From tech layoff to leadership (Cara Lam)

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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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