Amazon layoffs: Indian-origin software developer cut after 11 years, stays positive, says ‘how you react very important’
According to a report by Business Insider, Indian-origin software engineer Hemant Virmani, who left Amazon after working for 11 years at the technology giant, is using this opportunity to improve his artificial intelligence skills and reflect on his career.
Speaking to the publication, the 47-year-old software developer stated that the past cannot be changed and therefore how you react going forward is very important. The report stated that a major inspiration for this mindset came from his high school-age daughter.
Virmani, who lives in Washington, United States, was laid off due to Amazon’s cuts in October, but she didn’t give up. He told the publication that he is spending time developing and learning artificial intelligence (AI) tools while applying for new jobs. He is also focusing more on his health.
He was laid off by Amazon after nearly 12 years: ‘Part of my life is gone’
According to Virmani’s LinkedIn profile, he worked at Amazon for just over 11 years, starting as a software development manager in Hyderabad and working his way up to Senior Manager of Software Development. Before that, he spent 11 years at Adobe.
Speaking about being informed about the decision, Virmani said that his colleagues saw the cut in 2023, but his own news also had a shocking effect.
But his teenage daughter taught him the biggest lesson about moving forward. Takeaway? “I’m now applying for jobs and working to improve my skills in AI so I can be proactive rather than reactive in the tech industry. Only time will tell if this layoff is a blessing in disguise, but for now it has led to a refreshing change,” he said.
‘My daughter taught me to accept dismissal positively’
Virmani said she initially “felt tied to the dismissal,” but was inspired to learn how her daughter reacted to her negative situation.
“His mental model was: ‘Challenges don’t have to stop me from showing up for myself or others.’ His positive attitude inspired me to do the same,” she said.
As for what’s next, Virmani is “focusing less on the size or name of the next company and more on what I’m going to do there.”
“I’m hoping to go into engineering for something that will have a big impact on customers. I don’t think it can be done without AI right now, so I’m working on improving my skills. I’m learning new AI skills because I don’t have time to use them at Amazon,” he told the publication.
“I want to be proactive, not reactive, about the AI skills I’ll need in the future. I started working on a hobby AI project a few weeks ago… It’s been a different and refreshing change to build something myself rather than studying, reading, or working in a team developing it. I’m applying for jobs and focusing on my health.”
