Wow, thank you all so much for sharing your stories, experiences, and supportive comments. I've genuinely struggled with this decision for longer than you can imagine and it was the hardest I've ever had to make. I want to give a special shoutout to Goobie and Doobie for inspiring this video-your movement is so uplifting, and I hope to cross paths with you in the beautiful mountains of Washington someday. The current tech job market is far from ideal and I believe we should lean on each other for support. As mentioned in the video, I will have an update about my next steps following this decision shortly. My hope is that by opening up and sharing my journey, I can help someone who might be grappling with a similar decision or challenge. May we all find the courage to pursue the life we truly deserve 💙
Reject their system, dont CREATE new LIFE or MARRY, don't be disheartened by any comments of the types jealous or like that woman who dont want you giving ideas to her burnout IT husband while she enjoys at home.
If it gives you any relief, I'd be happy tell you that most of the western world think you guys are crazy killing yourself with work, not having enough time for your family and loved ones. You might enjoy working for a US company in Europe, with American pay, European
Good we need billions of young people to REJECT/opt-out of this system, REFUSE to create new LIFE or Marriage/start family. This system is sick so do not be evil/selfish and have a baby born into this till the system reforms.
DAWGGG I remember you, your the one who gave me a referral link for tiktok - but it sadly didn't work out - But no matter what, it's glad to see u take care of ur mental
huge s/o to you for pulling the trigger. really could relate to the first 2 mins where you detailed how you didn't even really ever want to be a software engineer. best of luck on future endeavors man, i'm rooting for you.
As someone with five years experience as a software engineer, and was recently laid off in August with a very similar work culture like yours working 10 hour days, The best thing I’ve done so far is mentally reset for 2 months. Hope you experience that same reset 👍
Arman! You are smart and talented. You will do fine in you new look on life. Just keep the faith and keep pushing. I'll support whatever you do. I was just saying to my myself I haven't seen a post from you. But glad you're ok and taking care of yourself. Stay Blessed. 👍🏾🙏🏾☺️
Great video, my king. Im entering the tech field next year as a 30yo, just finished my cs degree after spending half of my 20s as an office clerk. You gave me a lot of things to watch out for! And i hope you find peace and joy in whatever you decide to do next 😊
Arman, I've been watching all your videos these past few months. I have gotten a full time new grad offer at TikTok, but really worried about the work life balance. Thank you for your day in life videos and opening up your experiences. It helped me decide to accept another offer ultimately, that was both closer to family and SO, with good wlb, so would be better for me mentally.
hey justin, appreciate the kind words! I am so happy that you've gotten some value from the videos, wishing you the best. feel free to dm me if you need anything!
I remember you referred me through your link and it really helped bump my application up (got myself an interview!) and for that I really appreciate you. Wish you the best of luck on your journey ahead!
Been watching you for a while, you have inspired me and many others! Whatever you do, it's the correct decision, and we are all here ready to support you in your next journey! You got this, Arman
Wow is this a trend now? First the Neurosurgeon and now SWEs hopping on too. What's next, "I was a McDonalds Worker Now I'm unemployed In The Mountains How Did I Get Here?"
Full support to you my bro! As a software engineer myself, I really feel burnt out and something I’m not passionate about anymore. Transitioning to nuclear engineering, hopefully by 2026 I should be there. Your video gave me courage to pursue something I really am passionate about.
Do what makes you happy man. I did enjoy a lot of your videos so it's kind of a bummer but I will still watch the new ones. Stay safe and happy new year!
I feel you mate, no matter how much of a "dream job" it is, it's still a job and there will always be many things that put stress on you and drain your energy, I was in a similar situation - laid off after 4 years of a tech job but I feel like this is the best thing that could've happened to me - now for the past few months, I've been feeling free, working on my own startup and business ideas, free to manage my time as I wish. You've probably saved some money now, invest them wisely and take some time to relax, clear your head, take a rest from the stress, recharge your batteries, and figure out what YOU want to do with your life, because time flies fast. Wish you the best mate!
