Layoffs Push Workers to Home Depot, Gig Work as Career Reinvention Accelerates

The labor market is in a strange place. Hiring is slow. Firing is also slow – except in pockets like tech, where layoffs have become a recurring feature. For many workers, that combination has made traditional career advancement nearly impossible. Instead, a growing number are pivoting into roles they never expected, taking pay cuts, and building income from multiple sources.

Douglas Craig spent decades as a media executive. After a layoff in June 2025, he couldn't find another media job. He now works at an aerial adventure park in Colorado, belaying families down ropes courses during lightning storms. He also taught skiing last winter and worked at a science camp. The pay is lower. But he said he doesn't feel like he's starting over – just shifting toward something that brings more joy.

Jon McCarty was a software engineer on contract until 2022. After more than a year of searching for another tech role, he ended up as a part-time cashier at Home Depot and doing handyman work on the side. He has started to accept that he will probably never get another software job. Home Depot, which carries an Alpha Score of 41/100 (labeled Mixed) on AlphaScala, benefits from a labor market that pushes skilled workers into retail and service roles. The company's ability to attract and retain such workers could shape its staffing costs and service quality in the quarters ahead.

Robin Peppers Daniel was laid off from a management role at Wells Fargo. She struggled to find a new full-time position and turned to substitute teaching while trying to build a web design business with her husband. Wells Fargo (Alpha Score 60/100, Moderate) faces a different kind of pressure: losing experienced managers to the gig economy or education sector may force the bank to raise wages or rethink its talent pipeline.

Kevin Hannegan was a director at a publishing company until 2024. After a long and unsuccessful job search, he now drives for DoorDash, fixes deck boards, and works on the changeover crew at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh – a job that technically made him part of the Carolina Hurricanes organization when they won the Stanley Cup. He has paused his search for full-time work, accepting that part-time opportunities may be the best fit.

Tanvi Pisal, a product designer in San Jose, saw AI coming for her role. She was laid off last fall from a startup that cited rapid AI adoption as the reason. Even before the layoff, she had started spending up to 15 hours a week learning about AI tools and attending workshops. She now has a contract role at a Big Tech company and continues to upskill, determined not to be caught flat-footed again.

Bonnie Chiurazzi decided to start her own market research firm, Vibe Insights Lab, after her job search stalled. She said the corporate environment had become too stressful, partly because of the constant threat of layoffs. Running her own business has improved her health, even if it's harder than she expected. She likes having control over outcomes and not worrying about the next round of cuts.

The common thread: a labor market that is neither hot enough to absorb displaced workers quickly nor cold enough to force a structural reset. Layoffs in tech and white-collar sectors keep coming, while hiring across the broader economy remains tepid. Workers are adapting by combining multiple income streams, accepting lower pay, and investing in new skills – often on their own time and dime.

For companies like Home Depot and Wells Fargo, the trend cuts both ways. Home Depot gains access to a pool of overqualified part-time labor, but may face higher turnover as workers eventually find full-time roles elsewhere. Wells Fargo loses experienced managers to other sectors, which could pressure margins if the bank has to compete harder for talent. The broader stock market analysis suggests that companies with flexible labor models and strong employer brands may be better positioned to navigate this shift.