New Delhi: Imagine dedicating over five years to a company you helped grow from just a small startup of three people, working side by side with the CEO. Now, picture being laid off after all that time. A long-serving developer recently shared this emotional experience on Reddit, reflecting on their journey and the sudden end to their role at the company they once helped build.
“Today marks the end of my 5.5 year journey at my company as a developer. After all of these years building the company alongside the CEO when we were just three people in a small startup, I’ve been laid off,” he stated.
Facing Tough Times and Uncertainty
He’s finding it hard to accept the layoff after years of loyalty, especially since he planned to stay until he found the right next step. “It’s tough, and honestly, I’m still not believing it. I still have a final meeting with the CEO to wrap things up. I should talk a lot in it, of all things. Yes, I was tired sometimes and even considered leaving. But I had decided to stay until I found the right next opportunity. This hits differently since I’ve been loyal to a company for so long and it ends like this,” he added.
He also acknowledged the challenges ahead in finding a new job. “I know that the job market is tough, and the search process is very exhausting. But, I don’t want to lose hope, still it’s disturbing and I have mixed feelings about it.”
Voices from the Community: Advice and Support
Other Reddit users shared their thoughts and advice. One wrote,
“I’ll guess you don’t have equity in the company? If that’s the case then all you’ve been is a hired gun. Equity is Loyalty. You’ll be fine, the next gig will be better than you would expect. I’ve used these times to learn technologies I always wanted to know but never had the time.”
Another commented, “Loyalty doesn’t mean anything anymore.”
A third user offered support, writing,
“I’m sorry you’re going through this. When it happened to me, small daily goals helped—one application, one call with a friend—and I used the extra time for things I normally only got to on weekends, like long walks or coffee with someone I’d been meaning to catch up with. It’s okay to have all the mixed feelings right now; you gave years to something, and that matters.”
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