u/WrittenBySalimJaved

Hi fellow developers,

As the title says, I was recently laid off by an MNC after working there for 6 months as a spring intern and 8 months full-time as a Software Engineer. I won’t name the company, but it is the same company that recently laid off around 4K people despite reporting strong profits this quarter.

I was laid off last Thursday. After following up with my director about the reason, I was told that the product was near completion and therefore less set of hands were needed, therefore company restructuring dictated this. Our business unit generally doesnt have great profit numbers so more people were impacted from around me. This layoff impacted my manager and almost half the team as well. My manager called me later to reassure me to not take it personally as I am not at fault here, my reviews were always positive and everyone was greatly pleased with my work. I’m currently on a 2-month notice period ending on 13th July, and I’ve been told that I’ll receive a decent severance package.

A little background about me:

• Graduated in 2025 from a Tier-1 college.
• Joined the company as a 6-month intern with a full-time offer.
• Worked in the Identity and Access Management domain.
• Tech stack at work:
  • Frontend: JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Redux-Saga
  • Backend: Go
  • Cloud/DevOps/DBMS: AWS
• Other languages I’m comfortable with: C, C++, C#, Python, Java.
• I also have a fair understanding of AI/ML.

I have a lot running through my mind right now, and being an anxious person doesn’t really help. But I want to get myself together and start preparing for interviews.

I would really appreciate guidance on the following:

1. Current company exit formalities What should I take care of before leaving? I have collected my salary slips for the past year. What other documents or things should I absolutely look into?
2. Maximizing interview chances Moving forward, how do I maximize my chances of getting interviews? Which platforms are the best bet right now: LinkedIn, Naukri, Instahyre, Wellfound, company career pages, or something else?
3. Reaching out to recruiters Is it appropriate to cold text HRs/recruiters on WhatsApp? What is the most optimal way to reach out? I would especially appreciate insights from people who have worked closely with recruiters or hiring teams.
4. Referrals How much difference do referrals actually make? Is it true that a referral from a manager/director carries more weight than a normal employee referral? A manager from Walmart told my friend otherwise, so I’m confused.
5. Salary negotiation How negotiable is salary for SDE roles? Is it usually fixed in MNCs and more negotiable in startups, or does it depend? What components are generally negotiable? How much can one push? Is there a real risk of a company pulling the offer during negotiation?
6. Startups vs MNCs Are startups as harsh as people say? In my current MNC, the workload wasn’t too bad. I had around 8 hours of work daily, but with time management I rarely had to work beyond working hours. What should I expect in startups in terms of culture, learning, work-life balance, and toxicity?
7. Interview preparation for SDE-1/SDE-2 roles What should I expect in interviews as a fresher/early-career engineer applying for SDE-1/SDE-2 roles, and maybe some SDE-3 roles? What topics would you recommend I study? I’m currently comfortable with:
   • DSA in C++
   • College-level OOP, DBMS, CN, OS
   • Basic system design concepts
   • Frontend/backend development from work experience

With AI-assisted development over the last few months, I feel like I’ve gotten a little rusty with writing code from scratch. How much code am I expected to write in interviews? How much HLD/LLD should I know at this experience level?

If I remember anything else, I’ll add it in the comments.

Now coming to the help part:

This is a difficult time for me. I’m only 8 months into my full-time career, excluding my 6-month internship, and I’m trying to get back on track as soon as possible.

If anyone has leads, referrals, advice, resume feedback, or can help in any way, I’d be extremely grateful. I’d be happy to share my resume. I’m hardworking, curious, well-versed with current tech, and a quick learner.

Also, can I get my resume reviewed or do mock interviews with some of you folks here? If not, what places or communities would you recommend for resume reviews and mock interviews?

Thanks in advance. Any guidance would mean a lot right now.

Hi fellow developers,

As the title says, I was recently laid off by an MNC after working there for 6 months as a spring intern and 8 months full-time as a Software Engineer. I won’t name the company, but it is the same company that recently laid off around 4K people despite reporting strong profits this quarter.

I was laid off last Thursday. After following up with my director about the reason, I was told that the product was near completion and therefore less set of hands were needed, therefore company restructuring dictated this. Our business unit generally doesnt have great profit numbers so more people were impacted from around me. This layoff impacted my manager and almost half the team as well. My manager called me later to reassure me to not take it personally as I am not at fault here, my reviews were always positive and everyone was greatly pleased with my work. I’m currently on a 2-month notice period ending on 13th July, and I’ve been told that I’ll receive a decent severance package.

A little background about me:

• Graduated in 2025 from a Tier-1 college.
• Joined the company as a 6-month intern with a full-time offer.
• Worked in the Identity and Access Management domain.
• Tech stack at work:
  • Frontend: JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Redux-Saga
  • Backend: Go
  • Cloud/DevOps/DBMS: AWS
• Other languages I’m comfortable with: C, C++, C#, Python, Java.
• I also have a fair understanding of AI/ML.

I have a lot running through my mind right now, and being an anxious person doesn’t really help. But I want to get myself together and start preparing for interviews.

I would really appreciate guidance on the following:

1. Current company exit formalities What should I take care of before leaving? I have collected my salary slips for the past year. What other documents or things should I absolutely look into?
2. Maximizing interview chances Moving forward, how do I maximize my chances of getting interviews? Which platforms are the best bet right now: LinkedIn, Naukri, Instahyre, Wellfound, company career pages, or something else?
3. Reaching out to recruiters Is it appropriate to cold text HRs/recruiters on WhatsApp? What is the most optimal way to reach out? I would especially appreciate insights from people who have worked closely with recruiters or hiring teams.
4. Referrals How much difference do referrals actually make? Is it true that a referral from a manager/director carries more weight than a normal employee referral? A manager from Walmart told my friend otherwise, so I’m confused.
5. Salary negotiation How negotiable is salary for SDE roles? Is it usually fixed in MNCs and more negotiable in startups, or does it depend? What components are generally negotiable? How much can one push? Is there a real risk of a company pulling the offer during negotiation?
6. Startups vs MNCs Are startups as harsh as people say? In my current MNC, the workload wasn’t too bad. I had around 8 hours of work daily, but with time management I rarely had to work beyond working hours. What should I expect in startups in terms of culture, learning, work-life balance, and toxicity?
7. Interview preparation for SDE-1/SDE-2 roles What should I expect in interviews as a fresher/early-career engineer applying for SDE-1/SDE-2 roles, and maybe some SDE-3 roles? What topics would you recommend I study? I’m currently comfortable with:
   • DSA in C++
   • College-level OOP, DBMS, CN, OS
   • Basic system design concepts
   • Frontend/backend development from work experience

With AI-assisted development over the last few months, I feel like I’ve gotten a little rusty with writing code from scratch. How much code am I expected to write in interviews? How much HLD/LLD should I know at this experience level?

If I remember anything else, I’ll add it in the comments.

Now coming to the help part:

This is a difficult time for me. I’m only 8 months into my full-time career, excluding my 6-month internship, and I’m trying to get back on track as soon as possible.

If anyone has leads, referrals, advice, resume feedback, or can help in any way, I’d be extremely grateful. I’d be happy to share my resume. I’m hardworking, curious, well-versed with current tech, and a quick learner.

Also, can I get my resume reviewed or do mock interviews with some of you folks here? If not, what places or communities would you recommend for resume reviews and mock interviews?

Thanks in advance. Any guidance would mean a lot right now.