(NEW JERSEY) — Amazon cut thousands of corporate jobs in October 2025 and followed with additional reductions in January 2026, a Layoff wave that pushed many engineers into fast, crowded job searches where a gap of even Two Weeks can matter.
One New Jersey software engineer, Iren Azra Zou, said she moved from an Amazon role to a startup job in just Two Weeks after her position ended in October 2025, a turnaround that stands out in a market where many laid-off tech workers report long searches.
Zou, a 27-year-old software engineer based in New Jersey, said she secured a founding engineer role at a tech startup called Double Nickel after Amazon eliminated her job. She credited networking and a structured search, and framed the shift as a pivot toward a smaller company.
Amazon’s reductions have drawn attention because large-company layoffs can flood the market with candidates at the same time, speeding up timelines for those who feel pressure to land quickly. That urgency can be sharper for immigrant tech workers whose ability to stay in status can depend on continued employment and sponsorship.
Amazon’s October 2025 corporate layoffs affected thousands of roles, and the company reported more cuts in January 2026, adding to the total since October. For employees, corporate layoffs often mean a sudden notification, a narrow window to find a new role, and a rush to compete for openings that may be attracting many of the same displaced workers.
Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology, announced the January 2026 cuts, the material said. Affected employees were offered 90 days to find internal positions, with severance and outplacement support for those who could not.
Zou said she worked as a software engineer at Amazon until October 2025, when the company announced a broad set of corporate layoffs. She said Amazon eliminated her position despite strong performance.
Within Two Weeks, Zou said she landed a new job as a founding engineer at Double Nickel. The title typically signals an early-stage role with high ownership and fast-moving hiring decisions, and her account reflects how some parts of the market can still hire quickly even as larger employers cut staff.
Zou said she leaned on her network and a deliberate strategy rather than applying broadly without focus. She said her LinkedIn activity helped connect her to Double Nickel, after her post about the layoff drew the attention of the startup’s CTO and led to interviews and an offer.
Zou also said the new job began as hybrid work and came with plans to transition to full remote work. She described flexibility as a priority as she reassessed what she wanted after leaving a large employer.
Her account has circulated among tech workers as a reminder that speed remains possible, even in a crowded market. It has also become a reference point for workers on employment-based immigration pathways who can face added timing constraints when jobs end.
Tech layoffs spread across late 2025 and early 2026, intensifying competition for open roles. Amazon’s reductions formed part of that broader pattern, as other companies also disclosed job cuts and many applicants chased a limited set of openings.
New Jersey has seen direct effects from the Amazon cuts as well, the material said, with 871 jobs cut in the state as of January 2026. Regional concentrations like that can shape local hiring conditions, as displaced workers look for nearby roles, remote options, or positions that can support relocation.
Across 2025, disclosed layoffs totaled 122,549 across 257 companies, the material said. Those figures underline the scale of churn facing tech workers as they evaluate whether to wait for a comparable role at another large company or move faster into smaller teams that can hire with fewer steps.
For immigrant tech workers, the same job-market pressures can carry immigration consequences. The material said H-1B workers can face an “up to 60-day” grace period after loss of employment, depending on circumstances, which can compress the time available to secure a new sponsor, file changes tied to employment, or make other moves to remain in compliance.
F-1 students using OPT or CPT face separate compliance rules that can constrain unemployment time and job eligibility, the material said. While details can vary by program and situation, the common thread is that employment gaps can create risks that go beyond finances and career momentum.
Sponsorship can also narrow the set of viable employers, since not every company offers sponsorship or can move quickly on immigration-related paperwork. That dynamic can put a premium on targeted searches and warm connections, especially during a wave of layoffs when many applicants compete for the same openings.
Green card pathways add another layer, the material said, because long-term residence plans tied to employment can be disrupted by job changes. For workers pursuing employer-based processes, a layoff can mean reassessing timing and stability, while also weighing the near-term need to keep working.
Zou’s approach reflected several patterns that other engineers have described in response to the broader cycle of cuts. She emphasized mental and financial readiness, saying emergency savings helped her stay calm and act with a structured plan instead of reacting emotionally.
For visa holders, financial buffers can play an added role because tight compliance periods can limit how long someone can remain between jobs, the material said. Even for workers without immigration deadlines, the ability to absorb a gap can shape decisions about whether to take time to search selectively or accept the first available offer.
Networking appeared central to Zou’s rapid switch. She credited an active LinkedIn presence and targeted outreach, and said her post about the layoff directly connected her with Double Nickel’s CTO.
That kind of network-first search can take several forms, including recruiter engagement, direct outreach to managers, and asking contacts for referrals. In a market crowded by large-company layoffs, personal connections can help candidates get seen quickly, especially at smaller companies that may hire based on a short list of trusted introductions.
Zou also framed her departure from Amazon as a chance to pivot rather than a setback. She said she used the moment to reassess her career priorities and focus on roles at smaller companies with more flexibility and faster growth potential.
The impulse to pivot has shown up elsewhere as laid-off engineers weigh tradeoffs between stability and speed. Large employers can offer established systems and brand recognition, while startups and lean teams can move faster on hiring and may offer broader responsibilities, though they may also carry different risks that workers consider in light of their personal circumstances.
Remote and hybrid work has also remained part of the search strategy. Zou said her new role offered a hybrid start with plans to transition to full remote work, and she described geographic flexibility as valuable for global professionals and those balancing visa or travel considerations.
Remote work can widen opportunity sets by reducing dependence on relocation, the material said. For workers trying to shorten time between jobs, the ability to apply across regions can increase the number of potential matches, though it can also increase competition by expanding applicant pools.
Amazon’s latest wave of cuts illustrates the tension in early 2026 hiring: large employers can shed jobs at scale while other pockets of the market continue to hire quickly for specific needs. That coexistence can produce sharply different outcomes for people leaving the same company at the same time.
Zou’s Two Weeks turnaround does not reflect the experience of every laid-off worker, and the material described a competitive global tech job market where many people struggle to regain footing. Still, her experience shows how timing, network reach, and employer type can combine to produce fast offers even during layoff-heavy periods.
For immigrant tech professionals, the stakes of timing can be higher because job changes can intersect with sponsorship, compliance rules, and longer-term plans. In an environment shaped by Amazon’s Layoff cycle and broader tech cuts, the material’s bottom line was simple: speed can matter, and some workers will try to find it wherever hiring still moves fast.
Amazon Layoff Leads to New Job in Two Weeks for Laid Off Engineer
Amazon’s massive layoffs between October 2025 and January 2026 have created a competitive environment for tech talent. Iren Azra Zou’s rapid transition to a founding engineer role at Double Nickel illustrates the effectiveness of networking during such volatility. This speed is particularly vital for international workers on employment visas who must navigate strict federal compliance timelines to maintain their legal status while seeking new sponsorship.
