Zhang’s post serves as a reminder to prioritise life and health, it also showcases the harsh reality of corporate job security.
Jason Zhang, a former Google employee, has shared his bittersweet experience of being laid off despite working hard and giving years to his job. He said he sacrificed personal time and delayed vacations, but none of it “really mattered” in the end, as his dedication didn’t shield him from being let go. In an Instagram post, he opened up about the layoff and said that companies can let their employees go at any time, which has become the “new normal”.
“I have always prioritised work in my life and honestly still do. I thought that if I just worked harder, put more hours in, delay that vacation, it’ll all be worth it,” he wrote as the caption of the video. “But despite that, none of it really mattered.”
“I delayed many things I wanted to do so I can put in more effort into my job, convinced that working harder means I am less likely to be let go,” the caption added. “But I’ve seen that to not be the case for many talented people I’ve worked with.”
He further noted that after he lost the job, he wanted to start building something for himself that “no one can take away”. He concluded the post with a question, “So if you knew you’d lose your job tomorrow, what would you do differently?”
Zhang’s experience is not unique. Many employees face burnout and exhaustion due to excessive work pressure, blurred boundaries, and a lack of genuine breaks.
Social Media Reaction
The video received significant traction with over 28,000 views. Users took to the comment section to share their experiences. “As a fellow creator – I want you to know that this is genuinely super inspiring and im going to get back to the things that actually matter to me,” one user wrote.
