Staying motivated amid career uncertainty

The numbers can feel disheartening: Thousands of journalism jobs were cut in the U.S. in 2025, and recent waves of layoffs at major publications like The Washington Post left many journalists in limbo. 

But during Career Day at the National Press Club, the mood was hopeful rather than bleak. Speakers and panelists shared their advice on overcoming layoffs and a job market that feels tough to crack — and reminded attendees that their value is not tied to their career. 

“If you’ve experienced a job loss, especially in journalism, that is super common to go through,” said Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn editor at large for jobs and career development. “What I had to work on, personally, was kind of figuring out who I was outside of work.”

“If you have experienced a job loss, I think sometimes it can be doubly difficult, because you are not only going through that job loss, but your identity is shifting a little bit, too,” Seaman continued. “So it is really important, and it does take time, to work on who you are outside of your career. It can be incredibly valuable and helpful mentally to do that.”

Leon Tucker, director of talent development at USA TODAY Co., told journalists who are facing layoffs and struggling with anxieties about the state of the jobs market to “stay encouraged.” 

“This too shall pass,” Tucker said. “I believe this industry is in the midst of a huge seismic shift. We’re just trying to figure it out … I believe that ultimately what’s going to happen is, we’re going to settle somewhere …Keep your head up and don’t give up.”

Read on for more career advice for getting hired in 2026.