In a testament to the power of community and strategic networking, a seasoned tech professional has shared her inspiring journey from being laid off by Microsoft after 14 years to landing a coveted position at Meta. This story highlights how proactive communication and leveraging one’s professional network can be instrumental in navigating career transitions, especially in the face of industry-wide layoffs.
Deborah Hendersen, who spent 14 years at Microsoft, was part of the significant workforce reduction in May, affecting approximately 9,000 employees. Her experience, shared with Business Insider, paints a vivid picture of the emotional toll of such events, describing it not as a distant spectacle but as being “in the car, knowing it was going to wreck.” This emotional resonance underscores the human aspect of corporate restructuring.
Breaking from the silence that often surrounds layoffs, Hendersen chose transparency. Within an hour of receiving the news, she publicly announced her layoff on LinkedIn and reached out to colleagues internally. This decision proved to be a turning point, enabling her to build a support network that ultimately led to her new role at Meta.
Her proactive approach extended to financial planning, where she preemptively sold stock and adjusted her budget in anticipation of the layoffs. Despite the “stunning anxiety” she felt, Hendersen’s story emphasizes the resilience and adaptability required in today’s job market.
Finding a Path Through Community
Hendersen’s journey to Meta bypassed the conventional job application channels. By openly sharing her situation, she received numerous leads and referrals from her network within days. This outpouring of support from her professional community provided not just emotional solace but also tangible career opportunities.
The creation of a Teams group for laid-off employees fostered a sense of shared experience, offering a vital space for advice on navigating unemployment, severance packages, and maintaining morale. Hendersen highlighted this community aspect as being “incredibly helpful.”
One of the direct referrals from her network led her to a user experience researcher position at Meta’s Reality Labs. After a successful interview process, she received an offer and began her new role in October, a significant achievement just two months after her layoff.
Key Takeaways
Hendersen’s experience powerfully illustrates the importance of community support during challenging career transitions. She advises that in a process where “everybody gets turned down and gets their hopes up,” having a supportive network makes a substantial difference in managing the emotional and practical aspects of job searching.