Navigating Amazon layoffs: Tips from Scott Pierce

I haven’t heard about how it all went down, nor the extent for people of our community, but if you’re affected by the Amazon layoffs, I’m so sorry and angry. As a former Amazonian, there’s no sugarcoating this—14,000 people just had their lives upended right before the holidays, and calling it an “efficiency gain” doesn’t make it hurt less. You didn’t fail. The system failed you. Amazon made record profits and chose to convert your salaries into something else. That’s a business decision, not a referendum on your talent. What you can do right now: - Before you sign anything, wait for at least a week. If you feel you need a lawyer to review your severance (if any) the $300-500 is worth every penny - File for unemployment TODAY - Designers, scrub and archive your best before you lose access - Go ahead and light up “Open to Work”. There’s zero stigma in late 2025 The job market is weird and stupid but navigable. Tech unemployment is 2.9%. Companies are hiring, just not always where you’d expect. Healthcare, fintech, government, climate tech all need what you know how to do. Remember, all companies are tech companies now, tap into what interests you. If it’s beekeeping, bias for action the hell out of it. Your experience at Amazon matters. Your skills are valuable. And you will emerge somewhere that actually values stability over quarterly narratives. You’re all cats who land on their feet, we just wish some companies would stop throwing cats. If you need a referral, a resume review, or just someone to talk to—my DMs are open. We take care of our own.

"You didn’t fail. The system failed you. Amazon made record profits and chose to convert your salaries into something else. That’s a business decision, not a referendum on your talent." Scott's post is really apt and has lots of useful advice and insight about the job market. It's useful for _anyone_ who is out of work, not just (but especially for) former Amazonians.

🚨 The Loyalty Paradox: Amazon Layoffs and the End of the Long-Term Contract The news from the recent Amazon corporate layoffs is unsettling, and a common thread is painful: many impacted colleagues had 6 to 15 years of tenure. This is the harsh reminder we all need: For the company, you are a number. The company will never be loyal to you. For too long, we've confused comfort with security. When you’ve been somewhere for a decade, you know the systems, the people, the culture—it feels safe. This comfort is what makes us stop looking outside, stop taking career risks, and stop exploring other options. The New Rules of Career Security: The corporate pivot to efficiency and AI is not sparing institutional knowledge. Long-term loyalty is no defense against a balance sheet. Stop Being Loyal to the Logo: Be loyal to your Market Value. Your security is defined by what the external market is willing to pay you, not what your current company pays you. Escape the Comfort Trap: Regularly check your market value. Update your resume, interview for jobs every 18 months, and make sure your skills are relevant outside your current organization's walls. Invest in Future-Proofing: Amazon's focus on "reducing layers" and investing in AI signals that bureaucratic, comfortable roles are the first to go. Your job is to learn the skills that leverage AI, not compete with it. 💔 To all those impacted, especially our long-tenured colleagues: My deepest sympathies are with you. Losing a professional home after a decade-plus is a seismic shock. Your experience and resilience are immense, and this difficult transition is a forced opportunity for powerful reinvention. Lean on your network. We are here to support you. Don't let this tough lesson be learned in vain: Never stop actively managing your career. #Layoffs #Amazon #CareerAdvice #CompanyLoyalty #FutureofWork #TechJobs

