Latest news with #KosiPierre-Louis
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I was laid off from my product management job at Microsoft at 25. It may have been the best thing for me.
Microsoft laid off Kosi Pierre-Louis, a product manager, in May amid companywide layoffs. The 25-year-old worked on Microsoft's Security Copilot, a key AI initiative. Pierre-Louis is figuring out what success means to him and looking at new career paths. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kosi Pierre-Louis, a 25-year-old in Seattle. Pierre-Louis was let go from his product management role in May, when Microsoft laid off about 6,000 workers; the company laid off 9,000 more workers in July. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. When I look at my big passions — tech, music, and visual arts — all of them come down to invention. I studied computer science and visual media at Duke. I always wanted to get into tech. When I learned about the role of a product manager, I thought, "This is really cool. This is directly aligned with what I would do if I went into the corporate world." I applied and was accepted to Microsoft as a product manager intern during my junior year. I got a return offer from the internship for a hybrid role in Seattle in 2022. When I got the role, I was really excited. My team was working with Security Copilot, which is basically a space where you can look at your entire security ecosystem in one place. I sometimes like to think of it as the ChatGPT of security within Microsoft. I was ready to take it on and learn as much as I could. When I joined full time, we hadn't even gotten the product to general availability (GA), when all Microsoft customers can use the product. My team moved and worked like a startup — the team was newer, so we were still establishing a workflow. We had to move with speed, but we had the requirements of Big Tech, so we didn't have as much leeway for mistakes. It was very fast-paced, and my work had an impact. It was great. I was at the forefront of the AI movement. I worked long hours. When we were about to launch GA last spring, there was a point where I had 6 or 6:30 a.m. meetings with international teams. As a new PM, I didn't know how to set boundaries for a while, and that included taking meetings at earlier times than I needed to. It was intense but rewarding — until it wasn't. The stress came on slowly and all at once due to the increased pressures of AI requirements and wanting to stay at the forefront of our space. We continued to pick up more while also wanting to maintain the same level of integrity. I was a high performer, and I thought as long as I was doing my work, I was good. I got on a call with my manager, who delivered the news and told me they were sorry. When I heard this, part of me was happy — I had been so sick that week. I needed to go back to bed. Then it hit me. I was shocked. I thought, "Did I really just get laid off? Me? After the work I put in?" I was working in AI and security — I thought I had the most job security on the planet. For the following days, I rested. If I wanted to make the most out of my time, I needed to be healthy again, and I wasn't healthy. I was ignoring my basic necessities. Maybe this was the world saying, "Take a break, rest. Figure out your life a little bit." This layoff has been quite the experience. I've been taking it in stride, but I've also realized how much it has affected me. I'm far more stressed than I thought I'd be. I made a post on LinkedIn about getting laid off, and it went viral. I've gotten a crazy amount of support from people. I've received a lot of advice from people who've experienced layoffs, both within and outside Microsoft. They told me it was not my fault. It also made me realize that layoffs are far more common than I thought, and a lot of people that I admire have actually gone through some type of layoff in their career. Sometimes, layoffs are the best thing that can happen to you. A layoff forces you to take life on. I don't have children, I'm not married, and I don't own a house, so I could just get up and go anywhere and restart my life if I wanted to. I'm only two years into the real world. There's plenty of time to pivot, especially given that I was feeling very stressed and not necessarily fulfilled at Microsoft anymore. I'd always envisioned myself pursuing my passions. This is a moment for me to do that. Music is fueling me. I'm doing pretty well for someone who worked a 9-to-5. If I put a lot of eggs in this basket, I could make this a career. I'm not actively applying for jobs right now. That doesn't mean I wouldn't go back to corporate, but now I'm opening my life up to other things. I could look at startups that are more aligned with what I like to do. The blueprint for stability and success is changing nowadays, so I'm creating my own blueprint now. This feels like a plot twist, and plot twists are very exciting. Have you been laid off from a Big Tech job? Reach out to this editor at lhaas@ Read the original article on Business Insider
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Laid off from his dream Microsoft AI job at 25, techie turns career crisis into a creative comeback
From High Performer to Pink Slip You Might Also Like: Man in his 40s lands dream job after two years of struggle. Shares lessons he learned Kosi recounts that his team operated like a startup within Microsoft—rapid development cycles, tight deadlines, and the kind of responsibility that could shape a young career (Image: LinkedIn) A Forced Pause, A Fresh Perspective Screenshot of Kosi's LinkedIn post. The Music Within Building a New Blueprint When Kosi Pierre-Louis landed a full-time product management job at Microsoft after interning with the tech giant, it seemed like the ultimate milestone. At just 25, he was working at the cutting edge of AI, helping develop Security Copilot—a cybersecurity tool he affectionately described as 'the ChatGPT of security.' For a young professional passionate about technology, music, and visual arts, it felt like everything had like many stories in tech, the momentum didn't Kosi recounts in his conversation with Business Insider, his journey began with excitement and purpose. The role was intense but rewarding. His team operated like a startup within Microsoft—rapid development cycles, tight deadlines, and the kind of responsibility that could shape a young career. He was contributing directly to a major AI product's launch and thriving under the pressure—until it caught up with hours, early-morning meetings with global teams, and the constant push to maintain standards started to take a toll. Stress became constant. Still, he believed his contributions and high performance would shield him from any came May a call he hadn't seen coming, Kosi was told he was being laid off—one among 6,000 affected employees in Microsoft's workforce reduction. Shocked and physically unwell that week, he returned to bed, unsure of what to feel. 