⏪ Offboard 2023: A Year in Review

⏪ Offboard 2023: A Year in Review

It has been nothing short of miraculous to watch the growth of Offboard throughout 2023. We started this newsletter in March to help job seekers navigate the complicated and emotional waves of a layoff. We were so excited to get our first 10 subscribers by posting in forums and word of mouth, but we are now writing to more than 3,500 job seekers each week! It is a bittersweet feeling however as an increase in subscribers means more people experiencing difficult times, but we feel armed with more data than ever to make Offboard exactly what people need.

As we head into 2024, let’s take a look at what happened with the job market this past year and see what the next has in store:

2023 Predictions vs Reality

🚀 "Astronomical Job Gains!": Economists predicted a meager increase, but the job market rocketed past expectations, with around 232,000 jobs added each month, showcasing the market's dynamism and vigor.

🏊 "Diving Deep into Industries": The tide of job growth swept through with healthcare, government, and leisure leading the charge. Other sectors maintained steady strokes without making significant waves in job creation.

📉 "Unemployment Stays Low-Key": Economists braced for a bump, but the unemployment rate stayed close to the ground at 3.7%, debunking the anticipated rise to 4.7% and maintaining a historically low average.

🛑 "Recession Bypassed": The labor market's tenacity brushed off recession worries. With a lower-than-expected probability of economic contraction, the workforce sails toward 2024 with optimism.

Who’s in the Offboard audience?

As the numbers grew, so did our insight into who is looking for their next role. Let’s take a look at the distribution below:

Subscribers by Role

1. Software Dev: 20.7%

2. PM: 19%

3. Biz Dev & Sales: 17.3%

4. Executive & Mgt: 12.3%

5. Design: 9.5%

6. Customer Support & Success: 9.5%

7. Marketing & Comms: 6.15%

8. Data Science & Analytics: 3.91%

9. IT & Networking: 1.12%

10. QA & Testing: 0.559%

What are you here to do?

1. Meet with hiring managers: 35.1%

2. Market trends & statistics: 16.3%

3. Interview prep: 13.4%

4. Find a mentor: 9.41%

5. Chat with peers: 7.92%

6. Explore learning resources: 7.43%

7. Resume review: 6.44%

8. Take-home assignment help: 3.47%

Why share this data?

Now that you have a better sense of the sea of bright talent that you are amongst, you have an opportunity to jump into our community to start growing that increasingly valuable network with them.

In many company alumni groups, job seekers aren’t waiting around for new employers as they are building something new together. Some are building consulting agencies and maintaining the clientele they had relationships with from their previous roles. Others are creating brand new software with cross-functional founding teams that transpired because of a layoff.

Using the link below, you can select your role based on your profession so that others can find you. Connect with people across functions and start building something. With the momentum of AI, this is one of the most fruitful times in history to build a product, so choose your role, and get started!

🛠️ Job Seeker Tools

Simplify’s Job Search AI Copilot

simplify.jobs/copilot

Autofill applications, tailor your resume, and automatically track applications you submit - all for free with their copilot extension.

Taplio

taplio.com

Leverage AI to grow on LinkedIn. Get more reach, engagement and followers in 10min per day.

Otta

otta.com

Only relevant roles. At the most exciting startups. Discover your top recommendations now.

📉 Notable Layoffs this Week

• Nike is cutting an unspecified number of employees as part of an effort to cut $2 billion in costs over the next three years, The Oregonian and CNBC report.

• California Pizza Huts lay off all delivery drivers ahead of minimum wage increase

Have questions about Interview Prep? Need your resume reviewed? Head to the Offboard community to join a network of jobseekers. 🥳

The Offboard Community offers an alternative to LinkedIn, providing a unique space tailored for job seekers in tech. It’s not just a platform for networking; it’s a resource designed to help you regain your footing and advance in your tech career, supported by the knowledge and experiences of your peers.

Below are some of the community features:

1. Create an anonymous account or join as yourself

2. Discussion or ask for help re: layoffs, interviewing, resumes, money & finance, upskilling, and more!

3. Jobs: Find or refer jobs, and engage in our live job chat space

4. Watercooler Chat: Just looking for a general place to chat with other job seekers? Jump into the Watercooler.

5. Join Virtual Events (Coming Soon)

Curious if your company has a layoff planned?

Look into the crystal ball to see if your company has a layoff coming up by leveraging federally mandated WARN notices!

www.warntracker.com