More layoffs at Amazon tech layoffs will continue all year. I was laid off twice, once 3 days after adopting my daughter. My wife had quit her job to stay at home with our new baby, and now I was out of work too.

We went from two incomes and no kids to no incomes and a child in just days.

I was scared as I had very little savings.

But I thrived and you can too:After this layoff, I became an Amazon VP and was able to retire early. I'm writing you this post from the middle of a 15-day ski trip through Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana (greetings from Whitefish!)

How I did it:

1. I reached out to my network to find a new job. It was 2003 and the economy was at least as tough as it is now. But I found a job with an old manager at his startup. Most jobs (80% !!) come through networking connections.

2. I treated the job search as a full time effort, putting at least 40 hours a week into networking, meetups, etc. If you get laid off, take a few days to grieve and a few days to relax, but then get to work at your new job - of finding a job.

3. I kept trying when it got depressing. I got nowhere for 3 months. I was running out of money. But I kept at it every day. The lead came in after I thought I had tried everything.

4. I spent any time where I had no more contacts to reach out to on my skills. I learned about SQL and databases during this time.

The small "silver lining" for the Amazon folks in this particular layoff - no one will think you have a personal flaw. When I was let go, it was personal and it was my fault. I had to recognize and change some behaviors. But when it is thousands of people and the Nth layoff in an endless string of cuts, everyone knows and they realize that it had nothing to do with your skills or behavior.

I coach plenty of people who have found better jobs in this "bad economy." The jobs are out there but you have to do the work to find them.

I'm sorry for your shock, pain, and loss. Take this week to mourn, then get to work!

I encourage you to start networking right here. If you are hiring or know who is, put that in the comments on this post. Helping someone out today could be a favor that pays you back tomorrow.

This is my fourth "layoff advice" post in the last year, because the "AI-driven efficiency" and other reasons layoffs keep coming. I do not expect them to stop, but we can all adapt to new opportunities!

YOU can come out better off, like I did.