Dude, you are telling exactly I am feeling. I work with similar Mandarin company and I have to be available all the time. I would have moved if Market were better as I am on Visa !! This is soo right thing to do, I wanna do as well so bad
good luck with your next journey!! I remembered watching your video when I got the interview with TT last year. I have also been struggling with WLB and mental health that I never had issue before. So proud of you taking action and making the move! Thanks for sharing the journey with us, and hope all the best for you!
Been doing it ten years, man. The people I know that have been doing it longer aren't any more fulfilled. Gotta do what you gotta do to feel purpose in this life. Good for you.
dude i feel you on having most of your coworkers come from another country. when we have challenging problems, they often speak in mandarin to figure it out amongst themselves. i do sometimes feel like an outsider on my own team. i have nothing against them, it just starts to alienate you over time, and i can see my coworkers connection with my manager are much stronger since they fraternize in the same language, so it makes it feel like your ability to be promoted is capped at some point.
wow I'm in the same boat as you, I align most on the diversity part being the only non-indian on the team is quite challenging, especially when it comes to feeling included
I wanted to send a message though IG and couldn’t - so here is all my “dirty laundry”! I’ve been struggling with the same situation for about 9 months now. The constant worry of “being set back” or “disappointing people” and just starting over is something that has weighed heavy on my mind for so long. I truly think I needed to hear this message and I can honestly say - I feel like it’s a breath of fresh air. I genuinely appreciate your honesty and courage, and ultimately realization that not everything is as perfect as it seems. I appreciate this video so much and absolutely adore the message you sent. Thank you for your transparency!
dad died, divorce, left 100k oilfield, moved cross country and learned to code at 34. i grinded free internships, free work, came up with projects just to get practice, landed my first job after 400 applications as full stack dev, flew to countries just to meet engineers, did countless meetups, networking. fired, told i was shit, kept going. all that is my first year in tech. This industry is nasty and at every step you think you know nothing. keep going.
To those criticizing Arman for walking away from this job, I just want to say: if you haven’t experienced that kind of work environment, you won’t understand the pressure and mental toll it takes. 🤗.
Dude. 300k/year + 3 meals/day + 50/hrs/week + $ for social media content abt work Everyone has the right to burn out, but that's a dream job for many many people .
Yes...but the headaches...the deadlines .... It affects your nervous system... you can 300k or ZERO dollars if You're not good enough for their high corporate bar... You need to be like a robot to learn a lot and use your brain like 100 percent... You are constantly in flee fight mode... You are human not a robot... To me it's a career not worth it... Too much stress.. the best thing in life is to be rich not software engineer
Was wondering where you'd been Arman. Always loved the day in the life videos and how transparent you were with everything regarding your job at TikTok. Wishing you all the best in the future, congrats on your new chapter 🙌
I don't even know you but saw your video on the right panel and I'm glad I clicked on it. Thanks for your honesty, especially on the current situation of the job market. As a talented/knowledgable person it sucks so much not to get a call from positions which seem perferctly befitting to me.
Good luck on your journey friend. I hope that once you are settled to see more content, specifically on beginner's seeking to break into IT. Again, do well and stay strong.
Wow, I didn't expect that you would quit so fast. All the best with your future endeavors. If you want to grind at another big tech, you must do it fast. I know of someone who took a year off & when trying to get back, she was accused of having a gap year on her resume, so it was really hard to get a job
I am a retired Sun Microsystems Corporate (Highest Level) Kernel Support engineer. I did that kind of high hours high stress thing for 20 years. Your pay and perks seems to have been substantially better than mine. Man up, my dude.
I've watched your videos for a long, and they have been a source of inspiration for me. I believe that making decisions about our mental health and well-being is the most important thing of all and good choice. I which all best
It takes a lot of courage to go over what you've been through and sharing it with us. Time to reset, sending good vibes. It certainly is not the same in every company and do not lose hope, keep applying even if you feel the market is not as good for us right now. Sometimes, all it takes, is just the right opportunity with the right person at the right time (Talking from experience here).
