Ex-Microsoft Hyderabad employee says getting fired was 'a blessing in disguise'. Here's why

Kapil Kulshreshtha is now a lifestyle coach and founder CEO of Scintillate Coaching. (Image credit: LinkedIn)

When Kapil Kulshreshtha was fired from his role as a senior program manager at Microsoft in Hyderabad, he was angry, confused, and "that sinking feeling of failure was overwhelming". Later, however, he realised it was a blessing in disguise. He was sacked in in 2005 but bagged a job with Cognizant in Sydney in three weeks in a role that was more aligned with what he liked.

Kulshreshtha is now a lifestyle coach and the founder CEO of Scintillate Coaching. In a recent LinkedIn post, he had a piece of advice for those impacted by layoffs recently: "You're not alone. This might be taking you a step closer to your best self."

"I got fired back on 25th August 2005. At the time, I was a senior program manager at Microsoft in Hyderabad. No warning, no explanation - just a cheque and shown the door. The mix of emotions I felt: anger, confusion, and that sinking feeling of failure was overwhelming," he wrote. "I called my wife, and she asked me to drive straight home. Instead of lashing out or drowning in self-pity, my wife and I sat down and talked and wrote down our choices. Acceptance didn't come easy, but it was the first step."

Kulshreshtha was, however, determined to find closure. He decided to meet his former manager who encouraged him to look for opportunities that were more aligned with what he liked to do.

"Then began the relentless job hunt. Days blurred into nights of networking, improving resumes, and gathering the courage to call old contacts. This three-week period was tough, but I eventually found my place at Cognizant (in Australia)," he said. "Looking back, that firing was a turning point. It forced me to confront my fears, re-evaluate my goals, and ultimately find a path that was more aligned with my true likes."

Kulshreshtha added that he has no bad feelings for his former employer. "I owe who I am today to Microsoft. What felt like a blow to my career was actually a blessing in disguise," he said.

Microsoft had last month conducted another round of layoffs across various teams and locations. The company, however, did not disclose the number of employees that have been impacted.