From tech layoff to leadership (Cara Lam)

Writers of Silicon Valley

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Do you enjoy the podcast? Please leave a review! Get 20% off courses and workshops at UX Content Collective. Just use the code PODCAST20 at checkout. From layoff to leadership: How Cara Lam rebuilt her career

Getting laid off is tough—but for content designers on work visas, it can feel like everything is on the line. When Cara Lam lost her job at Instagram during the wave of tech layoffs, she had just 60 days to figure out her next move or leave the country.

What followed was a relentless job search, rejections, and a journey of self-discovery. In this episode, Cara shares how she bounced back, the lessons she learned from her time at Meta, Venmo, NBC Universal, and Silicon Valley Bank, and why content designers need to embrace strategy, research, and resilience to stand out in today’s job market.

If you've ever struggled with layoffs, job hunting, or making your content career more sustainable, this conversation is packed with real talk, tactical advice, and industry insights you won’t want to miss.

What we talked about:

✅ How Cara moved across Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and the US—and stumbled into content design ✅ What it’s really like working at Instagram/Meta as a content designer ✅ The hackathon project that could have changed Instagram Stories forever ✅ How financial UX writing is different from other industries—and why it matters ✅ What it feels like to get laid off at a big tech company ✅ Job hunting after a layoff—how to survive endless rejections ✅ The power of referrals, LinkedIn outreach, and strategic networking ✅ How contract work helped Cara get back into the industry ✅ Interviewing like a pro—portfolio tips that helped her land a job ✅ Why every content designer should think like a business strategist

Notable quotes:

💬 "Your job can be taken away, but your skills and passion can’t." — Cara Lam 💬 "If you want to get hired, show that you understand how content affects business outcomes." — Cara Lam

Where to find Cara:

🔗 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram: @thecaraadventures

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