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Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
What Recent Tech Layoffs Reveal About The 2025 Job Market
In April alone, more than 23,000 tech workers lost their jobs. Klarna, Duolingo, Cisco, and Amazon all made sweeping cuts – but not in the areas you might expect. While some teams are shrinking, others are growing. The 2025 job market isn't collapsing – it's restructuring. These layoffs aren't just about cost-cutting. They're a signal of how the workplace is shifting: automation is accelerating, skill demands are evolving, and job security is increasingly tied to how adaptable you are. Here's what the recent tech layoffs reveal – and what you can do about it. The current wave of layoffs isn't a simple result of poor earnings or pandemic aftershocks. Companies are streamlining to shift investment into AI and automation. Klarna announced cuts to its customer experience and marketing departments shortly after revealing a major AI chatbot rollout. Cisco trimmed 4,000 roles to focus on AI-enabled networking. Duolingo, despite strong growth, cut staff as it leans into automated content generation. According to tech job losses in April 2025 marked the second-highest monthly total since early 2023. These aren't panic layoffs – they're part of a realignment toward a leaner, AI-augmented future. If you dig into the affected departments, a clear pattern emerges. Customer support, operations, and marketing teams are taking the brunt of cuts – especially where automation is viable. Generalist and mid-level roles, particularly those without tech specialisation, are proving vulnerable. Internal functions like HR, recruiting, and learning and development are also being consolidated or outsourced in many organisations. The pressure is greatest on roles that don't directly contribute to AI products or data infrastructure – or can be replaced by them. This doesn't mean you need to be a coder to stay employed. But it does mean you need to understand how your role interacts with emerging tech. The same companies issuing layoffs are aggressively hiring in other departments. Salesforce has opened dozens of new roles in AI product strategy, for instance. Even Amazon, after recent cuts, is recruiting for machine learning engineers and data architects. As Jack Kelly notes in Forbes, AI-driven productivity gains are enabling companies to achieve more with fewer employees, leading to a reduced demand for entry and mid-level roles. Jobs aren't disappearing – but they are moving up the skill chain. Tech layoffs are rising — but they reveal a broader shift in where opportunity lies. Despite headlines, many parts of the job market remain active – and even booming. AI and machine learning roles continue to grow, with engineers and product managers in high demand. Cybersecurity and compliance are also thriving, particularly in finance and healthcare. Data and cloud infrastructure roles – like DevOps engineers and data analysts – are seeing consistent hiring. And consulting giants like McKinsey and Deloitte are scaling digital transformation and AI advisory teams. Even public sector and nonprofit tech teams are expanding – especially in climate, healthcare, and education tech. LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky has highlighted how jobs are evolving faster than ever, noting that 'even if you're not looking to change your job, your job is likely changing on you.' His point reflects a broader trend in the 2025 job market: the most secure careers are those that combine domain expertise with adaptability and emerging tech literacy – particularly AI. If you're in a role that feels at risk – or just uncertain – the smartest move is to upskill in a direction the market is already heading. Take Rachel, a mid-level marketing manager affected by a recent restructure. Rather than chasing the same title, she completed a six-week prompt engineering course and began freelancing on generative AI campaigns. Within months, she landed a role leading AI content strategy at a fintech startup. Her path reflects a broader trend: roles that blend business insight with emerging tech are in high demand. If you're in marketing, explore AI content tools or data-driven growth roles. For those in operations or support, learning automation platforms or customer analytics can offer a competitive edge. HR professionals can gain traction in tech recruitment or people analytics. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Google Career Certificates offer affordable routes into these growing areas. McKinsey's 2024 Technology Trends Outlooksupports this shift, noting a 111% year-on-year increase in generative AI job postings and underscoring the value of 'fusion' roles that pair technical fluency with business acumen. In a 2025 job market shaped by AI, your most valuable assets are adaptability and a skill set aligned with where your industry is going – not where it's been. If you're job hunting, don't limit yourself to your current title. Ask yourself what parts of your role can't be automated. Identify adjacent skills that are gaining demand. And scan for sectors still investing in talent. Because the future of work won't belong to those who never face disruption. It will belong to those who know how to pivot through it.
