Meta layoffs: Everything developers need to know
Meta‘s layoffs sent shockwaves through the tech industry, signaling a major shift in how the company builds its future—and what it expects of its Metamates (a name for all the employees working at Meta).
Mark Zuckerberg declared 2023 the year of efficiency, leading to over 20,000 job cuts intended to streamline operations and prioritize core technology like AI, AR/VR, and wearables.
But what does that all mean for developers?
Understanding Meta’s new strategy can help you target in-demand roles, future-proof your skills, and thrive in an always-evolving tech landscape.
Let’s examine what happened, why it matters, and how developers can set themselves apart if they want to work at Meta.
A quick timeline of Meta layoffs#
Meta layoffs 2022: The first cuts#
Meta announced the reduction of 11,000 jobs, amounting to 13% of its global workforce.
The company cited macroeconomic challenges, increased competition, and financial strain due to Apple’s privacy changes, which affected its advertising business.
Key takeaway: Meta deprioritized low-priority projects and administrative roles.
Meta layoffs 2023: Efficiency push#
A second round of layoffs cut an additional 10,000 employees, along with the closure of 5,000 unfilled roles.
A company-wide focus on profitability and operational efficiency drove this phase.
Key takeaway: Even technical teams weren’t safe as the company focused on profitability over growth.
Meta layoffs 2024: Strategic rebuilt#
Reality Labs, a cornerstone of Meta’s Metaverse ambitions, underwent a reorganization into two primary groups:
Metaverse Group: Focused on products like the Quest VR headset and Horizon Worlds.
Wearables Group: Concentrated on hardware innovations like Ray-Ban smart glasses.
Key takeaway: Meta is focused on where it thinks its future is, which includes VR/AR and wearables.
What do Meta’s layoffs mean for developers?#
The recent layoffs at Meta were a response to financial challenges and a strategic move to redefine priorities. Here’s what that means for developers looking to work at Meta or similar companies:
Meta’s new tech priorities
Focus on cost-efficiency and optimization
Future-proof your skills
Let’s explore these factors and how they affect developers targeting roles there.
Meta’s new tech priorities#
Meta is heavily investing in high-impact areas like AI-driven tools and immersive technologies, reallocating resources from less promising or underperforming projects.
For developers, this means focusing on skills relevant to these domains, such as AR/VR platforms, generative AI, and spatial computing, while showcasing a track record of delivering tangible results in high-impact projects.
Focus on cost-efficiency and optimization#
Meta’s emphasis on operational efficiency calls for developers who can demonstrate value, for example, by highlighting projects where they reduced API response times, minimized cloud costs, or refactored backend services for lower latency.
For developers, highlighting experience in building cost-efficient systems, reducing technical debt, or improving the performance of distributed systems will resonate with this priority.
Future-proof your skills#
Meta believes its future is AI, immersive tech, and cloud computing. That means developers must build for AI-powered personalization through NLP and generative models, master 3D modeling and AR platforms, get hands-on with the cloud APIs, and build a portfolio to prove it.
The “grubate” fiasco#
You may have seen headlines concerning Meta’s grubate controversy. This controversy arose when employees misused meal credits for non-food items like detergent, resulting in some firings.
While the company justified these actions as enforcing rules, the firings sparked backlash, especially following massive layoffs. The situation highlighted broader concerns about fairness, company culture, and how policies are enforced.
Key takeaways for developers:
Know the policies: Read your company’s perks and expenses policy thoroughly – especially around allowances for home-office supplies, travel reimbursements, and learning budgets. Misinterpreting these policies can lead to unwanted surprises.
Consider cultural fit: Beyond salary and perks, assess how companies handle enforcement and communication around policies to gauge their fairness and alignment with your values.
The layoffs are hard enough, but these smaller actions can make employees feel even more uncertain about their future at the company.
Tech layoffs survival kit#
Meta’s layoffs provide clear insights into the company’s shifting priorities and the switch-up developers need to thrive in this new environment.
