Tech layoffs: California software engineer's Google dream ended in weeks, lost job before 'a single day of real work', now back at Amazon

For many software engineers, receiving an offer from Google is a career-defining moment. But for Gu Yichen, a California-based software engineer, that dream ended almost as soon as it began.

The 31-year-old, who works in the US on an H-1B visa, said he was laid off in Google's mass job cuts in early 2023—just weeks after joining the company and before he had completed what he describes as "a single day of real work."

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Today, Yichen is back at Amazon, the company he left for Google, and says the experience completely changed how he views career growth, job security and success in the tech industry.

Google layoff came before he could start real work

Yichen joined Google in late 2022 after leaving Amazon during a period when major technology companies were aggressively hiring talent.

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However, the excitement didn't last long. "I had started work around Christmas, and the layoff notice came in January 2023. I didn't do a single day of real work. My former manager was right," he recalled in an as-told-to essay published by Business Insider.

According to Yichen, the entire team he had joined was laid off after the experimental project they were hired for was cancelled as part of Google's cost-cutting measures.

"My team had planned to work on an experimental project. Due to cost cutting, it was shelved, and the entire team was let go."

A student exchange programme changed the course of his life

Long before working in Silicon Valley, Yichen's future changed because of a student exchange programme.

As a sophomore in high school, he spent a year in Yacolt, Washington, an experience that eventually led him to study and work in the United States.

"I didn't realize that participating in the program would lead me to skip China's entrance exam and set me on a path toward studying abroad for my bachelor's. I also hadn't realized that it would eventually lead me to build a career in the US," he said.

He later enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he studied electrical and computer engineering.

Although his academic focus was hardware, software development quickly became his preferred field.

"My focus was on circuit boards and chips at the time, but I was more interested in the computer side because results were more tangible and visible."

Amazon became his first major career opportunity

While studying at university, Yichen secured an internship at Amazon.

After graduating in 2017, he joined the company full-time while working under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme before eventually securing an H-1B visa.

"I got lucky on my third try," he said, referring to the H-1B visa lottery.

The COVID-19 pandemic also affected his career path. After completing visa formalities in China, he spent nearly a year working remotely for Amazon before returning to the United States.

Why he decided to leave Amazon for Google

By the end of 2022, the technology sector was witnessing an aggressive hiring spree, and Google presented an opportunity Yichen found difficult to refuse.

Even though his manager at Amazon advised him to stay, he decided to take the risk.

"My manager at Amazon tried to convince me to stay, saying things were unstable and the future was uncertain. I felt that if I didn't take the chance while I was young, I'd be less likely to do it later."

He also recalled that new employees were given confidence about the company's future. "Human resources reassured us at orientation that there wouldn't be layoffs."

Google layoffs left him racing against the H-1B visa deadline

The layoffs created more than just professional uncertainty.

"There was also a time crunch because I was on an H 1B visa. Within a 60 day grace period, I had to find a job, get sponsorship transferred, and start working. It was tight."

He returned to China before Amazon called again

Unable to immediately find another role at Google, Yichen chose to take a short break.

"I decided to take a break instead. I went back to my hometown, Nanjing, for a while, then traveled to Yunnan province in southwestern China to stay with my aunt."

The break, however, didn't last very long. "I'm not the type who can rest for long."

While staying in touch with former colleagues, he learned about an opening on his previous team at Amazon.

Returning to the same team also simplified his immigration paperwork because he was able to continue using his earlier H-1B petition rather than restarting the entire process.

Back at Amazon with a different outlook

Now working again at Amazon in Sunnyvale, California, Yichen says the experience reshaped his understanding of the technology industry.

He has also applied for a US green card, which he believes will provide greater career flexibility in the future.

"Once my I 140 is approved, I can renew my H 1B indefinitely. It will give me more freedom in both my personal life and my career. In the future, I might start my own business or take cooking lessons."

'Landing your ideal job is often as much about timing as effort'

Looking back, Yichen says he still enjoys building innovative products but now better understands how companies make business decisions during uncertain economic conditions.

"My experience at Google made me realize that while I prefer working on experimental projects, companies tend to prioritize essential teams and mature products over exploratory projects."

He believes the biggest lesson had little to do with coding or technical skills.

"It also taught me that landing your ideal job is often as much about timing as effort. I became more flexible once I realized how much was outside my control."

His story reflects the reality many technology professionals have faced over the past few years, where even landing a coveted role at one of the world's biggest companies does not always guarantee long-term job security.