Why I think I might get laid off soon
Hi, I am a UI/UX designer at a Bangalore-based startup. I started working here in June 2024 after completing my master's in Human-Computer Interaction.
At first, it was okay, the work was slow but I was doing my best. I am the only designer in the team, so I had a lot of responsibilities. 2 months in, I redesigned 3 of their modules and created a design for a new process. 4 months in, I had designed 2 dashboards and 1 app. Now, it’s November and I feel like something is off.
- There are days between projects when I find myself sitting idle. Legit. This week, I was not doing anything major and had such a light Monday and Tuesday. I mentioned to the project manager that I don’t have an assigned task, they said to just update everything on Figma. (Made no sense, everything was already backed up)
- MY TEAM LEAD SENT ME A JOB POSTING! I am not kidding. This is highly inappropriate, right? He said it’s a good opportunity if you want to switch. Like what??? I moved here from a different city for this job and this is what I get?
- (On the contrary to the above point) What if there had been a closed-door discussion about firing me? And the team lead was maybe helping me out? Idk how to feel about this, I just acted cool and said I am not looking for a switch so soon.
- Work has been frustrating lately. My designs are getting ignored and altered by the developer. If he faces an issue with something, he doesn’t even talk to me about it. He just goes to the manager and removed it from the design. Not just that, last week they added a big component to the web design and then dared to send me the ss only to create a design for the mobile screen. It was so annoying that he was just ordering me to design something that was already deployed by him onto the system. If they didn’t need the mobile screen, they wouldn’t even have done this and I would’ve never found out.
All this just makes me question myself, my skills and my future at the company.
I have a master's degree and have been in the field since 2021. I feel like I am undervalued and underpaid here, with very limited professional growth. Plus, I think they might fire me soon.
If anyone can help me find a new job in product design, pls reach out.
Thanks.
Talking product sense with Ridhi
9 min AI interview5 questions
I can empathise with your situation. Having been in the design industry for more than 10 years now, I’ve faced similar situations multiple times. Don’t let this get to your head. You are not incompetent. You are not a bad designer. Trust yourself, keep your head high and proactively start applying through linkedin, wellfound, instahyre and naukri. Don’t waste your time finding or expecting any answers. This is how most startups function.
Yes, I try to be positive. Last two weeks have been the hardest though. I want to get out of this situation before I am forcefully removed. Just want to be a step ahead of them. And yes, I have started applying for jobs, just waiting to hear back from them now :)
I have been in similar situation lately. I got an indirect heads up from one colleague about upcoming layoff which will affect me and my team. I actually started taking it seriously because I have experienced similar things what you mentioned in the post. Few days down, I am part of mass lay off now and trust me it doesn’t hurt that much because I was mentally prepared and already started applying and I am now involved in the interview process at few places. I will be getting severance so that helps.
Why so negative man, I would suggest to have one to one with manager and raise your concern and ask if you are missing anything, do live on assumptions, you will be clear on this, if you get any negative vibes, start preparing and switch man, IT industry is like that and nothing is permanent her, job security is myth. All the best
I’ve done all that, didn’t get a solid reply. It’s always about the deadline and how they will talk about the design changes later. I agree w you, nothing is permanent. I have been applying for jobs and connecting with right people :)
Sometimes they just use your work, I had a similar experience, made visualization dashboards and when all said and done they said we don't see a need for this role anymore and were asked to search for a job.
This is what I am afraid of. I have never been in this situation before and I feel so insecure at my workplace. I’m just trying to get out of this situation before I am forcefully removed.😞
Stay strong 🤴/👸. Companies often try to pin it on the employee when they want to boot you out. Don’t doubt yourself too much, my suggestion is to take some time of and stop giving a flying pig about your current job. Consolidate yourself and start applying elsewhere. (Have been booted a few times myself from job)
Thank you. I am working to overcome my self-doubts and have been focusing on applying for jobs at product-based companies. Please let me know if PhonePe is hiring for their product design team, as that information would be very helpful. 😊
I think current hiring is closed for non tech roles in phonepe. It’ll restart sometime in Feb-March
Better to look out
Exactly
Better to start applying. If they don’t fire you, maybe you will even find something better, if not and they fire you, then you will have to start from 0. Better start now and wait to see what happens at current job, meanwhile, if you get a better offer then switch. Win-Win situation.
From what you described it seems you are on a rocky boat hence better to be prepared as that is the only thing in your control, if they want to fire you(for whatever reason), they will. Not a remark on you but it is more to do with company requirements.
This makes a lot of sense. I have already started applying for jobs in product based companies. I will hopefully come across something good soon :) thanks