What I’d Do If I Was Laid Off in Jack Dorsey’s Block (Square) AI Cuts

In late February 2026, Block, the company behind Square and Cash App, announced a major workforce reduction. Jack Dorsey also spoke about AI productivity and how “intelligence tools” are changing what it means to run a company. Some people fully accepted that framing. Others questioned whether AI was the real driver or just the easiest headline for a broader reset.

Both perspectives can exist.

But if you were impacted, there’s only one question that matters.

What do you do next, and how do you create real options fast?

This is exactly what I would do.

The hard truth: your resume won’t save you. Your relationships will.

AI makes talent common. Tools make output cheaper.

So the separator isn’t just “can you do the job?”

It’s who trusts you, who will vouch for you, and who will put your name in rooms you aren’t in.

That’s relationship capital. In a market flooded with applicants, relationship capital moves faster than applications.

The 48-hour reset (do this before you “job search”)

1. Control the story in one paragraph
Write one confident explanation you can reuse everywhere.

Template:
“I was impacted by Block’s workforce reduction. I’m proud of the work I did in [team/area], especially [1–2 outcomes]. I’m now exploring roles in [two lanes], and I’m moving quickly. If you know teams hiring for [specific role], I’d love an intro.”

No bitterness. No chaos. No over-explaining.

2. Decide your lane (pick two, max)
Most people lose weeks because they’re “open to anything.”

Pick two lanes only.
Lane A is the role you can win fastest.
Lane B is the role you actually want, even if it’s a slight pivot.

If you pick five lanes, your network won’t know how to help you.

3. Build your Top 25
Not 500 connections. Not followers. Twenty-five real people who can create lift in the next 30 days.

Examples of who goes on the list:
• Former managers
• Peers who’ve moved to other companies
• Partners or vendors you worked closely with
• Clients or customers (if applicable)
• Recruiters you’ve actually spoken with
• Community connectors

Put it in a simple sheet: Name, Company, Relationship, Ask, Status.

The NEXTKNOWN move: stop asking for jobs. Start asking for direction.

Most networking fails because the ask is too heavy.

Instead of:
• “Are you hiring?”
• “Can you help me find a job?”

Use direction-based asks that are easy to answer:
• “Can I get your perspective on where teams like yours are hiring right now?”
• “If you were in my position, which two or three companies would you target?”
• “Who’s the best person to talk to about [role] at [company]?”

Direction turns into introductions. Introductions turn into options.

The two-week relationship sprint (this is the whole game)

4. Run 10 connector calls
These are 15-minute calls with people who know a lot of people.

The goal is simple. Leave each call with two names and one introduction.

Script:
“Quick update. I was impacted by the Block reduction. I’m targeting [Lane A] and [Lane B]. If you were me, which companies or leaders would you talk to first? And is there anyone you’d feel comfortable connecting me with?”

5. Send five proof messages per day
Make it easy for people to advocate for you. Your network is busy. Don’t make them guess.

Template:
“Hey [Name], quick update. I was impacted by Block’s reduction. I’m targeting [role] roles in [space]. At Block I [measurable win]. If you know a leader hiring for [role], or someone I should learn from, I’d really appreciate a point in the right direction.”

6. Publish a signal post, not a pity post
One LinkedIn post can wake your network up if you do it right.

Keep it:
• Clear
• Specific
• Confident

The 30-day momentum plan (how I’d create options fast)

7. Build a brag doc and turn it into a one-page portfolio
Don’t make people guess your value.

Include:
• Three to five outcomes (numbers if possible)
• Two to three projects you owned
• Tools you used
• What you want next

A clean one-pager makes you referable.

8. Choose 12 target companies, not 100
Spray-and-pray applications burn confidence and waste time.

Pick 12 companies where your lane makes sense and where you can realistically get warm introductions.

For each company, identify:
• Two hiring managers
• Two peers in role
• One recruiter

9. Ask for warm intros the right way
Don’t say, “Can you introduce me?”

Say, “Would you be comfortable connecting me?”

Template:
“If you feel good about it, would you be comfortable connecting me with [Name]? I’ll keep it lightweight. I’m not asking them for a job, just 10 minutes of perspective.”

That removes social risk, which increases yes’s.

10. Protect your confidence with cadence
Layoffs mess with people because the days become unstructured.

Here’s the cadence I’d run:
• Mon, Wed, Fri: outreach + calls (relationship days)
• Tue, Thu: portfolio + applications (execution days)
• Daily: 30 minutes of visibility (post, comments, DMs, follow-ups)

Momentum is emotional. Cadence creates it.

If AI is the headline, relationships are the solution.

Whether this was “because of AI” or “AI as the headline,” the direction is clear. Companies are trying to do more with fewer people, faster.

That means:
• Being good isn’t rare
• Being trusted is
• Being known is

And if you were impacted by a cut like this, I’ll say the quiet part out loud.

You don’t need more hustle. You need more leverage. Leverage comes from relationships.

Call to Action

Inside NEXTKNOWN, I teach the exact system for building relationship capital on purpose, so your next opportunity isn’t luck, it’s leverage.