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Brittney Ball is struggling to find work after being fired from Meta for “poor performance.”
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Ball said she has relied on her parents, partner and LinkedIn network for support.
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She recently launched her own tech startup, TechniDox, and studied at Trinity University.
This article is based on a conversation with Brittney Ball, a 36-year-old former Meta employee in Washington, D.C., and has been edited for length and clarity.
When I was hired by Meta in 2020, it was life-changing for me as a single mom. It represents security and stability—a place to work hard and retire.
So when I was laid off in February in a round of layoffs targeting “low performers,” it felt like a punch in the gut.
Nine months later, my severance package and savings were depleted, and I was struggling to find a tech job, feeling that the low-performance “label” was partly to blame. I am no longer the carefree and excited person I used to be when I was applying for jobs.
But my layoff wasn’t just this bad thing that happened. It actually made me a better person.
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I was fired as part of an effort to weed out “low performers” and I was devastated
I was a single mom in a homeless shelter. I taught myself how to code and entered the tech field without a college degree. Being hired as a Documentation Engineer at Meta means everything, not only to me, but to my family. I made my parents proud. I am a successful example.
I really enjoyed my time at Meta and am very proud of my work and the community I’ve built. I served as the global head of Black@Pride ERG and briefly assisted their developer advocacy team. I truly believe I will stay forever.
We know layoffs are coming, but we don’t know who will be affected. Maybe my head was in the clouds, but I really didn’t think I would.
I was shocked to be fired, especially since it was part of a round of layoffs targeting poor performers. I’ve always been proud of my work, but I just didn’t see myself falling into that category. It was devastating and I didn’t know what to do next.
My views on technology have changed
I used to be naive and excited about working at a tech company, but since being laid off, I just see it as a resource to fund my life. It’s no longer as safe as it once was.
It took me about a month after the layoff to process everything and figure out what it meant to me. That’s when I came up with the idea to create my own tech startup, TechniDox, an AI-powered documentation platform.
It really started out as a way to distract myself and a space to pour my passion into, but it’s gained some traction and I’m continuing to build it in hopes that it will grow into something bigger.
I’ve been applying for jobs, mostly at small tech companies, but haven’t received any offers yet. I have the skills and the passion, so I’m not sure what the problem is. The low performance “label” is probably why I’m still unemployed.
I found support through family, friends, and my LinkedIn network
I know the layoff wasn’t my fault, but as a mother, it’s devastating to me that I can’t turn things around in a way that helps me support my family.
Unemployment services haven’t started yet so I’ve been in a gray area and my parents and partner have been helping me pay bills and groceries. I’ve always been the independent type and didn’t ask for help, so I felt uncomfortable at first, but I knew I couldn’t always do it alone.
My best friend drops everything to be there for me when I need it, and my partner supports me by reminding me to get some sun and stay active. I have a group of people who want to see me succeed and help me achieve that, and I’m so grateful to them.
My LinkedIn network is also very supportive. I’ve been posting about my layoffs, and people have reached out to me to provide resume reviews, send me recommendations, or just tag me in posts with kind words. I had no idea I had so many supportive people watching me through my journey. This is so heartwarming.
My layoff prompted me to try new things
When I worked there, I was so focused on Meta that I didn’t get as much skill-building as I should have. I focus on learning new things and making myself stand out.
I’m reviving an old YouTube channel and posting about my company on LinkedIn while I’m at it. I’ve never been to college, so I recently enrolled at Trinity University, where I’m pursuing a double major in journalism and computer science. During this challenging time, I have been finding joy in learning about things that excite me.
Even though I haven’t found a job yet, I remind myself that this happens to a lot of other people. The job market is tough, but I won’t give up.
Read the original article on Business Insider
