IIT graduate sacked by Amazon after 6-month stint: 'Never wanted to...'

Harsh, a computer science graduate, posted about being laid off on LinkedIn. (Image credit: LinkedIn)

Amazon's mass layoffs have left professionals scrambling for new opportunities. In India, the company is expected to sack 1,000 employees this month. Many have already received termination notices.

Workers are taking to LinkedIn to share personal accounts of the layoffs and request their networks to connect them with potential opportunities.

One of the posts was from an IIT graduate Harsh, who works as a software development engineer in Bengaluru. According to his LinkedIn profile, he joined Amazon in July 2022.

Before that, he was an intern with the company, for three months in 2021.

"(I) never wanted to start my 2023 on this (note)," he wrote in his post. "But as a part of Amazon layoffs, my job role got terminated recently."

Harsh wrote that even though his stint was short, he was thankful for an opportunity that made him grow.

He sought opportunities in backend, frontend and full stack development.

"I'm ready to relocate and can join from February first week," he said. "If you come across an appropriate job opportunity, please let me know. Ready to have a chat if you have any advice as well."

Amazon announced earlier this month that it planned to cut as many as 18,000 jobs, citing economic uncertainties and a hiring boom during the pandemic.

"We are deeply aware that these role eliminations are difficult for people, and we don't take these decisions lightly," Amazon CEO Andy Jassy had said.  "We are working to support those who are affected and are providing packages that include a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and external job placement support."

Amazon is just one of the big tech companies to announce mass layoffs. Twitter slashed roughly 50 percent of its workforce soon after Elon Musk's takeover and Meta said it will cut 11,000 jobs.

Posts have emerged online of distraught employees detailing how the layoffs were taking place.

“75% of my team is gone. Although I’m in the remaining 25% I don’t feel motivated to work anymore,” an Amazon employee wrote in his Grapevine post. “They are firing people in cabins. People are crying in the office.”

‘People crying in office’: Amazon India employee describes scene amid layoffs