You can always approach HR and say you can’t continue in your role because reasons. Ask about possible next steps. You have a good chance they’ll make you some kind of severance offer in exchange for a general release.
Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
31–40 of 41 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#32Maybe you could strike a deal to be laid off instead of the 2 directs. Very hard thing to navigate though, especially if they were to say no
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#33You could tell your boss you can't bring yourself to lay anyone off so you'll quit yourself. They give you severance, and promote someone from under you without laying anyone off because of the cost saving they'll make without you. Win-win all round.
If somebody quits, most companies’ next words won’t be, “Here’s your severance.”
You’re going to need to tell them, “I’m willing to quit in exchange for X.”
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#34Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#35There is no "leaving on very good terms." There's either "eligible for rehire" or not. That's it. Yes, for that particular manager in his/her particular mood, you might be this great guy who will be missed, but no one else will give a rat's ass.
If you think you have a good shot at getting severance out of it, tell them you're leaving. Otherwise, keep quiet and leave when you have a new job lined up. But why would they give you severance if you're going to leave of your own accord anyway?
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#36Not sure if it helps, but let me share my experience. At the company I'm working for, there is a hiring slowdown (that can turn into a hiring freeze), and the announcement felt like "the writing was on the wall" and I expect that things will get only worse as time goes by. It's a mobile team and I am worried that the whole team will be let go and the company go forward with web only. I decided to look for another job…
I recently did a month of interviews and determined the same. Everyone is cargo culting everyone else why move for basically the same situation.
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#37in some companies they offer you to voluntarily leave and get severance package so that others can be saved. Check if this is available in your company.
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#38I know it sounds cold but without knowing more about the company you work for my suggestion is to say nothing and start looking. Unless you have a new job lined up, all the papers signed, and a start date never tell your current company. At best they are happy for you, at worse they are vindictive and either fire you immediately (an no, unemployment is neither easy/simple nor is it much money normally) or make your l…
This is the right answer.
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#39I think it's easier to get a new job if you have a job, otherwise they can low-ball you because you look more desperate
Re: Ask HN: How to handle a layoff when I already planning on leaving?
#40Offer to take voluntary redundancy?
OP wrote that they could be fired on the spot, they're not in the land of generous voluntary redundancy packages.
No they didn't, they wrote that they want to quit, and other people are being let go.
The organisation's looking for people to cut, which if you want to quit anyway is lucky - it suggest VR may be accepted (or it may be involuntary anyway if you wait).