Microsoft Mixed Reality Leader Shares Her Layoff Story (#008)

In this episode of the Laid Off Legends podcast, host Leo speaks with Dr. Dalia Perez, a former Microsoft product leader who shares her journey through layoffs, the importance of inclusive design in technology, and her impactful projects like Breonna's Garden. They discuss the challenges of working in a large product team working on a “0 to 1” product, the emotional experience of being laid off, and the mindset needed to navigate this transition. Dr. Perez emphasizes the significance of community support, personal growth, and the power of storytelling through technology.

Takeaways

- Layoff can be seen as a graduation, a time for reflection.
- Inclusive design is crucial for creating representative technology.
- The importance of community and support during layoffs.
- Experiencing layoffs can feel depersonalized but also unifying.
- Mindset shifts are essential for resilience after a layoff.
- Projects like Breonna's Garden exemplifies the leveraring power of technology in storytelling.
- Finding joy and purpose in work is vital for personal fulfillment.
- It's important to articulate what you want in your career.
- Saying yes to opportunities can lead to unexpected paths.
- Emotional labor is necessary to combat self-doubt after a layoff.

**Links:**

Dr. Perez mentioned a few resources during the pod:

**Inclusive Product links**

**Links to Accessibility XR projects:**

**Breonna's Garden**

**Life Coach**

**Children's Books on Palestine:**

[leoosahor]

Recording this with Dr. Perez was delightful. She brought a strong sense of empathy and product sense into our conversation that I deeply appreciated and learnt from. Do check out the show notes for links to her content!

[Iam.Chilumba]

The surfing metaphor [ @ 26:50 ] was brilliant! "If you go for every wave, you are likely going to crash alot, and get really exhausted."
Even as a non-surfer, the imagery of crashing and exhaustion is clear. It really hit home for me! It perfectly describes the feeling of instinctively applying to every related job after a long corporate stint. I especially appreciated hearing Dr. Perez talk about taking a step back to "feel the ocean" and then being selective about the "right wave." It's a much-needed reminder!