The company has had record profits for the past 4 years. Each year, they make more sales and more profit. They have 65 billion in the bank. They could take those 18,000 people and reorg them, give them a new mission, and make new software whose value exceeds the salaries.

Unless they can't.

Why can't they? Two possibilities come to mind. The first that MS is out of ideas, and the second that these people just aren't very good - that this layoff is a face-saving mechanism for MS to dump bad people on the market. By structuring it as a layoff, MS gets to give them a severance package in trade for a non-disclousre agreement - which ensures they don't go to the press. "Everyone wins."

Except for lady wisdom, honesty, and truth. Those are sort of shoved in a corner and ignored.

I'm pretty sure it is this second option because MS will continue to hire even as it fires.

I've got two pieces of advice here, but I'll start with a story. I have a friend looking at retirement. He is a case manager at an insurance company and a former breathing technician - just short of a nurse, to help people with asthma. His hobbies are music and karate, running and yes, he gets hired to play gigs and teach at the local YMCA. On weekends, he dresses up in all gold (he paints himself Gold) and he is a living statue at tourism places - but he plays music! This is unique and the tips flow. He also gives asthma/breathing/life/wellness seminars. Looking at retirement, yes, his financial ad visor said he could afford it - but he did the math in moving to 20+ hours a week at the jobs above and if things go well it almost replaces his day-job income! (If he can do if full-time for a couple years it should exceed his day job income.) Two Morals: First, do a lot of things - not just one. Computer Science AND writing, or perhaps CS AND accounting, or engineering AND art - it doesn't matter. Make it possible for one thing to generate money at night while doing the other. Ideally, have three or four things. When one wanes, do the other ... and pick up another one at night. Think of your skills as a venture capital portfolio and make multiple bets. Second: Computers will not replace art and performance, and won't replace construction jobs anytime soon. Learn a skill that allows you to make a living, even if it is just playing music in a public place with a hat out, or selling pottery. Carpentry and electrician work isn't hard to get and the skills are not terribly hard to learn.