Forbes
15-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Survey Shows Career Gaps Rising: This Job Interview Strategy Can Help
Do you have a career gap in your employment history? You are not alone. According to new analysis of over 27 million résumés, from 2020 to 2025, over 50% of workers reported at least a one month gap, and 58% of workers have a gap of six months or longer. According to experts at the steady increase in layoffs - especially for office workers and middle management - has created a 'white collar recession', leaving job seekers struggling to address the gaps. For example, in 2025, the percentage of job seekers with no career gaps dropped to less than half. That's a decrease of 9% versus 2020, showing that long-term employment without breaks is becoming rarer. So how do you talk about a career gap in your work history, in the interview? As AI advancements continue, layoffs are making headlines. Recently, Microsoft announced a reduction in force of 3%, affecting over 6,000 jobs at the company. In the federal government, the New York Times reports that over 120,000 employees, with plans to layoff over 280,000 federal workers and contractors across 27 agencies. Senior Contributor Jack Kelly reports that the tech sector is leading the way in terms of hardest-hit industries, with retail, management consulting and logistics laying off hundreds of thousands of workers. Analysis of career gaps, from 27 million resumes. LiveCareer When companies are reducing jobs, many are making their own opportunities through the gig economy. Freelance work, short-term contracts, on-demand jobs: these areas have grown significantly during the past 10 years. In 2025, according to Burnett Specialists (a Houston-based personnel services firm), gig workers will make up nearly 50% of the U.S. workforce, reflecting a broader shift toward flexible and project-based employment models. If gig work or a layoff is part of your work history, you're in good company. Remember, sometimes bad corporate decisions happen to good people. There are three things that an employer wants to know, if you have gaps in your résumé: In my work with hundreds of executives, entrepreneurs, engineers, writers, aspiring leaders and others, we've worked through the career gap conversation. Even if your career gap was just due to 'looking for work', there's a story in there somewhere. Your first job is to find it. Focusing on how you used your time to invest in yourself (or in your family) is the narrative. Employers value upskilling. In fact, in the skills-based economy, many employers are saying that skills and experience matter more than a college degree. How did you continue to learn, during your journey? Experience can be a great teacher! It's easy to feel like you are being grilled on the witness stand when employers start asking about career gaps. But every gap is an opportunity - beginning with an opportunity to reframe how you view (and describe) your work history. A great story is always a story of discovery. A lull in your work history doesn't have to be a negative, if you understand how to turn what you discovered into what you can do for your employer. Imagine that a good friend, who is known for having a very impressive personal network, invited you over for a dinner party. 'I'm having a chef come and cook for us,' your friend explains. 'And the chef is Gordon Ramsay.' How much more explanation do you need? But if that same friend says, 'The chef is my brother-in-law, and uh…well… he just got out of maximum security prison last month. Yeah….well…and…uh…He's never gone to culinary school, or taken any classes, but he says he want to try something called 'creme brulée'. So, uh, yeah…like, do you want to come?" Even if you love creme brulée, what's your choice? In the job interview, shorter responses are better. There's no shame and no blame in saying, 'I was laid off.' That's a common occurrence, not a cardinal sin. Consider other reasons for gaps, including child care concerns, the death of a loved one, travel to a foreign country, your division was eliminated…the list goes on. In the job interview conversation, it's wise to remember (with confidence) the fact that experiments never fail. You don't have to be a scientist to know that every experiment informs, even if it didn't turn out the way you planned. Regardless of the outcome, it's what you learn that makes a difference. A career gap is just a fact of life not a death sentence for your career. Whatever your personal journey, the successful narrative focuses on what you discovered. If you've got Gordon Ramsay, you know you don't need a long story about what's on the menu. What if your career gap isn't that big of a deal? I'm not saying that it doesn't matter, I'm just asking you to consider a new way of looking at what you've learned - and exploring your values. What if you touch on your career gap, and move towards the values and circumstances that led you to the decision, and what you discovered because of it? For me, something that doesn't show up on my LinkedIn profile is my work as a professional stuntman. That's right - and, if you've read my posts before, you know that I still do all of my own stunts. True, I've been a corporate executive, Fortune 100 marketing leader, business coach to thousands, always a snappy dresser…but also, a professional stuntman. When people know that part of my past, somehow it's more interesting than the books I've written or the clients I've coached. It's easy to feel insecure about that weird outlier in my past. Because it's easy to interpret curiosity as judgement. And maybe it is! But there's insight inside of the experience, if you stick around to explore it. Working as a stuntman (with pyrotechnics, motorcycles, and fake fights where you could get punched in the throat) taught me something about managing risk. I understand how preparation leads to success in a way that many other folks don't. What you may call a career gap, or an outlier, is actually an opportunity to discuss what I learned - and bring that experience to bear for my clients today. Especially for those who are nervous or insecure about their work history. (It always makes me wonder what stunt show they were in). You see, having unique experiences doesn't have to be a detriment in the job interview process. Your experiences are what make you unique! If you did what you had to do, and it led to a gap in employment, talk about your determination, your emphasis on family, your willingness to work hard (even if it wasn't necessarily in the world of work). The reasons why you have gaps or unusual elements in your history isn't as important as what you learned from the experience. Remember, the job interview questions might focus on your experience…but what people really want to know is: how can you help us? In your job interview conversation, focus on the power inside the word 'because'. Simon Sinek says to Start with Why, but 'because' is the key to describing your career gaps. It's because of your experience, and because of your challenges, that you discovered how to be of greater service to your next employer. The way you tell your story, using 'because', will help you to frame that service and move past that career gap.