Kudos for sharing an amazingly honest story!!! I am confident you will get back on the right path in no time when you are ready!!! Stay fresh, young and safe!!
Followed after watching one of your day in the life videos 1 year ago, really like the vibe of your video and always feel refreshed. I'm from the tiktok shop algo team based in shanghai, I also joined as new grad 1.5 years ago. Time difference is also a stressful part for me, have to get up early or stay up late to cope with us working time. Can't fight against neither the 996 culture nor the working difference between two countries as individual engineer and totally understand your situation as non mandarian speaker in the team. Think you've made the best brave choice and hope you all the best for whatever next steps!
Great video! Good on you for focusing on your mental health! Health is more important than money and taking care of yourself should be a priority. Lets normalize mental wellbeing especially in the tech industry!
Great video man. I'm 25 and to be honest, I don't know what I want to do career wise. I grew up with immigrant parents and money was always an issue in our house. Father addicted to gambling, mom was doing her best to keep everything normal. That was ultimately a huge reason why I decided with CS. It seemed that it could save me. I don't want to worry about money, I am not drawn to materialism, I just want comfort. I'm just unsure about what I should do. Sometimes I feel like I lack the passion or drive to do well in this field. I feel like I haven't really put in the time/effort to break into tech. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like I am not good enough for the field and due to how competitive it is, maybe those who are really passionate are the ones who will actually get the jobs. On top of this, the job market makes this even more demoralizing. Like the thing I thought could help my life, just seems to be something not worth fighting anymore. Not too sure what I'm going to do. I'll be finishing my CS degree hopefully around spring of 2025, but don't know what I want to do.
This video was really inspiring. I’m learning code to do frontend development and made me try to focus also on ML AI as well. I’m probably burning myself out from the frequency I’m learning so it’s important to take care of yourself too
One piece of advice from a similar person who leaves his job for the same reasons and takes a break: don't take too much time to make a decision and act. Don't get too comfortable without a job, work, or a startup. The more time you take, the more chances you have of getting lost. Good luck
the job market is brutal xD. Id go with the start up route if you haven't decided. But Id love some tips or maybe a referral if possible. best of luck to you bro.
All these desk work is going to drain us to death Living in nature, still connected with some trusted friends, working on your own fun projects seems to be the end goal before you turn 40
i'm an old software guy coasting towards retirement and mostly do devsecops and sysadmin these days. these videos of people leaving or being laid off tech/dev jobs terrify me. not that i worry too much for myself. i could walk away today and be ok, but when i was starting my career (on dec vax/vms, yes that old) it didn't seem so bad and high pressure. or maybe it was and i don't remember. good luck to you young comrade.
I finally found a non-Mandarin speaker who talked about Chinese 996 work culture so genuinely！ I, as a Chinese software engineer, have been in a similar situation for almost four years, and your memory of the hotpot part does touch me.🤣 I am really proud that you made this decision with courage. I believe it will be a grand new start for you!
Wow what a coincidence, I was gonna join the same team you did at the same time (TikTok shop, early-mid 2022). Like you, I was supposed to be part of the very first few people on the shop team for the US. I was in between offers and ended up going with Amazon instead. None of my family even understood TikTok at the time haha. There are times where I regret it but overall I enjoy it here. Questions to ease my mind: 1) you listed lack of growth in this position as a reason why you quit. I’m curious - had you been promoted in your time working at TikTok? Was it less about the title growth and more about the learning growth? If you weren’t promoted, do you think the bias towards non-Chinese employees may have played a slight role? 2) should you choose to go back into big tech, where would you go? Any info would be appreciated!
I'm chinese and i feel like chinese dont rly have as much understanding of diversity as US in general cuz in china everyone's chinese lol. So they prolly didnt make you feel outa place on purpose but it's still not a good culture / environment and i feel bad for you for that. hope you have newer more exciting opportunities coming. btw I rly enjoyed ur work vlogs too.
