The Tech Layoff Playbook: Protect Your Money before the Axe Falls

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Back in January 2024, Microsoft trimmed 1,900 roles from its newly-minted gaming empire, just three months after closing the Activision-Blizzard deal. Windows Central Then, in early June, another 1,500 jobs vanished from the Azure and mixed-reality teams. Two waves, five months apart. If a $3-trillion giant can turn on a dime, the rest of us should assume nothing is permanent.

 

So- how do you get ready before your access badge stops working?

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Sam just returned to university to pursue a long - held dream of becoming AI prompt specialist. That means pressing pause on income for the next few years.
 

Cash Buffers, Super & Insurance: The Three Shields
 

Let’s start with the obvious but often-ignored truth: the rent and the mortgage don’t care about market cycles. A six-to-twelve-month cash reserve, parked in a high-yield account, buys you the breathing space to negotiate your next role rather than scramble for the first offer that pops up. Remember, superannuation is locked behind a glass panel until preservation age; redundancy alone doesn’t give you the key. Finally, group insurance that felt “free” on payroll disappears the day HR deactivates your email. Underwrite a private policy—while you still have a payslip and perfect health forms—and the premiums will be kinder.

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A Tale of Two Layoffs

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James and Mark sat three desks apart in Microsoft’s mixed-reality unit. When the second-round email landed, they both closed their laptops—but their stories split instantly.

 

James had nine months of expenses in cash, a personal income-protection policy already in force, and a standing instruction to sell half of each RSU block at vesting. He took a surf trip, cleared his head, and fielded interviews from the beach. Three months later he signed with a start-up on better terms and a fresher mind.

 

Mark had two weeks of buffer and a lapsed insurance policy he’d “get around to renewing.” He’d diamond-handed every share, convinced the next rally was coming. Forced to sell at a loss, he borrowed from family to cover tax on the vest and spent nights doom-scrolling LinkedIn.

 

Same event, same severance, different outcomes. Preparation, not talent, wrote the plot twist.

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Reading the Fine Print on Your Next Offer

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Base salary and RSUs shout the loudest, but the quiet perks whisper real money. How long does the new firm continue salary-sacrifice super matching? Will they top up (or at least replace) the death and TPD cover you just lost? Are trading windows generous, or do they lock your freshly-vested shares until tax season? Is the headline bonus tied to a clear metric—or a line item that vanishes when budgets tighten? Dig first, negotiate second.

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This all and more is part of my Career Transition Guide for Tech Professionals. Reach out if you want a copy

 

Hidden Benefits People Leave on the Table

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Every week I meet someone who walked away from $15k of value because it wasn’t in bold on the offer letter. Think parental-leave top-ups that cover full pay, well-being stipends that offset private health premiums, visa sponsorship that saves entire legal bills, or professional-development allowances that fund your next certification (and your next raise). If you don’t price these perks, you can’t compare roles apples-to-apples—and you definitely can’t maximise them.

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What We Learned in Two Packed Webinars

July was packed with 2 crucial webinars for the Tech Professionals community

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Redundancy Reset for Microsoft employees: drew a record crowd and produced more questions than we could tackle live. The replay breaks down taxation, rebuilding buffers without lifestyle shock, and plugging sudden insurance gaps. Give me a shout if you want the link.

 

Career + Financial Clarity Masterclass paired leadership coach Angela Langmann with my three-step planning framework. We talked salary negotiations that stick, RSU optimisation, and turning a forced exit into a launchpad—whether that’s a start-up sabbatical or a leap to senior leadership. Type CLARITY in the comments and I’ll send the recording plus workbook.

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Where the Confident Choice System Fits In

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Phase One locks down cash flow and emergency funds. Phase Two strips concentration risk from RSUs, so one ticker symbol can’t nuke your plan. Phase Three seals the roof with personal insurance and estate docs.

 

Average upside when clients implement? $54,543 a year—enough to refill a buffer and max your super without breaking sweat.

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Ready to Be James, Not Mark?

 

Whenever you're ready, here are a few ways I can help​​​

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1. Listen to my Podcast — real financial strategies for tech pros, no boring jargon.

2. The Wealth Byte Newsletter — quick, no-fluff emails twice a month.

3. Work 1:1 with me — build a strategic, work-optional financial plan.

4. Follow me on LinkedIn — over 3,000 tech pros already do.

5. Wealth Bytes - You Tube— bite-sized videos on investing, equity, tax strategies, and building real wealth.

Personal Update

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1. Back from Bali, batteries fully recharged Late July saw me slip away to Uluwatu for days of sunrise yoga, scooter-powered beach-hopping and the best nasi goreng I’ve ever tasted. Time out = fresh perspective, and I’ve come home brimming with ideas to help tech professionals make their money work harder.
 

2. New “Will & POA” calendar launching Many of you asked for a simpler way to book estate-planning reviews. The dedicated calendar is now live (stay tuned for the official link). One click → 30-minute chat → peace of mind.
 

3. Daily-routine experiment I’ve started a self-designed productivity sprint: • Top 3 priorities locked in before 8 a.m. • Two tech-free breaks (soccer ball juggling sometimes included ). • 15-minute end-of-day “decision tree” check-in. Early result? More focus, less firefighting—let’s see how it plays out over August.
 

4. Compliance battle scars & wins Yes, even advisers get grilled. A recent arm-wrestle with my team to enforce our commitment to triple-checking every assumption before a plan hits your inbox. Painful in the moment, but your best interests just got another layer of armour.