'No warning, no explanation': Former Microsoft India employee talks about his layoff experience

Getting laid off from a company can be a jarring experience that you remember for a long time. Nobody is really prepared to receive a termination letter out of the blue. And when that happens in a global-scale organisation, it can come as quite a shock.

This is exactly what happened with a Microsoft India employee back in 2005. He shared his experience on LinkedIn and wrote how he was laid off without a warning from the tech giant.

Ex-Microsoft employee on getting laid off

"No warning, no explanation - just a cheque and shown the door," the ex-Microsoft employee wrote. He added, "The mix of emotions I felt: anger, confusion, and that sinking feeling of failure was overwhelming. I called my wife, and she asked me to drive straight home. Instead of lashing out or drowning in self-pity, my wife and I sat down and talked and wrote down our choices. Acceptance didn't come easy, but it was the first step."

He then mentioned how he went on a relentless job hunt after this experience and eventually started working at a new place. The ex-Microsoft employee also added that now when he looks back at the time when he was fired, it looks like that was a turning point in his life and forced him to confront fears, re-evaluate goals, and find a path that was "more aligned with his true likes."

He then addressed people who are going through similar situations and reminded them that they are not alone.

Layoffs in the tech world

The tech industry has been seeing a rise in the number of layoffs since 2022. Major IT giants like Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Google, X (earlier Twitter) collectively laid off millions of employees across the world. People often share their experiences on LinkedIn, in hopes of either finding a better role or connecting with other like-minded people.

Earlier today, Intel was making headlines for announcing a fresh round of layoffs. The chipmaker will be reducing 15 percent of its workforce and the decision was communicated to employees by CEO Patrick Gelsinger.