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Dealing with career setback at Meta & fears about AI future - need advice

Mid-Level Software Engineer [E4] at Meta profile pic
Mid-Level Software Engineer [E4] at Meta

Started at Meta London as a mid-level engineer back in 2020. Put in everything I had, but stayed stuck at the same level despite trying for promotion every cycle. Made it through several re-orgs and manager changes, always thinking "next time will be different."

Never quite found my groove there. I know I'm a solid engineer, but between team circumstances and a poor fit with the product side, I couldn't land those "exceeds expectations" ratings needed for promotion. Now they're laying me off with a "below expectations" rating, which might block me from ever working at Meta again.

This hits hard. Really hard. I poured years of my life into this job, burned through my health both mentally and physically. Now I'm watching everyone talk about this massive AI revolution coming for tech jobs, while London tech salaries are already pretty rough, and I've just lost my position at one of the few companies that paid well here.

I've landed another job to keep the lights on (again, I can code), but it's clearly not somewhere I'll grow much. Being in my 30s and having to rebuild from scratch is scary enough - add in the AI uncertainty and it feels even worse. That "below expectations" rating from Meta feels like a brand I can't shake off.

How do you bounce back when you've had a shot at the big leagues and it didn't work out? When you have to start over but you're not fresh out of college anymore? Some days it feels like everyone's judging me for not making it.

Looking for any advice from folks who've been through something similar or found their way and succeeded even better after a major career setback.

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Posted 18 days ago
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4 Comments

Stuck as an Entry Level Engineer

Anonymous User at Taro Community profile pic
Anonymous User at Taro Community

Hello,

As the title says, I’m stuck as an entry level engineer in FAANG for almost 4 years now. I’ve been reflecting on what I’m doing wrong.

My first company I worked for 1 year and didn’t not like it because the lack of mentorship. I joined and my questions never got answered, the tech lead didn’t really care about giving mentorship, just gave me links and bug IDs. I was able to survive for 1 year but I left the company because I felt so lost. My manager mentioned that I was “on track” to getting promoted but I hated the culture.

Then worked for 1.9 years on another company, where I received awards for my projects and contributions. I did receive mentorship here, but I was not able to get promoted. At the end of the timeline my manager mentioned I was moving slower and slower. I was working as a full stack and I believe my error here was not playing my strengths, since every time I had to take another project it would be on a different area, such as server on a language I never used before. I had a few discussions with my tech lead and I felt I lost my team trust because they would give a lot of comments, and just get a lot feedback from other people. This kinda demoralized me and made it hard to keep working so I changed teams. My last team I worked for 8 months before getting laid off. Here I also received recognition for my projects. My first project I missed the deadline because the onboarding had nothing to do with my project. I integrated our tool with an external team, so most of the code base I worked was not even ours (the techlead and team didn’t have much knowledge). Then I was given another project where I was starting to get traction, onboarding and project matched, I had to ramp up again on the new tech stack and my manager was getting frustrated with me, my team was very helpful and I was slowly to become independent. I feel like people trusted me here and code reviews would go smooth this time, at the end I was finally getting positive feedback, but was affected by the layoffs. From reflecting, here is what I did wrong:

  • Not communicating well enough my work with my managers. Status updates I was blocked/learning and that would make me look slow.

  • Not very good mentorship, I feel like at the beginning I needed lots of 1:1 to be able to learn our teams codebase. Sometimes I got very good mentorship but not complete. So I learned well parts of the code base where the tech stack applied.

  • Switching projects too much, went from front end, full stack, server side with several languages. Every time I had to re learn a lot of new of the tech stack.

I did get several recognitions for my contribution with at least helps me think I’m not completely inadequate for the field.

I am looking for a new position, is there anything that could help me perform well as a mid engineer?

Thanks

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Posted 2 years ago
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Learn About Layoffs

Layoffs in the tech industry are a common occurrence and can be a source of anxiety. They are a result of unforeseen adverse macroeconomic conditions or overambitious hiring. Layoffs are distinct from being fired, as they are generally not the employee’s fault and are part of a cost-cutting measure to restore the company’s economics. Layoff packages in the tech industry tend to be extremely generous and competitive, as tech companies are known for offering competitive perks, benefits, and pay.
There are many different reasons why layoffs can happen. Layoffs can be a cost cutting measure to ensure that the organization has enough cash to survive. Companies can undergo restructuring when they shift their strategic focus. This could be caused by mergers and acquisitions or shifts in business priorities. The rapid evolution of technology can render certain skills obsolete. Companies may have to reevaluate their technological needs and realign their workforce based on emerging trends.
It’s important to maintain a positive mindset in the face of layoffs. it’s best not to dwell on self-doubt or feelings of inadequacy. Layoffs are often done with incomplete information and can be random. Remember that being laid off is not a reflecting of one’s abilities or worth. It’s advisable to view the layoff as an opportunity for introspection and finding the next career move. The severance package that comes with layoffs can provide financial freedom and should be treated as a valuable resource.
Taking care of physical, mental, and emotional well-being is crucial after a layoff. It’s normal to feel stressed and anxious, so taking time off to examine your well-being and relationships is recommended.
When reflecting on the next move after being laid off, it’s important to think about career goals and where one sees themselves in the future. This self-introspection can take a few days or even a few weeks. Seeking support and talking to people during this time can be beneficial.
In the current climate, being out of work for more than 6 months after a layoff may or may not hurt chances of getting work. It’s important to emphasize the value one can bring to a company and be transparent about the job search and the time spent focusing on your career during the interview process.
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