Hi there,

Meta started its performance-based layoffs this week.

Affecting 5% of the workforce, Zuckerberg calls this part of Meta's effort to "raise the bar." 

I certainly hope this round of layoffs doesn't affect you or anyone you know directly, but as an ex-Meta engineer, I'll tell you this: the standards at Meta are so high, that even some highly skilled individuals will be affected. 

This follows on the coattails of Microsoft's performance-based layoffs, where they withheld their usual practice of providing severance packages. 

Whether developers or project managers, junior or senior level, tech companies are getting a bit more ruthless with their employees. 

So what's driving this shift — and how can you position yourself to stay resilient in tech? 

I'll break it down today: 

• Why the new wave of performance-based layoffs
• The case against stigmatization
• How to stay resilient

Let's dig in.

Performance-based layoffs: Meta and beyond

It's nothing new to do performance-based layoffs. Amazon does performance-based layoffs every year — more or less — in an effort to raise the bar and improve their employee skill level. 

Meta has indicated that they're going to rehire or refill those positions, but we don't know if this is a new normal or a one-time thing. 

So what's different this time?

Two things stand out about these layoffs at Meta and Microsoft:

1. Companies are showing less concern for employees they’re letting go.
   Microsoft — which has historically provided generous severance packages — recently cut employees without any severance and immediately ended their benefits.  
   
   
2. The layoffs are more publicized, creating an unfortunate stigma.
   Meta has been especially vocal about targeting so-called “low performers,” which can unfairly label those affected as underqualified.  

Companies are under pressure, and it’s showing. Inflation and rising interest rates are forcing businesses to cut costs, whether by reducing headcount or shelving projects. Meanwhile, to stay competitive, tech giants have no choice but to make costly investments in AI, leading them to try and cut costs elsewhere. 

These factors combine to drive harsher employment practices. It's unfortunate for tech workers, but it's a reality we may have to face for the short-term. 

As performance-based layoffs become more common, developers need to understand how hiring and retention trends are shifting — and what that means for their careers.

I’ve put together a detailed breakdown of how shifts at Meta impact engineers (and what to do next) in this blog:

👉🏽  Meta layoffs: Everything developers need to know

There should be no stigma

Amazon's performance-based layoffs aren't so publicized, so anyone applying as ex-Amazon wouldn't raise eyebrows. However, Meta did theirs so publicly that they've created a bit of a stigma. 

Those applying as ex-Meta may be misjudged as being low performers, making it even harder for them to compete in today's job market. 

But we should not create a stigma based on performance-based layoffs. There is still incredible talent in ex-Meta individuals. 

Meta has a very high bar, and I know from working there that even relatively low performers are usually very capable individuals — but even one bad performance review cycle would be enough to put them in a bad spot. 

That said, my message to hiring managers is to not assume that individuals from Meta (or elsewhere) would be low performers or unfit for their team. It could be that they’ve landed in the wrong team, or had a couple unfortunate incidents. Many times, a poor review cycle is due to circumstances outside one's control. Even if they did make a mistake, those can be the biggest learning opportunities.

Bracing for uncertainty

I still believe that tech will make a comeback — but while inflation is high, and funding is scarce, we're still hunkered down for the storm. It's an unforgiving tech climate, where even a few bad months might give you a lower rating and endanger your job. 

If you've been affected by a layoff, I’m sorry. I know how hard this moment can be. But remember: this doesn’t define your career. A better opportunity is out there for you. Honesty and transparency is the best route when discussing your past experience — any hiring manager with perspective will understand that even the most talented individuals don't thrive when they're in the wrong place. 

And if you’re still employed but feeling uncertain about job security, the key is to stay "almost ready."

Staying "almost ready"

Being "almost ready" means maintaining just enough interview readiness so that, if needed, you could confidently step into an interview within two weeks. 

Here’s how you can stay prepared — without burning yourself out:

1. Brush up on fundamentals

• Instead of drilling endless coding problems, learn core coding patterns that underlie thousands of problems (sliding window, recursion,etc.). 
• If you work in backend or distributed systems, review System Design concepts.

2. Practice real-world design problems

• Whether it's System Design, API Design, or Product Design, regularly think through and sketch out how you’d approach technical challenges.
• Even 20 minutes a day can keep your design skills sharp.
  

3. Build communication skills under pressure

• Do mock interviews – both technical and behavioral.

• Practicing verbalizing your thought process helps, especially if you haven't interviewed in a while.

4. Refresh your portfolio.

• Be sure to add projects that highlight AI skills (at a minimum: prompt engineering or AI API integrations).

Getting "almost ready" is about preparing to hit the ground running in case you find you're suddenly on the job hunt. It's best to take care of those knowledge gaps now rather than later.

Wherever you're at, you can find free job hunting resources like interview prep roadmaps, cheatsheets, and interview prep courses at Educative. 

Good luck out there!

Fahim ul Haq
CEO & Co-founder
educative.io