Fired from Microsoft without explanation, man calls it a 'blessing in disguise' after it turned his life around
"I got fired. No warning, no explanation - just a cheque and shown the door."
When Kapil Kulshreshtha was let go from Microsoft Hyderabad in 2005, he recalls the intense feelings of "anger, confusion," and a profound sense of failure.?Because, being laid off is terrifying; it shakes your confidence, fills you with self-doubt, and leaves you anxiously wondering what comes next until you land a new job.
But now, as the Founder and CEO of Scintillate Coaching, Kulshreshtha sees that moment as a "blessing in disguise."
It was on August 25, 2005 that Kulshreshtha, then a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, faced the unexpected blow of losing his job.?
Taking to LinkedIn, he shared that he had a "sinking feeling" but Instead of succumbing to despair, he called his wife, who calmly advised him to come home. Together, they chose to face the situation head-on.
The initial step was acceptance¡ªa challenge in itself.?
Then, Kulshreshtha plunged into an intense job search: "Days blurred into nights of networking, improving resumes, and gathering the courage to call old contacts."
Now, reflecting on the experience, Kulshreshtha acknowledges that the firing was a pivotal moment. "It forced me to confront my fears, re-evaluate my goals, and ultimately find a path that was more aligned with my true likes."
To those enduring a similar ordeal, he offers this advice: "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."
According to data from Layoffs.fyi, a website that tracks layoffs, 262,595 employees were let go by 1,187 tech companies last year. So far in 2024, the number of layoffs has reached 126,032.
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