Bold truth first: layoffs reshape careers, not your worth. If you’re navigating a tough job market after a layoff, here’s a clear, beginner-friendly rewrite of Isaac Casanova’s reflections on reentering tech—and what it means for you.
Isaac Casanova, a senior software engineer with almost three years at Block, shares three guardrails he’s using as he re-enters the job market. This is an edited, as-told-to piece for Business Insider, based on a conversation with Lee Chong Ming. He emphasizes adjusting expectations, keeping ego in check, and staying flexible in an era shaped by AI.
1) Check your ego — the industry is tough
As you search for work, temper your expectations. Companies are tightening headcount and becoming more selective about who they hire. Fewer roles exist, and many teams are doing more with less. Automation is handling routine tasks, and teams are gradually getting better at understanding complex concepts.
Compensation trends have shifted downward. Stock grants, refresher grants, and bonuses are generally smaller than they used to be. Once you land a role, performance management often compares you to peers from day one, so the bar is higher and more transparent.
The big takeaway is humility: the market is competitive, and success hinges as much on how you fit the team and culture as on your technical chops. If you struggle with this, you’re not alone—many capable engineers find the adjustment challenging.
2) Separate your identity from your job
Even the most careful leaders have to balance the needs of shareholders with the realities of business. When Jack Dorsey issued his memo about the layoff, Casanova saw it as a decisive, hard choice from someone in a difficult position. He doesn’t harbour negative feelings toward colleagues or the company; he recognizes that people are paid to run a business, and employees are the largest expense at the top levels.
It’s important to remember that your job is a role you fill, not your whole self. Some professionals tie their identity to their title or company, and that makes layoffs feel personal. If you’re laid off, try not to take it personally. It’s a disruption, not a verdict on your worth. Instead, view it as a fresh opportunity and an invitation to reframe your career path. The practical upside is the network you’ve built—use it to navigate future opportunities and collaborations.
3) Be flexible — AI is changing the role
The industry has already begun changing from within. In recent years, Casanova found himself coding less by hand and more via AI-assisted interfaces. Tools like Cursor, Claude Code, Goose, and ChatGPT are speeding up work and enabling engineers to focus on higher-level problem solving. The message is simple: speed matters, and AI can help you deliver more, faster.
This shift turns software engineers into explorers and builders who iteratively attack problems, test solutions, and refine them later. Traditional, rigid coding practices are giving way to a more agile mindset. It helps to remain adaptable across domains; Block, for example, historically valued specialists who could still generalize when necessary. Embracing AI tools expands your context and widens your opportunities.
Practical takeaway: cultivate a flexible approach to projects, adopt AI-assisted workflows, and look for roles that reward experimentation and rapid iteration rather than purely flawless, spec-perfect output.
Contemplations for readers: Do you agree with the emphasis on humility and adaptability in today’s job market? How have AI tools changed your work approach or career plans? Share your thoughts in the comments—your experience could help someone else navigating layoff uncertainty.
