Before I transitioned into tech, I spent the last 10 years working in digital marketing. While I enjoyed aspects of that field, I had always been drawn to technology and problem-solving.
Landing my first job in tech was a dream come true. After spending a few years in uni, coding late into the night, failing a class and preparing for technical interviews, I finally secured a technical position at a promising company. The excitement of my first day, meeting my new team, and diving into real-world IT projects was everything I had hoped for. I felt like I was on top of the world.
Then 18 months have past, the unexpected happened — I was laid off.
The news was shocking, but it wasn't entirely unfamiliar. Having worked as a digital marketing freelancer before transitioning into tech, I had experienced a lot of the uncertainty of clients not renewing contracts. However, this layoff felt different—it was more definitive, and I had no backup plan.
The product in the company we were building was going through financial struggles, and despite my dedication and hard work, I found myself among those affected by the downsizing. On that moment, I slightly felt lost, but also somewhat excited for what my next role would be. It was a tough moment, one filled with self-doubt and fear for the future.
But after taking some time to process, I realized that this setback was not the end of my journey — it was just a detour (as always). Instead of letting the layoff define me, I decided to take control of my situation. Here’s how I got back up:
1. Allowed Myself to Grieve
I took some time to acknowledge my feelings. It was okay to feel disappointed, but I didn’t let it consume me.
2. Reassessing My Skills and Goals
I used the opportunity to reflect on my career path, identify gaps in my skill set, and work on improving them. I was looking at roles that encompass DevOps, software engineering, and data engineering. Then
(Adapted from www.ryanswanstrom.com)
the secondary roles I was looking at included data analyst, insights analyst, big data engineer, and machine learning engineer.
3. Applying Strategically
Rather than mass-applying to every job I came across, I focused on roles that aligned with my strengths and career aspirations. I tailored my resume, practiced interviews, and stayed persistent despite the rejections.
4. Identified skills gaps vs. market demand
After analyzing numerous job postings for my target DevOps roles, I compared the most frequently requested qualifications against my current capabilities. This assessment revealed several key gaps I need to address, including: Kubernetes experience, more extensive DevOps background (employers typically seek 3+ years), systems engineering knowledge, Terraform proficiency, and Azure cloud services skills.
As someone early in my tech career with just over a year of DevOps experience, I've prioritized developing these in-demand competencies to strengthen my marketability. I'm also actively updating my GitHub coding portfolio with projects that demonstrate these skills, ensuring potential employers can see concrete examples of my growing expertise in action.
5. Build a portfolio showcasing projects
I reviewed my GitHub profile and began developing projects that highlight both my technical coding capabilities and problem-solving approach. Rather than pursuing numerous small initiatives, I've deliberately concentrated on fewer, high-quality projects that effectively demonstrate my skills.
Each repository includes detailed documentation explaining the challenges I encountered during development and the specific methodologies I employed to overcome these obstacles, creating a narrative that illustrates my technical growth and problem-solving mindset.
6. Leverage my unique background:
My digital marketing expertise serves as a distinctive competitive advantage in the tech landscape. I emphasized how this multidisciplinary background enables me to bridge technical solutions with business objectives in ways that purely technical candidates often cannot.
Specifically, I demonstrate how my marketing experience provides deeper insights into user needs, enhances my ability to align technical projects with product marketing initiatives, strengthens my budgeting and forecasting capabilities, improves resource allocation decisions, and ensures my work directly supports broader company's goals and strategies.
7. Attend both virtual and in-person tech events:
I build genuine connections by participating in a selected mix of technical meetups and major tech conferences. I make it a point to show up regularly at smaller meetups and workshops where you can actually talk to people. I'm hitting up at least one tech meetup every week, jumping between local Perth tech events for AWS and Platform Engineering, and joining communities like GitHub and Women in Tech. I also make time for our local tech conferences like DDD Perth and Latency, plus some international ones like AWS Re:Invent and JSNation when I can.
The smaller events are where I've built my best connections - you really get to know people when you're solving problems together at a hackathon or chatting over coffee after a workshop!
8. Create a learning roadmap:
To stay ahead of industry changes, I'm creating a structured, ongoing learning plan. I see online platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning as essential tools for career development, similar to my university education.
I'm committed to acquiring new skills and earning certifications, which I share on LinkedIn to showcase my adaptability and learning agility. I believe that demonstrating a willingness to learn is just as important as mastering any single subject.
9. Optimize LinkedIn profile for visibility:
Ensure my headline clearly states my target role, not just my past title. I used relevant keywords throughout my profile that recruiters search for, and enable the "Open to Work" feature with specific roles you're targeting. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it, but it's just a matter of what works for you.
And so, when I got laid off, I posted on my LinkedIn about my work status (that I was open to work). This prompted a random local recruiter to approach me about a few roles he had on his plate. And kabam! I tried applying for those roles, and in just two weeks from my last day at my previous job, I already had an offer for the same role.
10. Engage strategically on LinkedIn:
Comment thoughtfully on posts by industry leaders and potential employers. I started sharing relevant articles with my insights to demonstrate subject matter expertise (even though I am still in the progress of learning about the topic). This positions me as an active participant in my field's conversations.
11. Certifications:
I strategically obtained certifications from industry leaders AWS and Microsoft Azure, as these dominate the cloud market in our region. Entry-level credentials such as AWS Cloud Practitioner and Azure Fundamentals established my technical foundation.
While these certifications required financial investment, they serve as valuable door-openers with potential employers, significantly enhancing my interview prospects.
12. Find Mentors and Sponsors
Distinguish between mentors and sponsors: Understand that mentors provide advice and guidance, while sponsors actively advocate for you in professional settings and put your name forward for opportunities. Both are valuable but serve different purposes.
Identify potential mentors with relevant experience: Look for professionals who have successfully navigated paths similar to your desired trajectory, especially those who have transitioned from non-technical backgrounds to tech roles.
Leverage formal mentoring programs: Many tech companies, professional associations, and cloud providers offer structured mentoring programs. AWS Community Builders, Women in Tech groups, Local Meetups groups, Microsoft Student Ambassadors and organizations like She Codes connect underrepresented professionals with mentors.
Build Relationships with your network
Cultivate connections beyond immediate needs: Approach networking as relationship-building rather than job-hunting. Connect with industry professionals even when you're not actively searching, which creates more authentic relationships that endure through career changes.
The tech industry is smaller than it seems, and support from others helped me stay motivated.
Eventually, my efforts paid off. I landed a new job—one that was even better suited for me than my previous role. The layoff, which once felt like the worst thing that had happened to me, turned out to be a pivotal moment in my career. It pushed me to grow, refine my skills, and build resilience that I carry with me today.
To anyone facing a similar situation: You are not alone. Layoffs are tough, but they do not define your worth or potential. Use this as an opportunity to grow, stay persistent, and trust that better opportunities lie ahead. Your next breakthrough might be just around the corner.