If you have been following the news lately you’d have heard that Uber has laid off 10% of the global workforce. What does it mean for freshers? When the job market is already down, will this be more pressure for freshers to get jobs?
Here are few observations before we come to the conclusion –
Who are impacted by Uber Layoff?
Look at this article from BBC which specifically analyzes on the people the Uber layoff are impacting. The management layers are directly being impacted where employees with lot of years experience are working. These layers are in managing the projects, delivery of features indirectly through their teams.
Are freshers impacted by this layoff?
If you think about from point of only the the percentage of jobs lost, you would think that the market and requirement of the developers are shrinking. This would be correct in terms of available jobs in total. But take a look at the number of direct technology dependent jobs that got hit. You would see that companies are targeting to remove the middle layers which mostly are managing the work instead of delivering or actual coding. So technology dependent jobs are relatively hit lower(not zero).
What does management layoff mean?
Simply put, it means that companies are more interested in investing in building actual features than just managing them. Management isn’t necessarily obsolete. They are needed for shaping many aspects of companies’ vision and goals. But for freshers, it gives a signal that you have to invest in learning technology hands-on.
The career paths for newcomers should focus on skills that help you develop and create new features and less towards becoming a “manager”.
Should freshers realign due to such Uber layoffs?
Yes. The market clearly shows that such layoffs at the management layers will eventually happen. Usually they are the first. Realigning your career path towards technology oriented role where you create new elements and improve the product are beneficial.
Did AI impact these layoff?
With advancement in AI and output improvements it can be said that an indirect effect of AI is responsible. Tasks which required a lot of attention to organize and prepare road maps are now simpler. Tools are being built which can automate the process of managing.
With the usage of AI and new tools companies are able to reduce the efforts put in by real humans in doing redundant tasks. This opens up opportunity to build new products instead of just spending time on managing the projects. Employees have more time in their hands due to automation and companies are looking to utilize and maximize returns.
What next after layoffs announcement for freshers?
These are signs from real industry. A mirror that will help you navigate your career path.
How to understand for freshers?
Ask yourself this question. “Did this layoff include technology you are learning?”
If your answer is “Yes”, then you know that what you are learning just got automated. The chances for hiring in such specific direction are being reduced due to automation.
If your answer is “No”, then focus on how to improve on automations that can make you a better developer who can deliver quality product with minimal efforts. Clearly companies want to reward those who can get things done without needing micro-management.
What changes should you make to resume?
Focus on your capability as individual developer who can create and deliver code without needing additional management. Highlight your experience in handling projects where you take technical decisions. Include relevant automation skills you have which reduces repetition of manual work using AI. Using AI is not mandatory but having this skill does help in automating many tasks.
Is this the last of layoffs?
We could wish for Uber announcement to be the last major layoff announcement in 2026. But the reality is over the years all companies have acquired some level of “extra layers”. Companies are now realizing that they could do more without having to worry about loosing many reporting, management using automations.
While being optimistic towards next few months, also be prepared. Don’t Panic. Analyze what happened in the layoffs without jumping to conclusion.