Chicago Tribune
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Around the Southland: Palos South play sells out, Fleadh parade, and more
Palos South sells out 'Newsies Jr.' production More than 100 Palos School Middle School students participated in the musical 'Newsies Jr.' presented in late January at Stagg High School in Palos Hills at two sold-out evening shows. Students performed on stage, served as stage crew, ran lighting and sound and built sets. Leads included Paige Kribs as Jack Kelly, Bella Watson as Crutchie and Emily Koenig as Katherine. Palos South staff also was involved in the production. Jessica Marovich, eighth grade ELA teacher, directed the show, and eighth grade ELA/social studies teacher Kevin Graham was assistant director. Art teacher Randy Buvala led the play's set design, band director Stavros Makropoulos directed lighting and sound, and music teacher Amanda Schuller supervised vocal performances. Gigi's Playhouse to lead Fleadh parade in Oak Forest Gigi's Playhouse Tinley Park will serve as grand marshall when the Oak Forest Fleadh family parade steps off at 11 a.m. March 1 at 151st Street and Central Avenue and heads south to the Oak Forest Park District. As grand marshall, Gigi's Playhouse members and volunteers will lead about 50 parade units, including a pipe and drum band, schools and church, local businesses and civic and community groups. The event is hosted by the City of Oak Forest and Oak Forest-Crestwood Area Chamber of Commerce. Kim Malecky-Iles, director of the chamber, noted the event's importance. 'The Oak Forest Fleadh celebrates Irish culture and tradition as well as the people and businesses of Oak Forest,' she shared in a news release. 'We are honored to have Gigi's Playhouse lead our parade to help spread the organization's message of kindness and inclusivity.' The playhouse, which opened in September 2013, aims to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to change lives through its free therapeutic-based, educational and career development programs for people with Down syndrome, their families and the community. 'We are looking forward to celebrating our families and volunteers, promoting a more accepting world, and having lots of fun while doing it on Central Avenue,' Gigi's Playhouse site manager Karen Connelly shared in the release. Trivia night fundraiser for Flossmoor Veterans Flossmoor Veterans' Memorial will host its annual family-friendly trivia night starting at 7 p.m. March 14 at Flossmoor Community House, 847 Hutchison Road, Flossmoor. The six-round event includes 10 questions per round. First prize is $150, and second place is $75. Questions include topics such as zoo animals, TV shows, identifying famous sites by photograph and military trivia, with questions read by retired Rear Admiral Patrick Driscoll, former commanding officer of the Blue Angels and a Homewood-Flossmoor High School alum. Commemorative bricks will be sold for $125, which includes engraving with the name and service of a veteran for installation in the plaza, and other merchandise will be sold. Thus far, more than $140,000 has been raised for the wall of honor project, retired Flossmoor Mayor Paul Braun, the organization's president, shared in a news release. He noted that trivia nights have added nearly $19,000 to the goal. The group is now clearing the 9.500-acre site owned by CN north of Flossmoor Road and east of the Metra/CN tracks and removing telegraph poles so construction can begin when warm weather arrives. The project will honor current and former Flossmoor residents who have served or are still serving in the Armed Forces. Advance registration is required for teams or individuals; seating is limited to 10 tables of six. Cost to participate is $20 per person or $100 per table. Purchase by visiting Project with Smith Village, St. Cajetan students aids veterans Students at St. Cajetan School in Chicago and residents of Smith Village in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood gathered recently for the 10th annual Valentines for Vets program, painting 16-inch heart-shaped wooden puzzles for 38 veterans benefiting from care because of the Road Home Program at Rush University Medical Center. Forty Smith Village residents and St. Cajetan student council members worked together on the project. Marine Corps Gold Star mother Modie Lavin, family outreach coordinator for the Road Home Program, said she picked up boxes of the puzzles and gave them to veterans who come to Rush from across the country. 'Our staff looks forward to the arrival of the creative valentines, which are different every year,' she noted in a news release. The Center hosts A Night To Linger for camp scholarship fund Fans of Italian food are invited to join A Night To Linger, a benefit for The Center's camp scholarship fund set for 5 to 9 p.m. March 13 at Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant, 14459 LaGrange Road, Orland Park. Dinner, silent auctions, raffles and a cash bar will be part of the fun. Proceeds will help send kids with limited financial means to a weeklong farm and ranch camp this summer. Registration already has begun. Tickets cost $50 per person. Buy online at or by calling 708-361-3650. Donations also are being accepted. Stagg Music Boosters seek artists for spring craft show A.A. Stagg High School Music Boosters is accepting applications for artists and crafts for its Art for the Season show, March 22 and 2 at the school, 111th Street and Roberts Road, Palos Hills. Cost is $95 per 80-square-foot space for both days. For an application, call 708-974-7520 or download one from or email staggcraftshow2003@
