I was laid off by Meta and became a boomerang employee 3 years later. Here’s why I decided to return.
In a compelling reflection on his career journey, Devang Sharma shares his experience of returning to Meta as a senior software engineer, a position he accepted after being laid off from the company just three years earlier. Originally joining Meta in 2022, Sharma relocated from London to Toronto, only to face the unexpected challenge of layoffs just four and a half months into his tenure. Despite the setback, he quickly secured another role at a startup, demonstrating resilience and adaptability, particularly as an immigrant who had just established his life in Canada. His ability to maintain connections with former colleagues through various networking channels proved invaluable, allowing him to stay informed about industry trends and opportunities.
When a Meta recruiter reached out with a senior position focused on artificial intelligence, Sharma was faced with a decision: to return to a familiar environment or pursue offers from other tech firms. Ultimately, he chose Meta for its commitment to foundational AI models, aligning with his career aspirations. He noted the significant changes within Meta since his previous stint, including a leaner organizational structure and a faster pace of innovation, particularly in AI integration. This evolution, coupled with his excitement about contributing to groundbreaking AI projects, made his return feel like a homecoming filled with both nostalgia and anticipation.
Sharma’s experience serves as a valuable lesson for other “boomerang” employees—those who return to previous employers. He emphasizes the importance of approaching the return with a fresh mindset, akin to that of a newcomer. By embracing curiosity and a willingness to learn, former employees can navigate the transition more effectively and contribute meaningfully to their teams. His story highlights not only the personal growth that can come from returning to a previous workplace but also the evolving landscape of the tech industry, where adaptability and a proactive approach are crucial for success.
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Devang Sharma moved to the US to join Meta.
Courtesy of Devang Sharma
Devang Sharma returned to Meta for an AI engineering role after being laid off in 2023.
He chose Meta over other AI companies due to opportunities to build foundational AI models.
Sharma advises boomerang employees to approach returning with a fresh, curious mindset.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Devang Sharma, a 27-year-old senior software engineer at Meta, based in Menlo Park, CA. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
The first time I joined Meta was in 2022. I uprooted my life in London and moved to Toronto to work there. I stayed for around four and a half months before being laid off.
Meta is an amazing organization, one I saw myself retiring at, but there was nothing I could do to keep my job.
Three years later, a recruiter from Meta reached out to me, and I had the chance to rejoin the company in a much more senior role. I had offers from other AI companies, but returning to Meta felt like a homecoming.
With the
direction of the industry
, there’s always a chance of layoffs; however, I saw coming back as a trade-off.
Getting laid off was challenging, but I found another job quickly
I was working at a startup as an engineer before I applied for the Meta software engineering position in Toronto. When I was impacted by
company layoffs
, it was really challenging to deal with, especially as an immigrant.
It was the middle of winter, and I had just left everything I knew behind in London. But I was still grateful for the first experience I had working at such a large scale.
I was not dependent on Meta for my immigration status because I got my permanent residency, so I was free to switch jobs. Within a month, I secured several offers and
landed a new role
.
I kept in contact with former colleagues after getting laid off
There are LinkedIn groups, WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, and email newsletters for former Meta employees. I was always in touch with the former and current employees I worked with, as well as those I had not worked with directly.
The conversations were mostly regarding what’s happening across the industry and also within Meta. With the recent movements and
investments in AI
, a lot has changed over the past two and a half to three years.
A Meta recruiter reached out to me, but I had other offers
Meta has an internal system that tracks and enables them to reach out to current and former employees. A Meta recruiter emailed me about a specific role and team, and when I got more details about the position, I realized it was exactly what I was looking for.
The interviews
were similar to my first time interviewing with them in terms of coding standards and system design, but more complex in terms of tangible design problems.
I was in the interview process with other organizations and considering their offers. This made me sort of unsure whether to proceed with Meta.
Meta’s AI work made me come back
Before rejoining Meta, I was
working at Amazon
. Although I had the opportunity to work with some great AI models, I was not directly contributing to the foundational models or writing the models myself. My role was primarily focused on implementing and fine-tuning.
When I discovered that I could contribute to the domain of artificial intelligence firsthand by building and writing models, not just on the implementation side, which perfectly aligned with what I was looking for, I was thrilled.
I’m in my 20s and I don’t have a family. I’m pretty flexible in terms of my responsibilities. I couldn’t sit back and be fearful about what would happen if there were more layoffs. There will probably be some, but I can’t control it.
I would’ve regretted not taking a chance to work on something amazing, simply because I chose a safe route.
Returning to Meta was a mix of emotions, and the company has changed a lot
I had such a mixture of emotions going into my new hire orientation, this time at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park. It brought back all the memories of my first time joining the company back in Toronto.
I knew that employees who worked at headquarters got to meet people like
Chris Cox
, the chief product officer of Meta, and other C-suite executives. Back in 2022, at the Toronto office, we were just watching them on video. In 2025, I was sitting in the front row while Chris Cox gave an amazing speech.
Things have changed since I last worked here. Priorities differ, and the company is leaner, so things move more quickly. The company’s evolution in terms of shipping features is happening at a very fast pace; it’s no longer a traditional software engineering role. It’s more about
how integrated we are with AI.
Advice for other boomerang employees
Whenever you’re
returning to a previous organization
that you have worked with, it feels like a homecoming because there’s naturally some attachment there. My piece of advice would be to try to come in with the mindset of a newbie.
I’m using my previous experience to help me, but I’m also thinking of this new experience as if I were joining Meta for the first time.
This approach has helped me overcome my prejudices. It’s given me a chance to be a curious learner, and that’s one of the most important things that you can do as a professional.
Do you have a story to share about being a boomerang employee? Contact this reporter, Agnes Applegate, at
aapplegate@businessinsider.com
.
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