In today’s uncertain economic landscape, the tech sector has taken quite a hit. Just look at the numbers – a steep drop from 477k open tech jobs in August 2022 to 166k by May 2023. And we’re not just talking about the big guys like Google and Microsoft here – the smaller startups have also had to tighten their belts.
To put things in perspective, Layoffs.fyi reports that 683 tech companies have had to let go of nearly 194,659 employees in 2023 alone. Just recently, Vodafone joined the list, saying goodbye to 11,000 of its employees.
Now, here’s the thing – for recruiters and TA leaders, this isn’t just a sea of sad news. It’s an opportunity. When companies lay off employees, they’re letting go of many skilled and experienced professionals. For those who are actively hiring, this is a chance to find top talent and fill those vacant positions.
And that’s where layoff trackers come in. These tools keep you up-to-date with the latest layoffs, giving recruiters a clear snapshot of available talent. This knowledge allows you to act quickly and smartly to secure the best candidates.
In this article, we’ll dive into the ins and outs of the seven best layoff trackers out there. Whether you’re a recruiter looking for top talent, a talent acquisition leader strategizing the next big hire, or a job seeker trying to navigate the job market, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started and find the layoff tracker that fits your needs just right.
Contents
Layoffs.fyi
# of records in the database: 2,610
Pricing: Free
Layoffs.fyi is a free personal project that’s tracking all tech layoffs since COVID-19. This is one of the most well-known layoff trackers created by an Internet entrepreneur, Roger Lee.
The tracker contains three tabs with a list of companies with layoffs, layoff charts, and lists of employees being laid off.
Companies with layoffs
One of the key features of Layoffs.fyi is the table of companies that have conducted layoffs.
Each entry in the table provides a wealth of information about the layoffs, including:
- Location HQ: The headquarters of the company that has conducted the layoffs.
- # Laid Off: This provides an idea of the scale of the layoffs and can help gauge the potential pool of talent available.
- Date: The date of the layoffs helps recruiters to understand the timeline and act promptly to engage with the available talent.
- %: This refers to the percentage of the company’s workforce that was laid off, providing an indication of the impact of the layoffs on the company.
- Industry: This gives an insight into the sectors most affected by layoffs, which can be useful for industry-specific recruiters.
- Source: This indicates where the information about the layoffs has been obtained, ensuring that the data is reliable and credible.
- List of Employees Laid Off: This list helps identify potential candidates for open roles.
- Stage: Indicates the stage of the company (for example, Series E, Post-IPO, etc.) at the time of layoffs.
- Funds Raised: This provides an indication of the financial standing of the company before the layoffs.
- Country: The country where the layoffs have occurred, further refining the geographical data.
- Date Added: The date when the layoff information was added to the Layoffs.fyi database.
The table is powered by Airtable, so you can easily hide fields, and sort, and filter out the data.
Layoff charts
On the next tab, Layoff Charts, you can find three charts, including:
- Tech Layoffs 2022-2023
- Tech layoffs since COVID-19 (as you can see, in Q1 2023, there were almost 3x times more layoffs than in Q2 2020, the quarter with the most layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic):
- Tech Layoffs by Industry since COVID-19:
Also, on this tab, you can find a table with the biggest tech layoffs since COVID-19.
Lists of Employees Laid Off
On the third tab, there is a table with links to the lists of employees that were laid off. As of May 2023, the table contains 113 lists that will be very helpful for recruiters and sourcers searching for candidates.
Is Layoffs.fyi worth using?
The answer is yes. It has one of the biggest bases of companies, informative visuals, and lists of people who were laid off. This tool is cited through reliable sources, is free, and doesn’t require registration.
You might also be interested in:
Layoffs Tracker
# of records in the database: 2,261
Pricing: Free (there are advertisements)
Layoffs Tracker is a free service that tracks layoffs across companies in the US and worldwide. In contrast to the previous service, it doesn’t contain the lists of people who were laid off and has fewer charts. Also, the website includes advertisements that may be distracting.
However, there are pretty convenient dashboards showcasing the latest layoffs and the number of laid-off employees for different time ranges.
Is Layoffs Tracker worth using?
It makes sense to use it as an addition to Layoffs.fyi or another service. Why? Because there are records in Layoffs Tracker that you can’t find in Layoffs.fyi.
WARNTracker
# of records in the database: 20,619
Pricing: Free (with paid features)
WARNTracker is developed by software engineers, Chris Talley and Steven Zhang. The database has been built using publicly-available information that employers are required to file with certain US states when they perform large layoffs.
FYI: A WARN notice, required by the US federal WARN Act, is a 60-day advance notice that employers with 100+ employees must give before a plant closure or mass layoff affecting 50+ employees. It aims to give impacted workers enough time to find new jobs. Thus, some layoff dates in this tracker are in the future.
The data is available across 39 states from 2020.
If you want to download the data, you need to contact WARNTracker’s sales team (the pricing is not public).
Also, this platform shows big tech layoffs by role and level:
WARNTracker differs from the previous trackers in several ways:
- It monitors layoffs across all sectors, not only tech.
- The data is based on individual WARN records from governmental sources, providing a more reliable, rather than relying on information from open sources.
