Google manager reveals: How I saved my team from layoffs
Against the backdrop of the most severe crisis in the Israeli high-tech sector, a senior manager reveals the personal moments of horror and the secret method she developed to save her employees and find them all new jobs.
The first half of 2026 will be remembered as one of the darkest periods in the Israeli high-tech sector: data from career consultant Hayut Yogev reveals that approximately 9,500 employees were laid off. The fear of the AI revolution is paralyzing, with 30% of those laid off considering leaving the industry. For senior managers, the job search time has increased to up to a full year, and less than half of them will maintain their salary conditions.
In the midst of the crisis, a candid post by Mor Schlesinger (a former senior manager at Google) on social media made waves. Schlesinger shared the moment she laid off her entire team at Azrieli and was struck by personal horror: "I knew that executives had been searching for long months." Instead of sinking into fear, she established a unique task force that worked according to three rules and found jobs for the entire team:
-
Group resume: Offering the team as a ready-made package off the shelf.
-
Brutal simulations: Sharp mock interviews and direct feedback between colleagues.
-
Cross-networking: Full sharing of every contact and referral without internal competition.
The move created a significant buzz, and all team members found work, while Schlesinger herself was later appointed as a manager at Google. "You cannot control layoffs in the morning," concludes Schlesinger, "but you can control how you cross the street at noon. Do not go through this alone."