Wow, thank you all so much for sharing your stories, experiences, and supportive comments. I've genuinely struggled with this decision for longer than you can imagine and it was the hardest I've ever had to make. I want to give a special shoutout to Goobie and Doobie for inspiring this video-your movement is so uplifting, and I hope to cross paths with you in the beautiful mountains of Washington someday. The current tech job market is far from ideal and I believe we should lean on each other for support. As mentioned in the video, I will have an update about my next steps following this decision shortly. My hope is that by opening up and sharing my journey, I can help someone who might be grappling with a similar decision or challenge. May we all find the courage to pursue the life we truly deserve 💙
Reject their system, dont CREATE new LIFE or MARRY, don't be disheartened by any comments of the types jealous or like that woman who dont want you giving ideas to her burnout IT husband while she enjoys at home.
If it gives you any relief, I'd be happy tell you that most of the western world think you guys are crazy killing yourself with work, not having enough time for your family and loved ones. You might enjoy working for a US company in Europe, with American pay, European
@@rejectionistmanifesto8836 BRUHHHH 😀😀😀😀
@@riittap9121 4-5 weeks is so little out of 52 weeks
I think it would be badadss for you to go through an industry switch (maybe try to make a company on the way out)
This is some new trend in YT 😂
First there’s the Neuro-surgeon guy then some Quant-Trader , and now there’s a SWE that quit to live in nature
Now we need an ex - lawyer to move to the mountains . Gotta cover all careers
Quant guy is nearly worth $5m so he has enough money. Not sure how much neuro guy has saved
Quant engineer is the richest neuro had a little bit but not enough to retire yet
@@Cygx I am guessing he probably has networth about $2 to $3million
quant guy is def the most wild out of all of them lol
doobie the neurosurgeon ahh video. (someone had to say it)
all the credit goes to goobie and doobie for the inspiration and movement. read the description, I'm his biggest fan
Lol this literally reminded me of the OG
Good we need billions of young people to REJECT/opt-out of this system, REFUSE to create new LIFE or Marriage/start family. This system is sick so do not be evil/selfish and have a baby born into this till the system reforms.
@@rejectionistmanifesto8836 Who created this system ? Do you know ? I know.
@@armankhondker you didnt credit him tho
DAWGGG I remember you, your the one who gave me a referral link for tiktok - but it sadly didn't work out - But no matter what, it's glad to see u take care of ur mental
Did you land a job elsewhere?
huge s/o to you for pulling the trigger.
really could relate to the first 2 mins where you detailed how you didn't even really ever want to be a software engineer.
best of luck on future endeavors man, i'm rooting for you.
As someone with five years experience as a software engineer, and was recently laid off in August with a very similar work culture like yours working 10 hour days, The best thing I’ve done so far is mentally reset for 2 months. Hope you experience that same reset 👍
ty for sharing 💙
If you don’t mind me asking, what was the reason or explanation you were given for the lay off? Thanks
@@sillybilly346managers need their salary increased
eye opening video, you got this man 🤝 can’t wait to see whats next in store for you
Arman! You are smart and talented. You will do fine in you new look on life. Just keep the faith and keep pushing. I'll support whatever you do. I was just saying to my myself I haven't seen a post from you. But glad you're ok and taking care of yourself. Stay Blessed. 👍🏾🙏🏾☺️
appreciate it Luke, keep up the dope videos and content, need your consistency
Hey Luke 👋, just one SW engineer supporting another!❤😊
I watch both you and Luke
and to see Luke commenting is ❤
DANG this is the last thing i would've expected but proud of you for taking care of yourself king!!
it's time for a change, appreciate it bro!
YES KING 🤤😫😫
Hey Arman - really appreciate your honest take on this topic. Best of luck with the next step!
yo Matt, thank you for the kind words, update coming very soon :)
It's good to see an update from you! Glad you are taking a break and prioritizing your health. Be safe out there and enjoy the scenery!
