Portland, November 27: Sriram Ramkrishna, a software engineer with 20 years of experience at Intel, has shared his story about the struggle to find work after being laid off. The 56-year-old said he was laid off twice and has been unable to secure another job. Adding to his concerns, Ramkrishna said that his wife, whom he had considered his financial backup, was also laid off. He lost his job in 2016 and has still not been able to find stable employment.
Job cuts can be harsh, affecting employees for years. This year, many workers were laid off by companies due to restructuring, shutting down business units, shifting focus to profitable areas, adopting artificial intelligence (AI), or global competition. In the tech sector alone, 1,14,124 employees were laid off by 237 companies. Sometimes, the struggle to find a job is real and can take months or even years. Amazon Layoffs 2025: E-Commerce Giant Cuts 14,000 Jobs This Year Despite Soaring Profits, Around 4,700 Form Multiple US States.
According to a Business Insider report, Sriram Ramkrishna joined Intel in 1996 after completing college. He worked at the company for 20 years until 2016, when he was first laid off. He continued searching for jobs for the next 16 months before landing a role at a software company. However, he was let go again in 2022. He continued applying and eventually found an opening at Intel.
He said that, although people were frustrated at Intel in 2016 due to the layoffs, he still managed to secure a developer role at the company. Three years after his first Intel exit, he faced another layoff when his group was dissolved with no internal roles available. He took a planned trip to Europe with his wife while exploring the job market through early interviews. Returning just days before their final dates, he felt the impact of the layoffs but came back focused and ready to restart his search. HP Layoffs: Technology Company Plans To Lay Off Around 6,000 Employees by 2028 To Streamline Operations and Adopt AI.
Sriram Ramkrishna said that the job search has been harder for him in the competitive market. He said the initial four months were challenging, facing direct rejections or being ghosted afterwards. He noted that Intel’s severance package has helped, but with both him and his wife unemployed, the situation is becoming tougher. He hopes to secure a new role early next year and is open to exploring tech opportunities in Europe if necessary. For now, he remains active through networking, community groups and job fairs, knowing that timing and luck will play a significant role.