Moving forward, developers should focus on the following:
Build future-proof tech skills
Cross-functional collaboration
Craft a job-winning portfolio
Ace every interview round
Build future-proof tech skills#
Meta is transforming the tech landscape by leading the metaverse revolution, advancing AI, AR, and hardware, alongside prioritizing privacy, sustainability, and global connectivity. Developers aiming to work within Meta’s technological focus will require a blend of technical, creative, and interdisciplinary skills in the following domains:
Metaverse
Wearable technologies
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Metaverse#
Developers who wish to join the domain of Metaverse will have to demonstrate expertise in:
3D modeling and simulation with familiarity with 3D rendering techniques and frameworks.
VR and AR platforms like Oculus SDK, ARKit, and ARCore, as well as an understanding of spatial computing, gesture recognition, and immersive interaction design.
Networked and distributed systems with expertise in low-latency networking and knowledge of protocols such as WebRTC and XR cloud infrastructure.
Wearable technologies #
Developers who wish to join the domain of wearable technologies will have to demonstrate expertise in:
Embedded systems#
Knowledge of microcontroller programming (e.g., Arduino, Raspberry Pi).
Familiarity with low-power hardware and wearable form factors.
Sensors and IoT#
Experience integrating sensors for motion tracking, health monitoring, and environmental data.
Cross-platform development#
Skills in building companion apps for wearables on iOS, Android, and web platforms.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)#
Meta has shifted its AI focus toward product-level advancements, particularly in developing general-purpose AI chatbots. The new strategy emphasizes practical applications of AI to enhance user experiences across Meta’s platforms. Developers should polish up on the following:
Familiarity with foundational AI frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and ONNX.
Knowledge of natural language processing (NLP) and generative AI technologies.
Skills in handling large datasets, training AI models, and optimizing for performance.
Platforms like Educative offer courses with certifications in high-demand fields like machine learning, AR/VR technologies, and GenAI, such as:
Cross-functional collaboration#
After a layoff, developers may find themselves reassigned to different teams with completely new roles. Meta’s shift toward AI, AR/VR, and wearables means developers must adapt quickly and stay flexible by learning cross-functional skills:
Understand the roles of your cross-functional teammates: To collaborate effectively, you need to know what others bring to the table and how their work impacts yours. Developers should meet with other teammates and ask about their workflows, priorities, and how your role fits into their process.
Hone your communication skills: Technical expertise is valuable, but how you communicate your ideas and progress will determine your effectiveness in a cross-functional team.
Foster empathy and respect: Every role in a cross-functional team is critical. Show respect for your teammates’ expertise and constraints, even if their perspectives seem to conflict with yours.
Craft the best developer portfolio#
Developers should update their portfolios to reflect expertise in high-demand areas, highlighting projects that align with Meta’s strategic focus. A great developer portfolio for Meta should include practical experience in:
Ace every interview round#
Tech interviews are one of the trickiest hurdles to overcome in a developer‘s career journey. They often test their technical skills, problem-solving abilities, communication, and capacity to perform under pressure. Educative is a dev’s best pal to ace tech interviews as the platform covers every phase of the interview loop, from coding challenges to System Design.
With AI-powered mock interviews, developers can simulate real-world scenarios across industries and roles, gaining the skills and confidence to stand out.
Read on to learn more about Meta interview!
Final word#
Meta has paused on layoffs for 2025, but the recent overhaul of its operational structure highlights a clear focus on adaptability, cross-functional skills, and driving progress in key growth areas like metaverse development, generative AI, and core platform optimization.
Developers who learn from and adapt to these layoffs have the best chance of getting hired there!
If you need more support, check out the Tech Layoffs Survival Guide—it’s full of free PDFs, cheatsheets, and an 8-week interview prep roadmap to help you build the skills you need to land the job you want.
Good luck!
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