'Did I really just get laid off? Me? After the work I put in?' he remembers asking than rush to find another job, Kosi chose to pause. He let his body and mind recover. In that stillness, he began to LinkedIn post about the layoff quickly went viral, drawing empathy, encouragement, and guidance from others who had walked the same path. It made him realize that layoffs—even in dream roles—are more common than they appear. And sometimes, they're not an end, but an unexpected beginning.'I never saw Big Tech as the be-all, end-all,' he said. 'There's plenty of time to pivot.' With no mortgage, no kids, and no major anchors, Kosi recognized an opportunity—an open horizon to explore what truly gave him algorithms and deadlines, there was always music. Kosi's creative side, nurtured during his time at Duke where he studied computer science and visual media, began to call started fueling him again—not just as a hobby but as a real possibility. 'If I put a lot of eggs in this basket, I could make this a career,' he admitted. With that mindset, the layoff began to feel less like a loss and more like a not entirely writing off a return to the corporate world, but now, it would have to be on his terms—perhaps at a startup more aligned with his passions and sees this chapter as a chance to rewrite what success and stability mean to him. The traditional blueprint—graduate, land a Big Tech job, climb the ladder—no longer fits. 'This feels like a plot twist,' he said, 'and plot twists are very exciting.'In a world where AI is redefining industries and careers are more uncertain than ever, Kosi's story is a reminder that unexpected setbacks can be powerful turning points. When ambition meets introspection, and resilience meets creativity, new paths open—sometimes in harmony, not in code.
Economic Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Laid off from his dream Microsoft AI job at 25, techie turns career crisis into a creative comeback
Synopsis After being laid off from his dream AI job at Microsoft at just 25, Kosi Pierre-Louis chose not to panic—but to pivot. With a background in tech and a passion for music, he's now channeling his creativity into a career reset. What seemed like a crisis became a chance to rediscover purpose and define success on his own terms. iStock Kosi Pierre-Louis, once at the forefront of Microsoft's AI projects, was blindsided by a layoff. But instead of spiraling, he turned the unexpected break into an opportunity. Embracing music and reevaluating his passions, he's crafting a new path beyond Big Tech. (Representational Image: iStock) When Kosi Pierre-Louis landed a full-time product management job at Microsoft after interning with the tech giant, it seemed like the ultimate milestone. At just 25, he was working at the cutting edge of AI, helping develop Security Copilot—a cybersecurity tool he affectionately described as 'the ChatGPT of security.' For a young professional passionate about technology, music, and visual arts, it felt like everything had aligned. But like many stories in tech, the momentum didn't last. As Kosi recounts in his conversation with Business Insider, his journey began with excitement and purpose. The role was intense but rewarding. His team operated like a startup within Microsoft—rapid development cycles, tight deadlines, and the kind of responsibility that could shape a young career. He was contributing directly to a major AI product's launch and thriving under the pressure—until it caught up with him. Long hours, early-morning meetings with global teams, and the constant push to maintain standards started to take a toll. Stress became constant. Still, he believed his contributions and high performance would shield him from any instability. Then came May 13. In a call he hadn't seen coming, Kosi was told he was being laid off—one among 6,000 affected employees in Microsoft's workforce reduction. Shocked and physically unwell that week, he returned to bed, unsure of what to feel. 'Did I really just get laid off? Me? After the work I put in?' he remembers asking himself. Rather than rush to find another job, Kosi chose to pause. He let his body and mind recover. In that stillness, he began to reflect. His LinkedIn post about the layoff quickly went viral, drawing empathy, encouragement, and guidance from others who had walked the same path. It made him realize that layoffs—even in dream roles—are more common than they appear. And sometimes, they're not an end, but an unexpected beginning. 'I never saw Big Tech as the be-all, end-all,' he said. 'There's plenty of time to pivot.' With no mortgage, no kids, and no major anchors, Kosi recognized an opportunity—an open horizon to explore what truly gave him joy. Beyond algorithms and deadlines, there was always music. Kosi's creative side, nurtured during his time at Duke where he studied computer science and visual media, began to call louder. Music started fueling him again—not just as a hobby but as a real possibility. 'If I put a lot of eggs in this basket, I could make this a career,' he admitted. With that mindset, the layoff began to feel less like a loss and more like a redirection. He's not entirely writing off a return to the corporate world, but now, it would have to be on his terms—perhaps at a startup more aligned with his passions and values. Kosi sees this chapter as a chance to rewrite what success and stability mean to him. The traditional blueprint—graduate, land a Big Tech job, climb the ladder—no longer fits. 'This feels like a plot twist,' he said, 'and plot twists are very exciting.' In a world where AI is redefining industries and careers are more uncertain than ever, Kosi's story is a reminder that unexpected setbacks can be powerful turning points. When ambition meets introspection, and resilience meets creativity, new paths open—sometimes in harmony, not in code.
