I didn't know it at the time, but getting laid off from Meta was about to be my springboard to a new career — one at the cutting edge of the newest tech obsession. I frequently get asked how I pivoted ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Maitri Mangal, a 26-year-old software engineer at Google, based in New York. Her identity and employment have been verified by Business Insider.