Guides · Updated October 19, 2026
Laid off, and I think AI is why. What now?
Start with your runway and a steady pace. Then aim your search at the work in your field that still needs a person, with a plan B building on the side.
The first six steps
These are the same steps your plan shows when you tell it you are looking for work.
- Work out the number. Divide your savings by your monthly costs to get a number of weeks. Plan everything against that number.
- Aim your search. Your plan lists real titles to search for, from your field's outlook and your plan B roles.
- Pick a pace you can keep. Five to ten applications every week works better than forty in one weekend and then none.
- Ask about AI rules before each interview. Some employers expect you to use AI tools in work samples. Others ask for no AI unless they say so. Ask which rules apply.
- Check what you are eligible for. Unemployment insurance if you were let go, COBRA or a marketplace plan for health coverage, and your state's job center. They are there for you.
- Keep one thing that isn't the search. A fixed hour each week for something else keeps the search from taking over.
If a bridge job helps
If your runway is short, a bridge job keeps you going. Keep running the plan underneath it.