During the pandemic as demand for digital services went up, tech firms were opening doors to more employees anticipating a surge in business. But the industry's enthusiasm soon fizzled out, as recession and geopolitical factors hit revenue and triggered layoffs along with a hiring freeze.
A Microsoft employee was hit by this reality, when he got a cold shoulder from tech firms, even after sending out more than 1,000 applications since he sacked in March.
Having work experience at a tech giant such as Microsoft should make it easier to land a new job, but the engineer from the US only got 57 calls, 15 interviews, and just three final rounds.
He is currently struggling to stay afloat as he has no income and limited support from the family.
He has also been paying tuition fees for his college on his own, and has reached out for new opportunities.
But things haven't been easy for those who managed to keep their jobs either, as Microsoft has decided not to raise salaries.
The move to cut costs further as the company is expanding has been slammed by employees who called it a slap in their faces.
It also hits employees harder when tough economic conditions including inflation are affecting their way of life.
This prompted one employee to write that she will start acting her wage, which indicates her performance will depend on how much she is being paid.
