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From Wedding DJ to Meta Engineer: My 13-Year Career and Layoff
Business Insider • • business
Key Points:
- Henry Chen, a former Meta tech lead with over 13 years at the company, was laid off in May 2026 following major layoffs and shifting company priorities, which intensified during his paternity leave.
- Chen’s career at Meta began in 2012 as a contractor inspecting conference rooms, evolving into a software engineering role focused on collaboration technology and eventually becoming a tech lead.
- Prior to the layoff, Chen had started exploring new job opportunities due to increasing uncertainty but paused his search after receiving a generous severance package and choosing to spend time with family.
- To prepare for his job search, Chen is working with a coach to update his software engineering skills, focusing on industry-standard system design and interview preparation after a decade without interviewing.
- Chen remains optimistic about finding a new role that offers growth and advises others facing layoffs to carefully consider their next steps and seek opportunities to solve problems as a path to career advancement.