Amazon announced their layoffs and typically more happen during these next 2-3 weeks before Thanksgiving, so in light of that... Tomorrow: The Year-End Career Transition Playbook Got laid off? Worried it's coming? Burned out but stuck until January for benefits? Here's what nobody's telling you. Most career advice around layoffs is garbage. "Update your LinkedIn." "Stay positive." "Network more." Cool. But what about the $40K you're leaving on the table because you didn't know you could negotiate severance? Or the benefits cliff you're about to fall off in 6 weeks? Dropping tomorrow: The Year-End Career Transition Playbook What's actually inside: - Negotiating your exit (yes, even after you've been laid off) - Open enrollment isn't boring, it's leverage - "Unlimited PTO" is a scam. Here's how to beat it. - Stacking FMLA, short-term disability, and paid leave (legally) - Out-of-state HQ? Different rules. Use them. - Equity, clawbacks, and executive terms they hope you don't read - Why timing your exit around bonuses and reviews matters more than loyalty DISCLAIMER: I'm not an employment lawyer, benefits expert, or tax specialist. You'll still want to verify specifics with professionals for your situation. But while everyone else is telling you to "trust the process," I'm showing you how the process actually works—and how to work it back. No corporate toxic positivity, no fear-mongering. Just clarity and strategy for designers, leaders, and execs who want to protect their time, money, and sanity going into 2026. Want the tag when it drops? Drop a 🐝 below.

Amazon has laid off around 14,000 people, which is roughly 4% of its ~350,000 white-collar workforce. The number could climb to up to 30,000 cuts across corporate roles. These layoffs aren’t just numbers.   They’re stories of people who built, stayed late, debugged through nights, and now have to start over. How I see it is, what’s happening at Amazon is about a system resetting itself.   Every decade or so, tech hits a point where efficiency takes priority over expansion. And unfortunately, the human cost always comes first. If you’re one of those affected, please remember this: Your skills didn’t lose value overnight. The system just moved faster than anyone could’ve predicted. And sometimes, disruption doesn’t fire you, it frees you to build something of your own. For those still in the trenches, don’t let fear take over. Use this moment to learn, adapt, and reimagine your role before someone else defines it for you. Because underneath the layoffs, there’s a shift from “more people, more code” to “fewer people, deeper impact.” We’re all part of that transition — whether we’re hiring, getting hired, or trying to survive another restructuring. So be kind, reach out, hire someone who’s been let go.   And if you’re the one who just got that email, remember, tech isn’t ending, it’s evolving. What are your thoughts on this? #amazon #layoffs #hiring #corporate #tech

I’ve been thinking a lot about the recent wave of layoffs at Amazon and I feel deeply sympathetic for everyone impacted. Here’s what I’m seeing: -Amazon is cutting around 14,000 corporate jobs globally right now. -In India alone, the impact is estimated to be 1,000-1,500 jobs so far. -This isn’t just numbers on a chart. These are lives, ambitions, bills, families everything tied into the “job security” we all assume we have. Why does this matter beyond the headlines? The message it sends: Even big tech, even “stable jobs”, are not immune. The era of long-term “safe” employment seems to be shifting. The disruption: It’s not just the role that ends it’s the identity, the routine, the community. For many, work is woven into life. A layoff rips that fabric. What comes next: Reskilling, redeployment, mental stress these won’t just vanish overnight. The ripple effects last. 💡 My hope and ask: Let’s hold space for those who are going through this. Let’s ask harder questions: How do we build more resilient careers, not just jobs? How can organizations honour the human cost when they restructure? And how can each of us prepare for change proactively, not reactively? To everyone impacted: You’re not just a number. The world didn’t end it’s a hard chapter, but not the final one. Let’s keep the conversation going. #Layoffs #TechIndustry #CareerResilience #Amazon #HumanImpact

Amazon is reportedly about to lay off up to 30,000 people. This comes after several rounds of layoffs in the last two years. What troubles me most is the reasoning behind it: “We are correcting the over hiring during Covid.” On paper it sounds logical. In real life it is much harder to accept. If you were hired, you performed well, you contributed. Being let go because the company miscalculated headcount does not feel fair. Here is what this signals: • No company is truly safe anymore. • Job security has become an illusion. To become resistant to layoffs, there are really two paths: - Be exceptionally good at something that is difficult to replace. - Build a personal brand or presence where your value extends beyond your job title. This is one of the reasons I started writing on LinkedIn. Systems are not designed to protect you. You have to protect yourself. We may not stop layoffs from happening, but we can control how prepared we are when they do. Is this a wake up call for all of us or just another incident that will get swept under the rug? Curious to know your take