💙
Best of luck my guy 🙏🏽 On to better and greater things
onto the next one, thank you man
Great video, my king. Im entering the tech field next year as a 30yo, just finished my cs degree after spending half of my 20s as an office clerk. You gave me a lot of things to watch out for! And i hope you find peace and joy in whatever you decide to do next 😊
Arman, I've been watching all your videos these past few months. I have gotten a full time new grad offer at TikTok, but really worried about the work life balance. Thank you for your day in life videos and opening up your experiences. It helped me decide to accept another offer ultimately, that was both closer to family and SO, with good wlb, so would be better for me mentally.
hey justin, appreciate the kind words! I am so happy that you've gotten some value from the videos, wishing you the best. feel free to dm me if you need anything!
@@armankhondker Congrats and best wishes to your future at microsoft :)
@@justinyang3760 ty bro!
Wow Arman! I know it took alot to make this video but we are here to support you 🙏🏾
I tried filming this video so many times but really struggled, your support is much appreciated!
I remember you referred me through your link and it really helped bump my application up (got myself an interview!) and for that I really appreciate you. Wish you the best of luck on your journey ahead!
of course man ty!
Been watching you for a while, you have inspired me and many others! Whatever you do, it's the correct decision, and we are all here ready to support you in your next journey! You got this, Arman
you're gonna make me tear up, ty so much truly appreciate your words!
best of luck on the next chapter :) fully believe you’ve got an even better path waiting
💙
So everyone just going to the mountains now 😹😹😹
mountains heal our sorrows
Been in the mountains way before these high earners.
wow appreciate the transparency man, wishing you the best!
always, ty!
Wow is this a trend now? First the Neurosurgeon and now SWEs hopping on too. What's next, "I was a McDonalds Worker Now I'm unemployed In The Mountains How Did I Get Here?"
I will actually pay to see this one 🤣
It's a wave of people coming to their senses.
broo...I was on wellfare leach for a decade and now I'm in the mountains...how I ended up here
i can guarantee you working at mcdonalds equally tiring, you'll see soon come join us ;)
The guy that snitched on Luigi
Followed you for over a year now, really respect your decision and hope you'll feel fulfilled wherever the next place may be!
appreciate you man 💙
Full support to you my bro! As a software engineer myself, I really feel burnt out and something I’m not passionate about anymore. Transitioning to nuclear engineering, hopefully by 2026 I should be there. Your video gave me courage to pursue something I really am passionate about.
wow powerful words man 💙
hey how are you planning on transitioning to nuclear engineering?
Bro what's ur age
@@edcunningham5562 I already worked in the industry for a year, I’m planning to do masters soon in nuclear, so transitioning wouldn’t be too difficult
@@sanjaykumar6599 24
"When a workaholic meets the ultimate workaholics from across the ocean... sparks fly, but it’s just them typing faster. 💻🔥😂"
Do what makes you happy man. I did enjoy a lot of your videos so it's kind of a bummer but I will still watch the new ones. Stay safe and happy new year!
Wow, your day-in-the-life videos have been incredibly inspiring! Thank you so much, and best of luck on your next journey!
Still gonna show the same love to you and your videos
much love!
I feel you mate, no matter how much of a "dream job" it is, it's still a job and there will always be many things that put stress on you and drain your energy, I was in a similar situation - laid off after 4 years of a tech job but I feel like this is the best thing that could've happened to me - now for the past few months, I've been feeling free, working on my own startup and business ideas, free to manage my time as I wish. You've probably saved some money now, invest them wisely and take some time to relax, clear your head, take a rest from the stress, recharge your batteries, and figure out what YOU want to do with your life, because time flies fast. Wish you the best mate!
excited for you and your future! enjoy the mountains
im a mountain man now, thanks bro
WOW, been following you for a while. helped me a lot with Tech interviews. Thanks
appreciate you bro!
