Software engineer laid off twice in 8 months seeks career reset — is healthcare the safest bet? Internet weighs in

A Reddit post from a software engineer explaining being laid off twice within eight months has sparked a wider debate online about job insecurity in the tech industry and whether switching careers is unavoidable for several professionals.

The engineer shared that his initial layoff happened in July, when he was let go from what he called his dream job as a software engineer, just one day before going through major surgery. The timing made him struggling to cope on several fronts.


Due to a two-week recovery period, he said he found it difficult to apply for fresh roles immediately. Eventually, he managed to secure a temporary job as an AI annotator. While the position paid significantly less than his earlier position, it enabled him to cover basic expenses.

However, the sense of stability was short-lived.

“Cut to today,” he wrote, explaining a meeting with his team lead and HR where he was notified that his position was being eliminated due to headcount reductions. What made the circumstances more frustrating, he added, was that performance metrics suggested that he was among the top contributors.

“I’m extremely disappointed, but not really surprised,” the engineer acknowledged, stating that layoffs currently appear to be happening “everywhere throughout tech.”

‘What’s the point anymore?’

The repeated job losses have made him question the long-term viability of being in the industry. While he intends to continue job hunting, he showed doubts about whether the cycle of layoffs and anxiety might simply repeat..

He also disclosed that he is considering returning to school for healthcare, a field he perceives as offering greater stability. The concept is not without emotional weight. Stepping away from four years of a computer science degree and five years of development experience feels, to him, like abandoning years of effort.

Still, he said that peace of mind is starting to outweigh the fear of beginning over.

Turning to the online community, he asked for advice and encouragement, citing that several others are dealing with similar challenges.

What users are saying

The post immediately drew reactions from others who said the experience resonated deeply.

One user commented: “It's not a waste. You can use your skills for the EHRs in health care. I do not have a computer background. My background is in health care. However, I am computer literate. There are a lot of Healthcare remote IT jobs. I work fully remote.”


Another user wrote: “Im about to get fired from the second job in a row… its rough out there”


One user mentioned: “Why not look for IT related jobs in Healthcare? Hospitals and pharmacies have dedicated computer systems and components that need constant upkeep and maintenance. Companies like EPIC could be options”


Another one said: “Go back to school and make it happen. In 2001, I graduated with a computer science degree. I had to throw that degree out the window, due to the dot com crisis, and went back for accounting and finance. Best thing I ever did.”


One user cited: “Wish companies would lay off as a strategy to pump their stock price.”

FAQs:

Q1. Why are tech layoffs becoming so common?
Companies are restructuring because of economic pressure and changing priorities. Cost-cutting often impacts even high-performing employees.

Q2. Are layoffs always related to poor performance?
No, several layoffs are driven by organizational or financial decisions. Performance metrics don’t always safeguard employees.