Business Insider
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I was laid off from my product management job at Microsoft at 25. It may have been the best thing for me.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kosi Pierre-Louis, a 25-year-old in Seattle. Pierre-Louis was let go from his product management role in May, when Microsoft laid off about 6,000 workers; the company laid off 9,000 more workers in July. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. When I look at my big passions — tech, music, and visual arts — all of them come down to invention. I studied computer science and visual media at Duke. I always wanted to get into tech. When I learned about the role of a product manager, I thought, "This is really cool. This is directly aligned with what I would do if I went into the corporate world." I applied and was accepted to Microsoft as a product manager intern during my junior year. I got a return offer from the internship for a hybrid role in Seattle in 2022. When I got the role, I was really excited. My team was working with Security Copilot, which is basically a space where you can look at your entire security ecosystem in one place. I sometimes like to think of it as the ChatGPT of security within Microsoft. I was ready to take it on and learn as much as I could. The work started out very rewarding When I joined full time, we hadn't even gotten the product to general availability (GA), when all Microsoft customers can use the product. My team moved and worked like a startup — the team was newer, so we were still establishing a workflow. We had to move with speed, but we had the requirements of Big Tech, so we didn't have as much leeway for mistakes. It was very fast-paced, and my work had an impact. It was great. I was at the forefront of the AI movement. As my responsibilities picked up, things became very stressful I worked long hours. When we were about to launch GA last spring, there was a point where I had 6 or 6:30 a.m. meetings with international teams. As a new PM, I didn't know how to set boundaries for a while, and that included taking meetings at earlier times than I needed to. It was intense but rewarding — until it wasn't. The stress came on slowly and all at once due to the increased pressures of AI requirements and wanting to stay at the forefront of our space. We continued to pick up more while also wanting to maintain the same level of integrity. I was a high performer, and I thought as long as I was doing my work, I was good. I was laid off on May 13. I didn't expect it at all. I got on a call with my manager, who delivered the news and told me they were sorry. When I heard this, part of me was happy — I had been so sick that week. I needed to go back to bed. Then it hit me. I was shocked. I thought, "Did I really just get laid off? Me? After the work I put in?" I was working in AI and security — I thought I had the most job security on the planet. For the following days, I rested. If I wanted to make the most out of my time, I needed to be healthy again, and I wasn't healthy. I was ignoring my basic necessities. Maybe this was the world saying, "Take a break, rest. Figure out your life a little bit." I never saw Big Tech as the be-all, end-all This layoff has been quite the experience. I've been taking it in stride, but I've also realized how much it has affected me. I'm far more stressed than I thought I'd be. I made a post on LinkedIn about getting laid off, and it went viral. I've gotten a crazy amount of support from people. I've received a lot of advice from people who've experienced layoffs, both within and outside Microsoft. They told me it was not my fault. It also made me realize that layoffs are far more common than I thought, and a lot of people that I admire have actually gone through some type of layoff in their career. Sometimes, layoffs are the best thing that can happen to you. I'm responsible right now for myself and myself only A layoff forces you to take life on. I don't have children, I'm not married, and I don't own a house, so I could just get up and go anywhere and restart my life if I wanted to. I'm only two years into the real world. There's plenty of time to pivot, especially given that I was feeling very stressed and not necessarily fulfilled at Microsoft anymore. I'd always envisioned myself pursuing my passions. This is a moment for me to do that. With music, I have a talent here Music is fueling me. I'm doing pretty well for someone who worked a 9-to-5. If I put a lot of eggs in this basket, I could make this a career. I'm not actively applying for jobs right now. That doesn't mean I wouldn't go back to corporate, but now I'm opening my life up to other things. I could look at startups that are more aligned with what I like to do. The blueprint for stability and success is changing nowadays, so I'm creating my own blueprint now. This feels like a plot twist, and plot twists are very exciting.
