I was laid off from my product management job at Microsoft at 25. It may have been the best thing for me.

• 05/14/2025, 5:08 AM
• businessinsider.com

Courtesy of Kosi Pierre-Louis

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kosi Pierre-Louis, a 25-year-old in Seattle. Pierre-Louis was let go from his product management role in May, when Microsoft laid off about 6,000 workers; the company laid off 9,000 more workers in July. This essay has been edited for length and clarity.