Software Developers That Have Been Laid Off: Here are Some Helpful Resources

If you have recently been laid off or furloughed due to COVID-19, I extend my deepest condolences. Although some tech businesses are safe due to necessity (it’s never been safer to work for Zoom) many developers are finding that their product or team is struggling in this pandemic.

If you’re in the second group of developers and are looking for ways to upskill or find work, here are some resources, compiled by the software engineering team at Devetry.

Before You Jump Back In

If you can afford it, I highly recommend taking some time off. Enjoy not cranking out code for a while.

Take at least a week (ideally two) and spend time reflecting on your ideal next job. Ask yourself what you enjoyed about your previous position. What did you not enjoy?

And after spending two weeks hanging out with your dog, going for walks, and not being in front of a terminal, revisit some things that you enjoyed about coding. Consider coding a game in PyGame, buy a Pi or Arduino and do some simple IoT work, or whatever else will make you happy and get you into a flow state.

Unless you’re truly motivated during this time, don’t feel like you must spend this time trying to “upskill” yourself. Instead, spend this time reminding yourself why you chose this career path in the first place.

When You’re Ready to Start

Once you have cleared your head and taken some “me” time, then you can consider working on projects and finding productive ways to pass the time. Set up a home office that is conducive to work. Clean your desk. Get your feng shui on.

100 Days of Code: If you’re a junior developer wanting to gain experience and add to your resume, explore the “100 days of code” challenge. This will keep you in a routine while adding to your samples of work for future employers. Learn more on the #100DaysOfCode Website

Contribute to Open Source: If you’ve never contributed to Open Source before, start at First Timers Only. It’s a great place to get involved, especially if you’re new to coding.

Grow Your “T” Skills: It’s arguably never been a better time to focus on the long ends of your “T” shaped skills. What specialty have you wanted to dig into but never had the time?

Bounties: There are also bounties you can collect over at Gitcoin. Check out Town Square for daily, weekly, and monthly actions.

Virtual Communities

There are literally hundreds of Slack communities that connect software developers and encourage idea sharing and collaboration. Here’s a list of over 400 dev and startup-centric channels you can apply to.

Many Meetups are also still meeting virtually, so the barrier to entry is low. We recommend joining a local community so that when things go back to normal, you can continue with the same group. Here are Meetup’s software development meetups.

For Job Searches

If you’re searching for a job, consider which industries are booming right now. Big tech, telecommunications, and many eCommerce organizations are struggling to find enough talent to fill their ranks. Look at channels on Slack, postings on Built-in, and company websites for recent job postings.

Start a Company

If none of the above interests you, consider going for the gold. In other words, start a company!

Paul Graham, the co-founder of Y Combinator, says you are disproportionality likely to succeed if you are motivated enough. So explore your options, start coding, and hit us up if you need any business advice (I’m serious. Give me a shout.)

Originally published at https://devetry.com on April 15, 2020.