow you to "build support and signal your ability to be resilient."

Benjy Spiro, who has sourced talent for Disney, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and is now an MBA campus-recruiting manager for Walmart, said employees should "become a subject-matter expert in what they do; be the person that everyone turns to."

He said staying inventive when approaching your work can help make you indispensable to a team.

Linda Le, who's been a talent-acquisition analyst at Lockheed Martin for a little over six months and has amassed more than 260,000 followers on LinkedIn for her transparent career advice, recommended that job seekers thoroughly research a company's financials and historical treatment of employees before accepting an offer.

"Companies that seemed secure last year are now laying off thousands of people day in and out. There are excuses given for over-hiring, the pandemic, fear of economic downturn, but the truth of the matter was just poor planning that put profit over employees." Le said.

When she was interviewing for jobs six months ago, Le said she asked each company she was applying to "where they stand in their budgets, retention, and hiring profits."

She looked outside of tech and did her own research into industries that had budget controls, discretionary spending, and overhead planning. This research led Le to Lockheed and the defense industry.

Le said candidates should know "it is OK to accept a role with smaller companies and industries outside of your usual prospects."

Accenture lead recruiter Madeline McCooe told me that nervous employees need to "prioritize their mental and physical well-being" to be able to show up as their best selves at work.

During times of economic uncertainty, McCooe said she encouraged employees to "find ways to relax, recharge, and set boundaries."

After speaking with these leading recruiters from different industries, the main takeaways include: always stay flexible and open to new opportunities, never stop expanding your network, and be cognizant of your place on your team and the unique skills you offer.

These lessons are relevant to any career, regardless of the economic climate. In times of uncertainty, it can feel especially comforting to take back some control over your future. Layoffs are never easy, but they can provide an opportunity for workers to reflect on their position within their companies and generate positive changes in their own careers.