I quit my job in the technology field: 10 people on what made them leave a big company

In a world where high-paying technical positions are highly coveted, many professionals are choosing alternative paths over big salaries. Some leave their glamorous roles to pursue their passions, and some leave the tech industry due to burnout. Ten such professionals talk about what ultimately led them to leave big tech companies - and what they're doing now.

One of them is Eric UTAg/h3>

A former programmer at Meta who experienced panic attacks due to work pressures. He said he had his first panic attack in November 2019 when he was working from home. His left pinky finger was completely numb. He ignored it at first, but then it got worse: after an hour, his ears rang and his heart started beating really fast. Now Yu and his fiancée have started a rental property business, which allows them to get into the real estate industry at a lower price. They bought a five-bedroom house in Redding, California, and rent it out through Airbnb, making about $8,000 a month.

Another example is Maiko Inoue.

former iOS developer on Patreon and Netflix. She began experiencing panic attacks and realized that her anxiety stemmed from overexertion at work. Inoue says "work hard, rest hard" is a mentality that pervades tech offices, and the cult seems to be characterized by aggressive, masculine behavior (perhaps because the tech industry is predominantly male). She sees that people are attracted to the cult of character idea of working for financial stability, achieving status, or feeling like you're changing the world. It can be contagious and it seems impossible to get out of it.

These stories show that money and prestige are not always the primary motivations for people working in technology. Many people are looking for happiness and fulfillment in their work, not just a big paycheck. Some choose the path of independence and entrepreneurship, while others seek travel and new experiences. In the end, everyone seeks their own path to happiness and fulfillment in their professional lives.