"I didn't think it would turn into a career - I saw it as a way to earn some money while figuring out what to do next," he said.
Then, around 2017, as the company expanded and the number of conference rooms increased, Chen shared that he began experimenting with Python to solve problems related to scaling the technology. "I wrote a script that made it much faster to update conference room technology, and it changed the direction of my career," he told the outlet.
Over the following years, Chen revealed that he transitioned into software engineering and eventually became a tech lead at Meta.
According to Chen, the company's culture and priorities began changing after the major layoffs in late 2022 and early 2023. "Before then, I felt our teams had the resources to build ambitious projects," he said, adding that the focus shifted towards "doing more with less" after the layoffs.
He said that the company's priorities shifted again about a year and a half later, with a renewed emphasis on building. "Between leadership changes and shifting priorities, it became harder to know where my team was headed and what we should prioritize," he added.
The techie said that the changes were particularly difficult for him because he was on paternity leave from August 2025 until the end of the year. "By the time I returned to work, the company was using AI much more extensively, there had been team and leadership shifts, and it took me some time to get reacclimated. After being away for four months, it felt like the whole company had changed," he said.
Chen recalled that it was on May 20 when he learned that he had lost his job, along with many of his colleagues. He said that the layoffs were not completely unexpected, as Meta had already confirmed that job cuts were coming. However, he said that he was still surprised to be among those affected.
Chen said that he had already started looking for other roles in the weeks before the layoff, partly because he was feeling increasingly anxious about the possibility of losing his job. However, after being laid off, he decided to pause his job search.
The techie said Meta provided a severance package reflecting his roughly 10 years as a full-time employee. The financial cushion, along with his children's summer break, allowed him to spend time with his family and take a break before restarting his job search.
Now, Chen is working with a career coach to strengthen his understanding of industry-standard system design and prepare for interviews. He has also started searching for jobs on LinkedIn, reaching out to his network and applying for roles. Despite the layoff, he said that he remains optimistic about finding his next opportunity.
Reflecting on his career journey, he said his biggest lesson was to "say yes to problems and look for opportunities to solve them". "Every challenge I took on became a stepping stone to the next opportunity, and that's ultimately what helped me grow from a DJ to a conference room technician to a tech lead," he said.
Bhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations. She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings. Known for her strong news sense, Bhavya has a keen ability to spot emerging trends and craft angles that transform viral moments into impactful narratives. Her coverage spans pop culture, entertainment, global affairs, and the internet’s most talked-about topics, helping readers better understand the context behind what is trending online. Before joining Hindustan Times, Bhavya worked with Republic World and NDTV, where she developed her skills in real-time reporting and digital storytelling. Working in fast-paced newsrooms helped her build an editorial approach that prioritises accuracy, clarity, and audience engagement. Bhavya is driven by a curiosity about how people communicate and connect in the digital age. She is particularly interested in stories that highlight cultural shifts, shared emotions, and the evolving nature of online conversations. When she is not tracking trends or producing stories, Bhavya enjoys unplugging and spending time with her cat.Read More
