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Sign Up NowAt the start of a new year or a new quarter, one topic seems to surface quietly in conversations and workspaces. And even if it feels uneasy to think about, job cuts remain part of many fields and are expected to continue through 2026.
Just in early 2025, the tech industry faced another major wave of job cuts:
It’s important to understand that layoffs are usually tied to budgets and structural changes and don’t always reflect your performance.
You may not be ready to handle it right away, but eventually, updating your resume becomes unavoidable.
Think of your resume as a new start that points you toward what lies ahead. It should remain factual, positive, and built around the next chapter of your career.
Your resume should show the version of yourself that performs at your best in the right work setting.
Recruiters reviewing your resume want to know:
Continue Reading to Learn:
In the next part of this guide, you’ll find suggestions that can help you think about your resume after losing a job.
Start with this reminder: you now have a chance to present something meaningful — your entire work history and what you can offer.
Your goal is to set a positive tone from the start of your application. Dwelling on the past or feeling upset won’t support that goal.
Instead, lean on the strengths, tools, and lessons you’ve gained that prove your readiness for a new role.
The question that troubles many people is whether they should mention the layoff when writing their resume.
Here are a few points that may help you decide.
#1. You can exclude experience that ended due to a layoff if:
#2. Certain industries face regular job cuts (for example, hospitality or creative fields).
If you’re applying in such areas, you may choose to mention the layoff either during the interview or in your cover letter.
Use careful wording, such as:
#3. Do not lie on your resume, especially when it comes to employment dates.
Hiring teams can easily verify information, as your former managers and HR departments are often contacted.
There’s no reason to turn an ordinary hiring process into a complicated situation.
#4. Look at how others with similar backgrounds have handled layoffs. LinkedIn can provide plenty of examples.
One of the best things you can do is review as many job listings as possible and understand what matters most for the roles you want.
Use a simple resume layout that works well with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Most strong resumes fit on a single page.
Match your resume to each job by adding keywords from the posting that reflect your background.
You may rely on:
Check for spelling mistakes and make sure the layout stays consistent from top to bottom.
Add a section describing how you used your time after being laid off. It could include volunteering, self-study, or anything relevant to your growth.
These questions require you to share examples from your past roles.
Use your resume bullet points as story prompts to support your answers.
A Clear and Engaging Summary Can Help
A resume summary, typically three to five sentences, should highlight why you’re a strong match for the role and act as a brief preview that encourages the recruiter to read further. This isn’t the place to mention a layoff; use it to highlight your strengths, career achievements, and relevant industry knowledge. Beginning with a confident tone helps set up the rest of your resume effectively.
Adding Layoff Details in the Experience Section
You may include the layoff note in your most recent job entry, but keep it brief. Recruiters don’t want lengthy explanations. They want to see what you learned and how the company benefited from your work. Make each bullet highlight transferable strengths backed by results.
Good experience bullets might include:
You don’t need to list very old roles such as early internships. Focus on the ones connected to your current path.
Your bullet points can follow formats like:
You may also add a separate section to highlight selected work under…
Most professionals have one or two projects that show their true range. These projects can display your ability to deliver results, apply technical and interpersonal skills, and align closely with job requirements. Create a dedicated section for major projects that show how you plan, execute, and measure your work. Include numbers for context. Add dates, growth percentages, savings, or other measurable results.
This shifts your resume from "seeking opportunities" to a confident profile ready to bring value.
Hiring teams know that learning new tools and workflows can take months for new employees. Even if you've experienced a layoff, your resume still carries knowledge that came from hands-on work. These transferable strengths are extremely valuable because they save training time for the company.
Create a separate section for:
While you may not be working at the moment, this time can help you build new skills or complete learning goals.
List all relevant:
…completed during this period.
Just make sure they stay relevant to the jobs you want.
You may have applied for many roles and still not heard back, but stay patient. The job market can slow down for a while, yet it never stays that way forever. It may take a few months or only a few days before momentum picks up again. People receive job offers every day, and companies consistently continue hiring candidates who have been laid off.
What matters most is what you bring: your experience, your character, and your attitude, and your resume is your chance to prove you’re the right choice.
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