100,000 Federal Workers Resign Today + Midnight Shutdown Threatens 400,000 More While Consulting Firms Go Silent on Accenture's AI Purge
Right now, as you read this, over 100,000 federal workers are officially resigning. Largest single-day government departure since World War II.
Tonight at midnight, government funding expires. 400,000 more face furlough.
Five days ago, Accenture eliminated 11,000 workers who "cannot learn AI fast enough." Every major consulting firm—McKinsey, Deloitte, PwC, EY—has been completely silent since.
THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
Double crisis reshaping job security: Federal government collapsing while corporate America abandons loyalty. AT&T CEO publicly admitted they "consciously shifted away from loyalty." But BCG shows different path—built AI into performance reviews a year ago, now 90% use AI daily. You have 60-90 days before this becomes standard everywhere.
THE DOUBLE CRISIS
100,000 resignations today + 400,000 potential furloughs tonight:
Veterans Affairs: 30,000 employees gone
IRS: Workforce down 25%
Defense: 60,000+ civilian positions eliminated
Total by year-end: 275,000-300,000 federal workers gone
DC region devastation:
Unemployment up 8X faster than national rate
Northern Virginia unemployment jumped 34.7%
Home listings up 64% as workers flee
If shutdown happens: Permanent layoffs, not temporary furloughs. Trump: "We are going to cut a lot of people on a permanent basis."
THE ACCENTURE SILENCE
Five days since announcement. Zero response from competitors.
That silence means they're having identical boardroom conversations.
Accenture eliminated 12,000 in three months, spending $865M on severance. CEO Julie Sweet: "We are exiting people where reskilling is not a viable path."
Translation: Can't learn AI fast enough? You're gone.
Wall Street verdict: Stock down 31%, but analysts say "buy." They believe this strategy works. This is the new normal.
You have 60-90 days before McKinsey, Deloitte, PwC, EY announce similar programs.
THE BCG COUNTERPLAY
Boston Consulting Group took different approach: Built AI into performance reviews a year ago.
Alicia Pittman, Global People Chair: "If you are not using AI, you will not do well on competencies. You will fall behind your peers."
Results:
90% of 33,000 employees use AI
Half are daily users
Custom GPTs review decks, anticipate questions, check formatting
Career acceleration: Manage AI agents before managing people
The difference:
Accenture: Train everyone, fire those who don't learn fast enough
BCG: Make AI mandatory, integrate and elevate
AT&T CEO'S BRUTAL ADMISSION
John Stankey's memo last month: "Some of you may have started expecting loyalty. We have consciously shifted away from some of these elements."
Not accidentally. Not gradually. Consciously.
Meet Steve:
25 years at AT&T
Worked 50-60 hour weeks
Family member diagnosed with cancer
AT&T demanded relocation anyway
They didn't budge
Steve left after 25 years
Current reality:
Only 31% of workers engaged (lowest in decade)
Companies rescind offers regularly
HR cuts emails before layoffs to prevent goodbyes
EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ACCESS
Heights community members are positioning as bridges while others get eliminated.
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Need 1-on-1 positioning coaching? Book at nxtgenheights.com
YOUR THREE PATHS (CHOOSE THIS WEEK)
PATH ONE: Federal Workers
File unemployment today
Security clearance worth 20-30% premium
Target: Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics, SAIC, CACI
Contractors work during shutdowns—agencies can't hire
PATH TWO: Corporate/Consulting
Start one AI certification this week
Update LinkedIn: Add "AI Implementation" or "AI Strategy"
Build one custom GPT for your workflow
Show boss you're using AI to improve work
Network with 10 people who made your desired pivot
Data: AI skills = 28% salary premium. Two+ AI skills = 43% premium.
Free/Low-cost certs:
University of North Florida: Free AI certificate
AWS AI Practitioner: $100
Azure AI-900: $69
Google ML Engineer: $69
PATH THREE: Build Your Own
Use tiny team model (Kyle Rae: $1M revenue, window cleaning + AI)
90% of small businesses use AI tools
Focus on recurring revenue services
Scale with AI, not headcount
Your corporate job is your test bed—then deploy on your own
THE 60-90 DAY WINDOW
BCG employees positioned a year ago. Accenture workers waited—11,000 eliminated.
Steve waited 25 years for loyalty—got nothing.
When McKinsey/Deloitte/PwC/EY announce their programs, everyone will panic. Start this week and be 60-90 days ahead.
THE FEDERAL CONTRACTOR SURGE
Defense contractors actively recruiting:
People with clearances get 20-30% premium immediately
During shutdown, contractors work while agencies freeze
Move fast—this is the window
WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW
We'll know:
If shutdown happened
Where 100,000 workers landed
If any consulting firm breaks silence
Two job markets exist:
Companies eliminate workers who can't adapt
People use AI to protect themselves
Don't be Steve. Be a BCG employee. Position now.
Tomorrow 7 AM: Shutdown fallout + contractor targeting strategies.
Keep climbing, Antoine
P.S. - Most people still processing what happened today. You have 60-90 days before this is standard everywhere. Saturday session details dropping Thursday.
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Need positioning coaching? Book at nxtgenheights.com
Forward to someone who needs to see this before they become another statistic.
