For 20 years, he lived and breathed Microsoft, then was laid off, and now he shares a warning about Big Tech

For two decades, Joe Friend lived and breathed Microsoft. From managing teams and shaping products to moving across continents for meaningful work, his life was intertwined with the tech giant. He planned every step carefully, imagining a steady path to retirement at 65, with years of experience and stock grants as his safety net. But life, as it often does, had other plans. In May this year, Friend, 62, received the kind of news no veteran of Big Tech ever wants to hear, he was laid off. Alongside 14 colleagues, including four managers, his long career at Microsoft abruptly came to an end.

“I wasn't entirely surprised by the layoffs. I was surprised to get caught up in them,” he told Business Insider. The unexpected turn didn’t just shake his finances; it forced him to rethink his retirement, his career, and what work truly means to him. Now, with time to plan his next move, Friend is clear about one thing: he won’t be returning to Big Tech. Instead, he’s ready to chase work that excites him, even if it comes with a smaller paycheck.

Shock of the layoff

Friend, a director of product management overseeing a team of nine, initially thought his job was safe when rumours of Microsoft layoffs began circulating. But in May, he and 14 other employees, including four managers, were told their roles were terminated.


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"I wasn't entirely surprised by the layoffs. I was surprised to get caught up in them," Friend told Business Insider.

The layoff forced him to rethink his retirement plans. He had intended to work until 65, a milestone that would have allowed him to access his unvested stock grants. Suddenly, he had to make major financial and career decisions ahead of schedule.

"My plan was to figure out what I wanted to do over the next three years," he said. "Then all of a sudden I'm at the doorstep, and I have to make that decision now."

A long journey with Microsoft

Friend first joined Microsoft in 1994 as a lead program manager on Microsoft Word. In 1997, he moved to Indonesia with his family to work for an international NGO, fulfilling a dream of living abroad and doing meaningful work.

Returning to the US in 2003, he briefly considered the nonprofit sector but found it financially unfeasible, and rejoined Microsoft. After 14 years, he felt burned out and moved to Stack Overflow for a change. In 2018, impressed by cultural changes at Microsoft, he returned — staying until his layoff in 2025.

Moving on from Big Tech

After his layoff, Friend received paychecks until mid-July and a "very comfortable" severance nearly equal to his expected earnings for the rest of the year.

"It feels like a betrayal, and it impacts me financially, but it's not going to hurt," he said.

Friend believes Microsoft no longer honours an unspoken deal with employees: perform well, and your job is secure.

"I think I'd rather earn $50,000 a year doing something I'm excited about," he said. "It doesn't mean I won't jump back into a job, but it certainly won't be Big Tech."