'Hardest thing I've ever had to write': Laid-off Google employee shares heartfelt note in viral LinkedIn post

Software giant Google is reportedly laying off hundreds of employees from its recruiting team globally. One of the laid-off Google employees in the US, who is the sole breadwinner of her family, has shared a heartfelt note on LinkedIn.

"This is probably the most hardest thing I've ever had to write, so please excuse any grammatical errors. Today was a very difficult day for everyone, including myself," Vanessa DeCollibus, who was working in the recruiting team at Google, wrote in the post.

"I was affected by Google's layoffs today, and I know that I am just one out of hundreds of fellow extremely talented individuals who have been affected this year in this job market. As the sole provider to my very tiny family, I must be strong and I must move quickly as time is against me," she added.


DeCollibus, who joined the company in 2021, thanked Google for giving her the opportunity to work at the software giant. "You have no idea what it meant to me to come from such humble beginnings in life to a position such as this. It was a dream come true that I thought I'd never receive as the daughter of immigrant parents who came to the US for a new opportunity," she said.

Sharing her experience at Google, Vanessa wrote: "I woke up every morning with such enthusiasm to make a positive impact for potential candidates and strived to find them opportunities. Even providing bi-weekly or monthly updates to my candidates to foster deep relationships as I worked to find them an opportunity. I loved my hiring teams and worked so hard to find them the top talent in the market for their roles. Even worked diligently to create trainings to elevate Sourcers as Talent Advisors, I was incredibly devoted to my team."

Vanessa further appealed the LinkedIn community to share her post so that she could find a new opportunity.

"Now I need to find a new path and a new dream for myself. If you have any opportunities within and outside of recruiting, please keep me in your thoughts. I am willing to relocate ANYWHERE in the US for an opportunity. For any fellow colleagues impacted, I am here for you and will work to find and send available opportunities your way because I want to ensure we all are able to keep going during these difficult times," she wrote hoping for good things to come soon.