Laid Off: A Head of UX at Google

"We were locked out of our computers and they emailed our personal accounts while we were getting shut eye."

Maya Joseph-Goteiner, 41, was laid off from Google’s in-house incubator Area 120 on January 20th, 2023 as part of Alphabet’s mass layoffs that year. She had been with the company for about five years.

Maya says 95% of her division was cut with the exception of product teams that were generating significant revenue and on a graduation path to product areas at Google.

“Rumor was that every VP had to cut their budget by 10% and could do it any way they pleased,” she said.

She said there was no warning.

---

How did they handle layoffs?

No warning. I’d call it inhumane. We were locked out of our computers and they emailed on our personal accounts while we were getting shut eye. I woke up to get my kid ready for school and got texts (e.g. “have you tried to log in?”) while we were cuddling. We didn’t go to school that day. We went bowling.

Where were you when you found out?

In my PJs with crusty eye boogers cuddling with my kid.

Who was the first person you told after getting laid off?

My partner. I probably yelled across the house, “I was fucking laid off.”

What was the first thing you did after receiving the news?

9am bowling with the family. My immediate emotion was foreign. I was angry. I needed a physical outlet that both benefited from the emotion and helped me release it. I also knew that being with the people who make me smile and laugh would bring levity to a shitty situation.

Did they offer severance?

Yes. A great severance. 6 months pay plus an additional month for every year of employment. And 6 months worth of your stock award.

What was your greatest financial concern with the sudden loss of income?

I didn’t have any immediate ones because we were given such a significant buffer.

Did you share the news publicly afterward?

My immediate focus was my team: five FTEs and four contractors. One member was on a visa, another in early pregnancy. I put together what I called a look book and it got a lot of attention on LinkedIn.

Did you see it coming?

I did, but didn’t trust myself. Four months prior our organization went through a reduction. I fought to save my team of 10. Our whole organization post-reduction pivoted to focus on AI. My team paved the way to this transition.

Then the day before the layoff, two hilarious things happened. One — As part of the leadership team we had weekly meetings. On Thursday, January 19th, I facilitated a meeting about Gen AI. One of the items on my agenda was for each leadership member to write a Eulogy for the org. We didn’t get to it. We ran out of time. Only one person (not me) in the room knew what was coming, our managing partner.

Two — I told my partner the night of January 19th, “I’m such a good corporate employee. I haven’t downloaded any work. Maybe I should, but this book is so good. I’ll do it another time.”

Say you’re playing lay-off detective. What signs would you be looking out for to predict whether they’re coming?

Budget cuts. Top down directives that create swirl for Directors and VPs. Leaders not having a clear vision. Seemingly erroneous changes to prioritization. Tons of meetings about “where are we going.”

Has being laid off changed how you view your relationship to work?

The night of the layoff notification I had a creative spark. While I had always described my role as a dream job, it took not having it to realize how much of my role was politics. I have freedom now as an owner of an agency to prioritize, take risks and say no.

What advice would you give someone who has just been laid off?

Welcome the emotions. There’s no such thing as stability. It’s a fiction. Your layoff is an equalizer. Practice talking about your layoff experience with strangers on the street, followed by your network. Don’t shy away from connecting to other people recently laid off, they are your posse. I met with about 100, to support, to process, to validate, to brainstorm! Journal or take notes at every step of the way so next time you’ll have a cognitive map to guide your experience.

What’s something nice a person can do when their friend or peer gets laid off?

CALL. I had so many friends not included in the layoff who just texted me. It created a distance I still haven’t repaired. I don’t know if it was guilt or that they thought my layoff state was allergic but it sucked.

Help them remember why they are so great, layoff amnesia is a legit thing. If they were a colleague, write them an email or LinkedIn recommendation (old school, but they can copy it into their portfolio or website) about what makes them special and their impact.

What’s something cool you’ve worked on since the lay-off?

The post-layoff cool is real. I’m proud of a few things. Immediately I started a Substack, Nimble UX (writing had always been a pipe dream). Then I founded Velocity Ave. The newest thing is that I’m writing a book about how UX professionals can increase business impact with two incredible co-authors. It’s being published by O’Reilly!

---

Since lay-offs, Maya has started her own research, design and product strategy agency, Velocity Ave (ironically Google was her second client). She is a strong advocate for going independent and doing your own thing. If you are considering the founder-route, send Maya a LinkedIn message.

Did you go on to do something cool that you’re proud of after layoffs? Share your win in the comments.