I don't take these events personally, it's strictly business after all, esp when the termination agreement is generous enough, and conduct is kept professional and decent between the employer and employees.
It's like a breakup but on very amicable terms, it sucks at first esp when it's abrupt but you get used to it, and there's always the chance of you getting back together.
If the company shows generosity during the separation, going beyond what was expected, I would certainly consider going back. If they only do the minimal required or less, probably not.
Sure, depending on the circumstances. Had a friend just start back at a company in a different city after leaving for a couple years. He left mainly because of a bad manager the first time. That wasn't being laid off, but it's similar.
Sometimes companies need to do layoffs to survive, or they merged and have duplicate roles. Lots of reasons. It makes sense to take care of good talent that have to be let go in case they come back later.
Depends on how much I liked the job and if there was any hope of being paid what I'm paying now.
I can think of three jobs I would happily go back to if they paid what I get paid now (and the companies still existed). One game dev company, one game publisher, and one retail job, where I mostly chatted with other employees, stocked and cleaned up shelves, and helped about a 1-2 dozen customers a night.
My current job I might be willing to come back to at some point if I left it. It has some warts, but it's been pretty good overall.
Other past jobs, not unless they paid 50-100% more than I'm making now. Nothing against them necessarily, but I wouldn't want to have that job again.
In a big company with thousands of employees, for sure. You probably won't even see the same faces. It's totally impersonal. In a smaller company, it's different. I actually left a (small) company in very good terms, but yet, I feel it would be weird going back there.
It happens in other industries all the time. Knew a guy who got laid off from the same factory 3 times in 8 years or so. I've even seen it happen once or twice in tech.
Hey, at the big tech companies plenty of people get laid off and then just transfer to a new role at a different team instead of actually leaving the company.
Depends. If they handle it well and offer a generous package when you're laid off, then it's a positive signal that you'll be treated fairly and that they genuinely didn't want to have to let you go. In that case I might consider it.
Companies that come crawling back on their knees to you are usually ready to substantially up your comp. or improve your work duties, considering the position they must be in to be trying it.
I've known people to be laid off from one position, apply for a different position at the same company the next day, and end up hired into that position. It can happen.