Bro looks like he’s about to ascend to heaven
this was recorded in Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park
Dude, you are telling exactly I am feeling. I work with similar Mandarin company and I have to be available all the time. I would have moved if Market were better as I am on Visa !! This is soo right thing to do, I wanna do as well so bad
good luck with your next journey!! I remembered watching your video when I got the interview with TT last year. I have also been struggling with WLB and mental health that I never had issue before. So proud of you taking action and making the move! Thanks for sharing the journey with us, and hope all the best for you!
appreciate you bro, I hope you find ways to help cope and improve 💙
Been doing it ten years, man. The people I know that have been doing it longer aren't any more fulfilled. Gotta do what you gotta do to feel purpose in this life. Good for you.
dude i feel you on having most of your coworkers come from another country. when we have challenging problems, they often speak in mandarin to figure it out amongst themselves. i do sometimes feel like an outsider on my own team. i have nothing against them, it just starts to alienate you over time, and i can see my coworkers connection with my manager are much stronger since they fraternize in the same language, so it makes it feel like your ability to be promoted is capped at some point.
You will find your way and it will all workout!👊🏾
love your attitude, ty man!
As someone who isn't in the same field whatsoever, I enjoyed your previous videos and appreciate the update. Thanks for sharing and good luck!
wow I'm in the same boat as you, I align most on the diversity part being the only non-indian on the team is quite challenging, especially when it comes to feeling included
it’s honestly eye opening when you experience for the first time yourself, before that you really downplay it’s importance.
@@armankhondker yup specially when they start speaking their own language in meetings ur in
I wanted to send a message though IG and couldn’t - so here is all my “dirty laundry”! I’ve been struggling with the same situation for about 9 months now. The constant worry of “being set back” or “disappointing people” and just starting over is something that has weighed heavy on my mind for so long. I truly think I needed to hear this message and I can honestly say - I feel like it’s a breath of fresh air. I genuinely appreciate your honesty and courage, and ultimately realization that not everything is as perfect as it seems. I appreciate this video so much and absolutely adore the message you sent. Thank you for your transparency!
Good luck in the future Arman!
thanks kev, hope you're well man
Love your channel and love this update. I can really relate❤ excited for your future man
much love 💙
dad died, divorce, left 100k oilfield, moved cross country and learned to code at 34. i grinded free internships, free work, came up with projects just to get practice, landed my first job after 400 applications as full stack dev, flew to countries just to meet engineers, did countless meetups, networking. fired, told i was shit, kept going. all that is my first year in tech. This industry is nasty and at every step you think you know nothing. keep going.
Goodluck king. Take care of yourself ❤
💙
let me get my popcorn ready
you inspire creativity and enrich life
To those criticizing Arman for walking away from this job, I just want to say: if you haven’t experienced that kind of work environment, you won’t understand the pressure and mental toll it takes. 🤗.
this 💙
+1
Don’t work at the big famous tech companied-they are stupid.
Dude. 300k/year + 3 meals/day + 50/hrs/week + $ for social media content abt work
Everyone has the right to burn out, but that's a dream job for many many people .
I’d take it. I’m working towards to be a software engineer and this guy had it all. Why quit? Lol
Yes...but the headaches...the deadlines .... It affects your nervous system... you can 300k or ZERO dollars if You're not good enough for their high corporate bar... You need to be like a robot to learn a lot and use your brain like 100 percent... You are constantly in flee fight mode... You are human not a robot... To me it's a career not worth it... Too much stress.. the best thing in life is to be rich not software engineer
@@purestorage1086 manage your stress better
its reminding me about that asian neurosurgeon guy
goobie and doobie is his name, and yes he’s started a movement. all credit goes it him
@@armankhondker lol not a movement. Kinda just straight up copy.
@@13odman fair enough, its my own story
Was wondering where you'd been Arman. Always loved the day in the life videos and how transparent you were with everything regarding your job at TikTok.
Wishing you all the best in the future, congrats on your new chapter 🙌
always man, thank you 💙
Nice to meet another mountain man. Wish you the best on your journey!
💙
I don't even know you but saw your video on the right panel and I'm glad I clicked on it. Thanks for your honesty, especially on the current situation of the job market. As a talented/knowledgable person it sucks so much not to get a call from positions which seem perferctly befitting to me.
I really enjoy the way you reason to your decision, im in my 30s but I have so many things to learn from you! thank you for the video!
