CPAninja wrote: killer2021 wrote: Whats so bad about getting laidoff, not like you were fired. the perception by HR or head hunters is that people who were laid off were from the bottom of the barrel.

Actually, that is absolutely not true. Yes, maybe 2 years ago when  the economy started facing the drain, the companies were "trimming the fat" so to speak. And not in a sense of how poorly their employees perform but how much of resources they were trying to save. This year, when companies are laying people off, they are cutting into the very meat.

As someone who was laid off from Big 4, I, too, felt uncomfortable telling HR and recruiters that. But trust me, they did not react in any way because they hear this all the time now. I would they'd be surprised if people are just switching jobs. Moreover, if you do hide your lay off and it comes up later on, as it will, the prospective employer might wonder further into the legitemacy of your lay off.

But this is not to say that this job-searching journey won't be tough. I was looking for a job for 5 months. Eventually, leading a great job at a very prestigious firm with my position of preference. In the meantime, I was able to finish passing all of my exams.

So good luck and be honest. HR does know what's been going on - it's on the news everyday.