If It Can Happen at Amazon, It Can Happen Anywhere. Amazon just announced another 14,000 corporate layoffs. These weren’t poor performers—they were professionals caught in a structural reset. When even one of the world’s most disciplined companies lays off thousands, everyone should pay attention. Because what’s happening isn’t about talent. It’s about control. The old rule—“work hard and stay visible”—was wrong. Layoff-proof is measured by data, not loyalty. Every few years, the system enforces discipline: budgets tighten, priorities shift, and entire layers of good people disappear overnight. The truth is simple—no one is immune. That’s why we built Layoff-Proof: How to Protect Your Job, Power, and Future—in Just 90 Minutes. It’s not career coaching. It’s a systems briefing. You’ll learn how to: – Identify the structural gaps that make you replaceable – Anchor your work to business control and accountability – Become operationally unfireable before the next correction hits Fix this now. Protect your position before someone else decides it for you. Layoff-Proof: How to Protect Your Job, Power, and Future—in Just 90 Minutes (https://lnkd.in/erhAAwYR)

Amazon Layoffs--------- To everyone impacted by today's Amazon layoffs: I spent nearly 5 years building talent programs at Amazon. I know the culture. I know the people. I know how hard you worked. And I know this hurts. Here's what I want you to hear from someone who's been on both sides of this: This is not a reflection of your performance. I've been in the rooms where these decisions get made. They're about numbers, strategy shifts, and market conditions—not about your value as a professional. You didn't fail Amazon. Amazon's business priorities changed. What comes next: > The Amazon alumni network is one of the strongest in tech. Lean into it. Your former colleagues will show up for you—because they know what you're capable of. > Your Amazon experience carries weight. You've worked at one of the most demanding, innovative companies in the world. That doesn't disappear because of a layoff. To the hiring managers reading this: > These are people who've operated at scale, solved complex problems, and thrived in high-performance environments. >They're strategic thinkers. They're resilient. They're available. > If you're hiring in HR, Operations, Tech, or Strategy—reach out to them. You won't regret it. To my former Amazon colleagues navigating this: > Your network is your safety net right now. Reach out. Ask for help. Make introductions. And when someone offers support—take it. I've been exactly where you are. The job search is hard, but you're not starting from zero. You're starting with credibility, experience, and a network that values you. You'll land on your feet. I'm rooting for you. If I can help—coffee chats, resume reviews, introductions—my DMs are open. UPDATE: I created a free resource to help → https://lnkd.in/g-BtzpKQ #Amazon #Layoffs #CareerTransition #AmazonAlumni #HiringNow

My thoughts are with everyone impacted by the recent Amazon layoffs — and those quietly worrying they might be next. Losing a job isn’t just about work. It shakes the foundation of what we all work for: money, stability, and security. If you’re in that place — anxious, uncertain, or thinking about what’s next — I want to offer something practical that helped me rebuild clarity when I felt lost. I built a system to analyze my own finances. Now I’ve turned that method into 5 free AI prompts to help you understand your money — wherever life takes you next: 🌍 Prompt 1 — Tax Residency Reality Check: if you’re considering moving countries or returning home. 💰 Prompt 2 — Double Taxation & Treaty Optimizer: if you want to make sure you’re not earning more but keeping less. 💸 Prompt 3 — Cross-Border Transfer Optimizer: if you need to move assets, transfer savings, or sell stock across currencies. 🧭 Prompt 4 — Retirement Account Consolidation Planner: if you’ve worked in multiple countries and want to see your full picture. 🏡 Prompt 5 — Property Tax Impact Analyzer: if you’re managing or selling property abroad. You don’t need all the answers right now. Sometimes, clarity starts with awareness. 👉 The free AI Money Clarity Handbook is linked in the first comment — explore it, try it, and see what insights it brings. 💬 Share what worked for you or your specific use case that you want to solve (erase sensitive data please) I’m developing more tools in the coming weeks, and your real-world feedback is the only way I can build something truly helpful. Take care