- The tracker provides more detailed insights, such as specific offices affected and exact employee counts.
- WARN notices may be issued before or after a public announcement, offering a timely perspective for those seeking to stay fully informed.
Is WARNTracker worth using?
This tracker is a great tool if you hire people from the US. It contains granular data across states, departments, etc. However, not all states have a WARN act that requires full disclosure-meaning that the tracker does not capture all layoffs performed by these companies. Furthermore, if you hire outside the US, you’ll need to use other trackers.
The Crunchbase Tech Layoffs Tracker
# of records in the database: 800
Pricing: Free
The Crunchbase Tech Layoff Tracker includes notable US tech layoffs. It only covers US-based companies or companies with a strong US presence.
The tracker includes the layoffs from media reports, their own reporting, social media posts, and Layoffs.fyi.
Is The Crunchbase Tech Layoffs Tracker worth using?
If you are focused on hiring for startups across the US, this tracker will be a good fit for you. It is easy to use, and you can copy-paste the data in the table to spreadsheets. However, the database is small compared to other trackers.
TrueUp Tech Layoff Tracker
# of records in the database: Unknown
Pricing: Free
TrueUp Tech Layoff Tracker shows layoffs, open job positions, tech stock declines, and more across big tech, tech unicorns, and startups.
On the # of Tech Employees Let Go tab, you can see the interactive chart showing the number of people impacted and companies with the most layoffs:
Also, there is a table with the layoff data across companies:
One of the unique features of this tracker is that you can see the layoffs by sector: FinTech, Health, eCommerce, EdTech, etc.
On the # of Open Tech Jobs tab, there is a chart showing the state of hiring in the tech industry:
Is TrueUp Tech Layoff Tracker worth using?
It is definitely worth using for its high-quality visualization and the variety of data. TrueUp’s stats enables you to have a snapshot of what’s going on in the tech hiring industry and explore the dynamics. However, you won’t find here detailed filters or lists of the people who were laid off.
Wiseful Layoff List
# of records in the database: 8514 active candidates and 6006 passive candidates
Pricing: Free and Premium ($49/month)
Wiseful is a digital platform containing more than 15,000 candidates who have been laid off, with more than half being unique entries, not found on other trackers.
Wiseful keeps its database updated weekly. Additionally, Wiseful is the only service that filters out candidates who have already landed jobs.
The data can be filtered by past company, title, layoff date, function, location, and the candidate’s current employment status (active or passive). Also, you have direct access to a candidate’s LinkedIn profile and email.
With Wiseful’s free version, you get access to the layoff list, with new candidates added intermittently. The premium version, priced at $49/month, provides weekly updates, email notifications, and filters to separate candidates who’ve landed jobs from those still seeking employment. This premium subscription comes with a 7-day free trial.
Is Wiseful worth using?
Compared to the previous trackers, Wiseful contains data about candidates that you can use straight away. The candidates are split into active and passive, so the search may be even easier. Overall, this platform will be useful both for internal recruiters and recruitment agencies.
This might be interesting for you:
Parachute
# of records in the database: 14,821
Pricing: Free
Similar to the previous list, Parachute shows people who have been laid off. The platform keeps a regularly updated list of employees who have been laid off, alongside details about their previous company, job function, job title, location, and date of layoff. The list includes professionals from a wide array of disciplines such as software development, data science, design, sales, and more.
Is Parachute worth using?
The variety of talent and the easy-to-use filter make it a valuable resource for hiring managers looking for specific skills or roles. Considering that it is free, this resource may be helpful to you.
Wrapping up: Which Layoff Tracker to Choose?
Each of the seven layoff trackers reviewed – Layoffs.fyi, Layoffs Tracker, WARNTracker, The Crunchbase Tech Layoffs Tracker, TrueUp Tech Layoff Tracker, Wiseful, and Parachute – have their unique strengths.
Layoffs.fyi stands out for its comprehensive and detailed data, making it a reliable tool for recruiters. Layoffs Tracker provides a useful addition to Layoffs.fyi, while WARNTracker offers a more detailed US-centric perspective. The Crunchbase Tech Layoffs Tracker is a handy tool for recruiters focused on the US startup scene, while TrueUp Tech Layoff Tracker shines with its high-quality visualization and variety of data.
Wiseful goes a step further, filtering out candidates who’ve already landed jobs, which can significantly streamline the recruitment process. Meanwhile, Parachute offers a vast selection of talent across various disciplines, with user-friendly filtering capabilities.
To maximize the benefits, it can be beneficial to use more than one tracker to get broader coverage, both geographically and across different tech sectors. The choice of layoff tracker ultimately depends on your specific needs – whether you’re targeting US-based or international talent, seeking detailed insights, or looking for candidate-specific data. Remember to balance your choice with the quality of data, pricing, usability, and the tracker’s overall focus.
Are you navigating a complex recruitment landscape? At Matchr, we’re here to simplify it. Our services cater to hard-to-fill roles and offer temporary support where needed. With our flexible, stress-free model, we adapt to your needs. Don’t wait—reach out today to learn how Matchr can help deliver on your hiring plans.
