This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jason Zhang, a 25-year-old former Google employee based in Seattle. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
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When Google hired me as a software engineer at 22 years old, it felt like a huge accomplishment. It wasn’t just a milestone for me, but for my family.
Both my parents are immigrants, and they did everything they could to provide for me. My job at Google meant I was making more money, so I could give back to them and start building a better future for us all — then I got laid off.
It’s been about a month, and I still haven’t told them. I don’t want them to worry about me, and I’m also not applying to jobs quite yet.
I didn’t realize how many layoff logistics there would be
The emotions set in soon after my layoff, but my brain switched to a completely practical mindset.
Thoughts were running through my head about how long I’d have health insurance, how many months it would realistically take to find a new job in this tough market, and how I needed to get back into prepping for interviews.
The first week after my layoff in March was spent dealing with logistics, like figuring out when I’d receive my last paycheck and thinking about how to quickly find a new dentist, doctor, and optometrist and book appointments.
The next week, I started leaning more into content creation about my layoff experience on Instagram and TikTok. I’ve been posting for months about my honest experience as a tech worker, son of immigrants, and only child — and interview prepping.
I’m not applying to any jobs yet, but I also can’t just ‘chill’
Many tech companies follow a similar style of technical and behavioral questions. The worst thing that could happen to me is that I land an interview with a company I want, but I’m not ready for it.
The rule I like to follow is I can’t control how many interviews I get, but if I know I can pass with 80, 90, or even 100% confidence, then all I need is one interview to find another job. I just want to give myself the best chance to succeed by spending more time upfront in the interview prep. I’ll likely start applying in early or mid-May.
The future of tech is rapidly changing, and I need to adapt quickly. To best prepare myself, I’m trying to learn more about up-and-coming AI tools and prompt engineering. I may try more vibe coding as well.
Some of my friends who’ve been laid off have said things like, “Just chill out for a bit and then come back with a fresh mindset to interview prep.” I think if you have the luxury of doing that, there’s no harm in it, but that’s not my reality.
I plan to tell my parents I was laid off after I get a new job
My parents have been following the news about tech layoffs, and I know how concerned they’ve been about my job security.
Telling them about my layoff would only worry them more, and I don’t think it would help me with my job search. I might also be more worried about them because they’re getting old, and I don’t want them to have an even harder time sleeping.
My plan is to deliver the news once I find a new role. They don’t go online, so I’m not worried about them finding out until I tell them.
I’m spending more time with friends, but I’ve felt guilty for not working
When I was working, I’d always say no to hangouts after work because I’d get off late and wanted to have time to make content. Now that my schedule is more flexible, I’ve been saying yes to hanging out and building deeper relationships. Recently, I even went to a Tulip farm with my girlfriend. This is something I wouldn’t have been able to do before, but I want to prioritize moments like this.
Making content has also been very meaningful to me. Right now it’s very cathartic. I take time to gather my thoughts, share them, and hopefully help someone who’s in a similar position to me.
I’ve felt some guilt for prioritizing friends and content because I don’t have a job and feel like I should be job-searching. What’s helping is telling myself that if I work hard enough during the day on interview prepping, then maybe it’s OK to hang out with friends or do something in the evening. Small breaks can actually help me be more productive.
I’m relearning what my identity is outside of work
For the longest time, I didn’t have hobbies because I spent so much time working. I’ve now been trying out different ones, but none have stuck.
There have been times I’ve done what everyone considers fun, and in my head, I think, “I could be working.” Working on something meaningful is important to me, and right now, content is meaningful.
However, I’m still searching for my identity outside of my career.
Do you have a story to share about getting laid off from Big Tech? If so, please reach out to the reporter at [email protected].