Good luck on your journey friend. I hope that once you are settled to see more content, specifically on beginner's seeking to break into IT. Again, do well and stay strong.
Wow, I didn't expect that you would quit so fast. All the best with your future endeavors. If you want to grind at another big tech, you must do it fast. I know of someone who took a year off & when trying to get back, she was accused of having a gap year on her resume, so it was really hard to get a job
He’ll be fine
I am a retired Sun Microsystems Corporate (Highest Level) Kernel Support engineer. I did that kind of high hours high stress thing for 20 years. Your pay and perks seems to have been substantially better than mine. Man up, my dude.
I was wondering what happened to you. hope you are doing well now. Takecare
hey diya, thank you for the concern, all is well haha!
This is my sign to take my camera in the woods and start spitting philosophy from the tech industry
Arman You sound really genuine.
appreciate you.
I typically worked over 60 hours a week when I was a Unix Kernel Engineer. Did that for close to 25 years. Nuff said.
I agree, but that wasn't only point I made
I've watched your videos for a long, and they have been a source of inspiration for me. I believe that making decisions about our mental health and well-being is the most important thing of all and good choice. I which all best
hey man, ty so much :)
More power to you bro, mental health first..
💙
Much love man. Can resonate with a lot of what you said.
💙
Me over here wanting to learn software engineering to be in the position you just left and then I hear this video lol
keep learning swe
It takes a lot of courage to go over what you've been through and sharing it with us. Time to reset, sending good vibes.
It certainly is not the same in every company and do not lose hope, keep applying even if you feel the market is not as good for us right now. Sometimes, all it takes, is just the right opportunity with the right person at the right time (Talking from experience here).
I really enjoyed hearing what you had to say, and i learned a lot.
I worked for an American company for 17 yrs. By the time I got laid off in august 2024, the majority of the workers were from India.
Kudos for sharing an amazingly honest story!!! I am confident you will get back on the right path in no time when you are ready!!! Stay fresh, young and safe!!
thank you man 💙
Followed after watching one of your day in the life videos 1 year ago, really like the vibe of your video and always feel refreshed. I'm from the tiktok shop algo team based in shanghai, I also joined as new grad 1.5 years ago. Time difference is also a stressful part for me, have to get up early or stay up late to cope with us working time. Can't fight against neither the 996 culture nor the working difference between two countries as individual engineer and totally understand your situation as non mandarian speaker in the team. Think you've made the best brave choice and hope you all the best for whatever next steps!
ty for sharing, wish you the best 💙
Thanks for the transparency! Love the content and hope to see more in the future
miss you bro 💙
Love you King, praying your next move is your best move!
appreciate you man 💙
thank you for sharing !! a good retro ! hope you have a good rest and recoup for your mental health! All the best on your job searching !
when i discovered your "a day in a life" video today, I already saw it coming...😧
Thank you for your thoughts and honesty on the industry and I hope you find a better path for yourself!
thank you man 💙
Great video going through a big breakup and toxic fang culture debating on my masters in 1.5 years free and my mental health
Great video! Good on you for focusing on your mental health! Health is more important than money and taking care of yourself should be a priority. Lets normalize mental wellbeing especially in the tech industry!
Great video man. I'm 25 and to be honest, I don't know what I want to do career wise. I grew up with immigrant parents and money was always an issue in our house. Father addicted to gambling, mom was doing her best to keep everything normal. That was ultimately a huge reason why I decided with CS. It seemed that it could save me. I don't want to worry about money, I am not drawn to materialism, I just want comfort. I'm just unsure about what I should do. Sometimes I feel like I lack the passion or drive to do well in this field. I feel like I haven't really put in the time/effort to break into tech. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like I am not good enough for the field and due to how competitive it is, maybe those who are really passionate are the ones who will actually get the jobs. On top of this, the job market makes this even more demoralizing. Like the thing I thought could help my life, just seems to be something not worth fighting anymore.
