To shed some light on this question, which we all have at some point in our lives, I recommend reading Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It provided me a completely different way to see life, and whenever I forget, I go back to this book.

Layoffs are happening, but, at the same time, the world is realizinng the impact of AI. With a PhD in a related field I think you can be employable for the foreseeable future. It's a challenging time to get hired, so you will need to bring your A game. I'd advise two things:

1. Build a portfolio of projects. Companies like to see that you're hands-on and problem-solving oriented. 2. Invest on your personal brand (via a website, LinkedIn or other social media). This helps put your name and what you do out there, so hiring managers can find you.

With those things at hand, you can make compelling applications and get noticed. I don't see a problem with reaching to managers directly, especially if you make clear how you can provide value.

About getting any job, it depends how much different it is from where you want to be in 5 or 10 years and what your immediate needs are. If you need the money, then you can go for it - any job will provide you learnings. But don't deviate too much from the future you want.