S01E15 The One Where You Get Let GoLaid off?

You’re not alone, and it doesn’t mean you're broken.

In this week’s episode of I’m a Software Engineer ~ What Next?, we talk to Steve Jaffe, ad industry veteran and author of The Layoff Journey, about how to bounce back after losing your job — and how to find real clarity in the chaos.Steve's been through four layoffs — from the dot-com crash to 2023’s tech contraction. The difference? Now he knows how to handle it.

Hosted by tech recruiter James Wilson and software engineer Matt Sinclair, this episode is all about:

-Why most people handle layoffs wrong

-The 7 emotional stages of being let go (and why you shouldn't skip them)

-How layoffs can spark growth, renewal, and even joy-What hiring managers really think about CV gaps

-How to turn a layoff into your career pivot moment-Advice for engineers, hiring managers, and anyone who’s felt lost after being let go.

Show Notes

Steve’s book The Layoff Journey - https://thestevejaffe.com/

The Kubler-Ross Model – Stages of Grief - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_stages_of_grief

The "Bullsh*t Jobs" theory by David Graeber - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit_Jobs

Guest:

Steve

Hosts

Matt

James

More from us

https://whatnext.dev/

https://quantumfaxmachine.com/

Welcome back to I'm a Software Engineer ~ What Next? — the podcast for devs figuring out their next move. Hosted by recruiter James Wilson and engineer Matt Sinclair, we unpack what it really means to build a career in tech today.

This week, we sit down with Dan Moore — author of Letters to a New Developer, startup founder, DevRel leader, and all-round tech veteran — to talk about how careers really unfold when things don’t go to plan.

In this week’s episode, we cover:

• Why writing a book can change your career (even if no one reads it)

• Crashing a national TV website — and what failure really teaches

• The IC ceiling: when to pivot, when to manage, and why leverage matters

• Why opinionated engineers stand out (and fence-sitters fade away)

• How AI shifts the game: product sense > raw coding

Show Notes
Dan’s book: Letters to a New Developer
Dan’s website: danmoore.org
FusionAuth: fusionauth.io
Dan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dmooreds

🎙 Hosts
Matt: /matthewsinclair
James: /james-wilson-92170656

🌐 More from us
https://whatnext.dev/
https://quantumfaxmachine.com/

So you're off to work at Anthropic? S01E14 The One Where We Wonder: What happens now that I have a job at one of the world's premier AI companies?Welcome back to I'm a Software Engineer ~ What Next? — the podcast for devs figuring out their next move. Hosted by tech recruiter James Wilson and software engineer Matt Sinclair, we unpack what it really means to build a career in tech today — from navigating interviews to scaling as an engineering leader.In this week's episode, we cover:- The remarkably compressed career of one of the new wave of AI-powered software engineers- What it's like to build multiple successful startups before the age of 21- What someone at the cutting edge of AI thinks the future of AI holds for programmers, and humanity🗒️ Show NotesAnthropic: https://anthropic.com Navigating the Jagged Technological Frontier: Field Experimental Evidence of the Effects of AI on Knowledge Worker Productivity and Quality: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=64700Gary's Economics: https://www.youtube.com/@garyseconomics🎧 45 minutes. Zero fluff. Tune in now.Whether you’re applying for your next engineering role or hiring your next dev, this one’s got real talk, practical advice, and a few rants.🎙 HostsMatt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewsinclairJames: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-wilson-92170656🌐 More from us:https://whatnext.dev/https://quantumfaxmachine.com/