Not too sure what I'm going to do. I'll be finishing my CS degree hopefully around spring of 2025, but don't know what I want to do.
keep pushing man, finish your degree and really give it your all in the job search, you can land something eventually if you out in the work I promise
I usually don't listen to these videos but your was compelling and informative. Great job.
ty 💙
damn! What a great video, you have so much knowledge! Thank you Araman, I wish you the best with this new journey!
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why didn’t you mention you already had an offer when you left tiktok like you said on twitter
This video was really inspiring. I’m learning code to do frontend development and made me try to focus also on ML AI as well. I’m probably burning myself out from the frequency I’m learning so it’s important to take care of yourself too
best of luck bro, keep working!
One piece of advice from a similar person who leaves his job for the same reasons and takes a break: don't take too much time to make a decision and act. Don't get too comfortable without a job, work, or a startup. The more time you take, the more chances you have of getting lost.
Good luck
appreciate the advice, decision has been made and I followed this!
the job market is brutal xD. Id go with the start up route if you haven't decided. But Id love some tips or maybe a referral if possible. best of luck to you bro.
Thanks for sharing and I appreciate the transparency, hearing about the market being so tough sucks. Wishing you all the best going forward though!
the market will be better in 2025, much love 💙
this was a great video. Thanks for sharing it with us.
much love 💙
best of luck bro. We're with you
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It's a big decision to leave a company! Cool following you on this journey brother and hope you have now opened the door for the next opportunity.
update coming soon, ty bro 💙
Would love to hear from you more man, good luck
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Bro thank u for sharing ur story. You inspired me from the beginning and I wish the very best with your future goals❤
much love 💙
All these desk work is going to drain us to death
Living in nature, still connected with some trusted friends, working on your own fun projects seems to be the end goal before you turn 40
Good luck on your next adventure Arman ❤
thanks so much 💙
All the best Arman, cheers dude. I hope you find a AI focused role. Are you planning on staying in Seattle or will you move to the Bay Area?
really appreciate your words, update coming shortly!
Best wishes for your next life chapter. btw how do u talk facing the sun ?
it's a challenge ngl, but im clearly squinting 😭
Yoooo I swear I see you at my local gym! So cool to come across this video on my algorithm! Wishing you the best in your journey bro!
haha i think i recognize you too, appreciate you man!
You can tell he's still employed. There's not any bugs flying around his face.
amazing video brother hope you find your peace!
ty bro 💙
excited to see whats next for you Arman
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No you are not 😂
i'm an old software guy coasting towards retirement and mostly do devsecops and sysadmin these days. these videos of people leaving or being laid off tech/dev jobs terrify me. not that i worry too much for myself. i could walk away today and be ok, but when i was starting my career (on dec vax/vms, yes that old) it didn't seem so bad and high pressure. or maybe it was and i don't remember. good luck to you young comrade.
I finally found a non-Mandarin speaker who talked about Chinese 996 work culture so genuinely！ I, as a Chinese software engineer, have been in a similar situation for almost four years, and your memory of the hotpot part does touch me.🤣 I am really proud that you made this decision with courage. I believe it will be a grand new start for you!
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Wow what a coincidence, I was gonna join the same team you did at the same time (TikTok shop, early-mid 2022). Like you, I was supposed to be part of the very first few people on the shop team for the US. I was in between offers and ended up going with Amazon instead. None of my family even understood TikTok at the time haha. There are times where I regret it but overall I enjoy it here.
Questions to ease my mind:
1) you listed lack of growth in this position as a reason why you quit. I’m curious - had you been promoted in your time working at TikTok? Was it less about the title growth and more about the learning growth? If you weren’t promoted, do you think the bias towards non-Chinese employees may have played a slight role?
2) should you choose to go back into big tech, where would you go?
Any info would be appreciated!
I'm chinese and i feel like chinese dont rly have as much understanding of diversity as US in general cuz in china everyone's chinese lol. So they prolly didnt make you feel outa place on purpose but it's still not a good culture / environment and i feel bad for you for that. hope you have newer more exciting opportunities coming.
btw I rly enjoyed ur work vlogs too.
Living in the snow all year long is my dream place to live at. I love snow Colorado weather