I recently faced a tough situation at my job as a data analyst for an oil and gas company. I had been feeling overworked and underpaid, so I started applying for new positions to either secure a better job or use as leverage for salary negotiations. I made it through all the interview rounds at a new company that offered the same role but with much better pay. I had my final interview last Monday and was waiting to hear back from them this week. Then, out of nowhere, my current company laid off my entire team—14 out of 18 people were let go, with only the directors remaining. It was shocking and really devastating because I had put in a lot of hard work there. Thankfully, I do have severance, but it doesn’t ease the blow. Now I’m left wondering if I should inform the prospective company about my layoff before they get back to me. On one hand, I could mention that I’m available to start immediately and that I can provide strong references from the directors. On the other hand, I worry that it might undermine my previous claims of being overworked and make me seem desperate. Plus, what if they think I was applying because I knew the layoff was coming? I’m 26 years old with four years of experience in data analysis, skilled in Excel, Python, SQL, and Tableau, and I hold a BS in data science. I could really use some advice on how to navigate this situation.