“No warning, no explanation – just a cheque and shown the door,” writes Kapil Kulshreshtha who was then a Senior Product Manager at Microsoft. Narrating how he navigated through the layoff with his wife in the post, he thanked Microsoft saying “…what felt like a blow to my career was actually a blessing in disguise.”
He concludes his post stating “setbacks happen, but they don’t define you; your response to them does”.“Trust the process, because your next chapter could be just around the corner,” he writes.
Here’s what he wrote in his LinkedIn post
I got fired back on 25th August 2005.
At the time, I was a Sr. Program Manager at Microsoft in Hyderabad.
No warning, no explanation – just a cheque and shown the door.
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.
Determined to find closure, I decided to meet my former manager in a coffee shop. And it was amazing to have unrestricted conversation and his nudging me to let go and move along.
Then began the relentless job hunt. Days blurred into nights of networking, improving resumes, and gathering the courage to call old contacts.
This 3 week period was tough, but I eventually found my place at Cognizant.
Looking back, that firing was a turning point. It forced me to confront my fears, re-evaluate my goals, and ultimately find a path that was more aligned with my true likes.
By the way – I owe who I am today to Microsoft. What felt like a blow to my career was actually a blessing in disguise.
With all the recent layoffs happening, if you’re going through a similar nightmare, know this: you’re not alone. This might be taking you a step closer to your best self.
It’s okay to feel angry, lost, or defeated.
Take a moment, breathe, and then gather your strength.
Reach out to your support system and start planning your comeback.
Because here’s the truth: setbacks happen, but they don’t define you; your response to them does.
Trust the process, because your next chapter could be just around the corner. 🙂
