Layoff Season Is Here—And So Is Your 5-Move Framework to Get Ready for It

You already know that something's off at work.

You're picking up on the signals—the quiet hallways, the sudden budget meetings, the way your manager's tone has shifted. What you're feeling isn't paranoia; it's your Spidey-sense that something's afoot. And it might be the most valuable asset you have right now.

Here's what I want you to know: I spent 26 years in newsrooms, have witnessed layoffs, and read and edited many a layoff story. I've seen this same pattern play out every single fourth quarter. Like clockwork. October would arrive, and with it came the lists.

Some companies, like Paramount over the summer, internally actually called them "kill lists."

Not workforce reductions. Not restructuring. Kill lists.

And that's the season we're heading into right now. In fact, Paramount is about to launch those layoffs at the end of October.

Understanding the Q4 Pattern

Companies want clean balance sheets heading into the end of the year. Investors want to see "efficiency improvements" in Q4 earnings calls. Executives want their bonuses tied to hitting cost-reduction targets.

And employees become the math that makes it all work.

This pattern plays out across industries—tech, media, retail, finance. The timing is remarkably consistent. Organizations of all sizes make cuts in the final quarter, and good people with strong track records find themselves suddenly expendable.

The messaging stays remarkably consistent, too. Right up until the announcement, everything seems normal. Sometimes, even optimistic.

Which means that waiting for clear signals is waiting too long. By the time the announcement comes, you're already behind.

So here's what this means for your career: If you're employed right now and feeling that uncertainty, you're reading the room correctly. The question is what you do with that information.

Your Readiness Framework

You can't control the 'kill lists'. But you can control your level of preparation, which can transform your anxiety into confidence.

The five moves that matter right now:

Move 1: Resume readiness. One hour tonight. Update your resume with recent accomplishments, current responsibilities, measurable results. Not when you hear rumors. Tonight.

Move 2: Network activation. Message five people this week. Former colleagues, industry connections, mentors. Simple check-ins. No agenda. Just genuine reconnection. These relationships become your safety net.

Move 3: Financial clarity. Calculate your runway. How long can you sustain yourself if income stops? This number either reveals you need to adjust spending now or gives you confidence that you have time to be strategic.

Move 4: Work preservation. Download examples of your best work to personal storage. Presentations, campaigns, projects, metrics. Once you're locked out of company systems, this evidence of your value disappears.

Move 5: Visibility upgrade. Update your LinkedIn profile. Make it current, complete, and compelling. You're not trumpeting that you're on the hunt for your next job; you're making sure you're findable when opportunities emerge.

The practical value for you: These five steps take maybe three hours total. And they move you from reactive victim to strategic professional.

The Psychology of Preparedness

Being ready doesn't mean you expect the worst, and it's not a betrayal. It means you refuse to be caught off-guard.

There's a massive psychological difference between scrambling to update your resume after a layoff announcement and already having it done. And between frantically reaching out to your network in desperation versus maintaining relationships consistently.

One position is powerless. The other is powerful.

The layoff might not happen to you. The kill list might not include your name. But the confidence that comes from being prepared is valuable regardless of what happens.

You sleep better. You negotiate better. You make decisions from strategy rather than fear.

The Reality Nobody Wants to Say

You have every right to be frustrated by the contradictions between corporate messaging and corporate actions.

The "we're a family" emails followed by the departure emails. The optimistic town halls followed by sudden cuts. It's maddening.

But I'm afraid that frustration—as justified as it is—won't protect you when the announcement comes.

What will protect you is the preparation you do right now.

That's where your power lives—not in fixing what they do, but in controlling how ready you are.

And that readiness starts tonight.

How are you feeling about job security right now? What's the first step you need to take to feel more prepared? Share in the comments—your experience might help someone else.

I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career journey. I’ve written a guide on how to escape the work hamster wheel. Click here to download yours.