Layoff Survivor: How I Saved My Job

9 May 2025 · 1 min

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This content was created by Feras Alhlou. This content was uploaded by Feras Alhlou. This is a YouTube video titled "Layoff Survivor: How I Saved My Job" (created 2025-05-09T21:50:59Z). The excerpt is a first-person recounting by a single speaker who survived a massive company layoff (over 60% of staff). The speaker describes being nearly laid off, having three young children, approaching the CEO the day after the layoffs to request a more people-oriented/account-management role, and being given that opportunity which worked out well. The content is a personal narrative about career survival and role transition following mass layoffs.

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We had a massive, massive layoff. More than 60% of the company was let go. And I escaped that layoff by like this. I was very close. Everybody on my team got laid off and I didn't. So that shook me, that whole, that complacency I had, you know, especially with a young family. We had 3 children at the time. I said, no way, you know, if I get laid off, what do I do? So, so I consulted with my wife and the next morning after the layoff, I mustered all the courage I had to go and walk into the CEO's office and say, hey, Russ, I'm doing okay in engineering, but it's just not me. Now, this is one day after a massive layoff. So I'm thinking he might fire me, whatever. But I said, I can't be doing this because I'll be on the next round of layoffs. So is there something that's more people-oriented, sort of account management type work? And he looked at me and said, yeah, sure. We have this 2, 3 clients, not very happy. They need someone to take care of them. I said, sign me up for that. And he took a bet on me and it turned out to be well for everybody involved.