Laid off from Oracle on March 31 alongside 30,000 others, this developer did not panic-apply. He spent the first month upskilling -- AI/ML, system design, LeetCode grind -- using Claude to build a structured 30-day learning plan. He applied to 10 to 15 roles per day and built two portfolio projects to sharpen his pitch.
Within 45 days, he had interviewed with seven companies and received three offers, ultimately accepting an AI Engineer role. The total process from layoff to signed offer: six and a half weeks.
His advice to r/developersIndia was specific: treat the gap as a structured sprint, not a crisis. "The market rewards people who build," he wrote. "Stay curious."