TikToker Explains How She Predicted Layoffs Months Before They Happened, Reveals The Warning Signs You Should Look Out For

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We reached out to Eve via email to gain some more insight into this situation. First, we wanted to know if her previous experiences with corporate layoffs helped her in spotting this one. "I absolutely was able to see this coming from a mile away only because I had experienced this twice before," she told Bored Panda. "This was no different than any other layoff I experienced, which only reinforced that companies generally handle these situations the exact same way."

"I believe this is because CEO's and leaders are a specifically methodical breed who handle these situations similarly," Eve explained. "Usually the steps are: 1. Realization, 2. Figuring out what can be cut to save the workforce (cut back on cleaning, culture/DEI initiatives, perks), 3. Shutting down any extra cash-saving projects or initiatives until after layoffs, 4. Deciding who is dispensable (since the other cuts are never quite enough), then 5. The actual layoffs."

We also asked Eve what her goals were in sharing this video saga. "There are 2 main reasons why I thought it was important to share this story," she told us. "My whole platform's sole purpose is to help folks navigate their professional experience, with an emphasis on helping folks transition their customer service experience into the corporate sector. It felt deceitful if I were to hide my own professional challenges since I strive for honesty and transparency with my page. Helping folks make informed decisions about their careers means also showing that sometimes even 'stable corporate jobs' are not always the positive experience or professional pivot people think they are."

"Right now, it feels like everyone is being laid off, but the majority do not have the ability to do anything about it," Eve went on to explain. "It's also a generational mentality. To just accept the ill treatment we're given by companies and to just move on quietly," she shared. "When I told my dad about my video series, he said 'back in my day, when people were laid off, we just dusted ourselves off and found a new job!' This felt fundamentally wrong to me that companies are allowed to destroy our livelihoods and, in unfortunate cases, our lives, just because they scaled improperly (with absolutely no repercussions to the companies!)"

"I wanted to use my platform to give a voice to the folks who have experienced layoffs in the hopes that they can potentially learn how to detect these warning signs in the future, possibly saving themselves from this kind of experience," Eve shared with Bored Panda. "I also hoped to strike a change within these companies, but am way less hopeful about that! It's a better investment to equip people with knowledge than to reform a greedy system who does not prioritize people over money."

We also asked Eve how she has been doing since the layoff took place, and thankfully, she reports that she has "never been better". "Took some time for myself, went to Disney, and did absolutely nothing for about a month," Eve told Bored Panda. "It was the best reset of my life. A month to the day I was laid off, I was offered an amazing opportunity at another company, which I start next week!"

"The most important factor I now seek out [in my employment] is: How will this role benefit ME, and me only," Eve shared. "I used to try to see the bigger picture in terms of opportunity/growth and used to compromise on what I wanted because it (might) develop me better. NEVER again. I encourage people to be fully selfish in their job search, and if you have a bad gut feeling about a company, it's okay to turn them down! If the comp, benefits, or even people aren't aligned with your wants, there is NO reason to compromise. There are a million of the same jobs out there hiring right now!"

Finally, Eve shared with Bored Panda, "I know my above responses about never settling or compromising for a job might get some backlash. I can hear folks arguing, 'Not everyone has the luxury to turn an offer down, and I completely respect that. The only reason I was able to find employment so quickly is because I'm a professional resume writer, and my document was strong enough to gain the attention of 5 different companies in a week, after only applying for approximately 20 companies in total."

"Searching for jobs is HARD, but if you have an outstanding resume, it honestly makes it a breeze," Eve told us. "I encourage folks to show their resumes to the smartest people in their lives. Show it to friends who have the jobs you want. Show it to anyone who will take a look who you really trust! Make sure it's a robust representation of you. You'll know it's a great document when the calls start coming through!"

We also reached out to host of the I Cry at Work podcast Cari Anne Cashon  to hear her thoughts on this topic. First, we asked if she thinks layoffs can be predicted. "The biggest indicator of potential layoffs are budget freezes," Cari Anne told Bored Panda. "One of the easiest ways employees at all levels can spot this is through hiring freezes. Another big indicator can be a company delaying a project that previously seemed like a priority for the company."

"For employees that are responsible for some sort of expense budget like software or advertising, it can be easier to spot signs of uncertainty," Cari Anne explained. "One of the biggest red flags is being asked to identify which expenses are 'committed', meaning the company is contractually obligated to pay that expense. If that exercise isn’t common practice within a company, it likely means they are concerned about their future financial forecasts. Other subtle signs might be general questions about your expense items or being asked to justify your expenses for the first time."

We also asked Cari Anne if layoffs are always preventable or if they are a necessary evil. "The layoffs we are all familiar with are largely preventable," she says. "Generally, the ability to avoid layoffs is well within the control of company leadership. Company leadership has full control over the accuracy of their financial forecasts. The only real scenario in which companies lose that control is through macroeconomic forces such as the 2008 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic."

"In early 2020, the tech industry, like many other industries, led rounds of mass layoffs because of the large economic uncertainty fueled by a global pandemic. While that round was outside of their control, the current wave we are seeing in the tech industry is simply a result of failed leadership and forecasting," Cari Anne explained. "They couldn’t have planned for a pandemic, but they could have planned for a market cooldown."

Lastly, we asked Cari Anne if it is possible to ensure that you won't be laid off more than once. "First, it’s important to recognize that most of the mass layoffs we are all privy to, are led by companies motivated to increase profit first and foremost because of their ownership structure," she explained. "Publicly traded companies, venture capital backed startups, and companies owned by private equity, are all motivated to increase short term profit. On the other hand, employee-owned businesses, small businesses, non-profits, or family owned private corporations generally aren’t as focused on maximizing short term profit as they are long term viability."

"Do your research and ask questions regarding the ownership of the companies you apply to and consider those that aren’t as incentivized to put profit over people," Cari Anne says. "Second, layoffs are a result of lack of vision by the company leadership. Financial forecast accuracy is the clearest metric you can use to assess how good the leaders of the company are at effectively planning and leading the company through the future. The more accurate a company is, the better chance an employee will have a stable future there."

"Ask companies you are applying to about their financial forecast accuracy. Ask if they track and monitor the forecast accuracy of their financials over time, and how much visibility employees have to that level of accuracy," Cari Anne told Bored Panda. "Get a general sense of how important it is to the company, and give extra consideration to those that seem to value it most."

It's wonderful news to hear how well Eve is doing post her layoff, and I'm sure her videos have helped countless others learn the warning signs for when they are in a similar situation. Regardless of how safe and secure you currently feel at work, it’s great to have this knowledge in your back pocket because we all know how unpredictable the future is. Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever experienced a layoff and if you realized there were warning signs after the fact. If you’d like to check out more of Eve’s videos featuring career advice and the full saga of her layoff experience, you can find her TikTok AdminandEve right here, and if you'd like to hear more wise words from Cari Anne, you can find her podcast I Cry at Work right here.