This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with 28-year-old Melody Koh, a product designer from Germany. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I’ve worked in tech for just under 10 years. The first half of my career and the second half tell completely different stories.
I built a career as a product designer working for startups, but my career has dipped since 2021.
After being laid off in May 2025, I was unemployed for over two months. In August, I landed an opportunity to work as a contractor on product design for an e-commerce company.
It’s tech-adjacent, but since the focus is more on retail, I’m hoping it can help me eventually pivot away from the tech industry.
I don’t want to work in tech anymore. The industry has been moving in a downward spiral, with layoffs becoming common and companies being less generous.
I don’t think that the tech job market is going to get better.
I built a career in tech, focused on design
I studied experience and product design at a polytechnic in Singapore.
I was learning to design spaces and furniture, but I grew interested in digital design, such as user experience (UX) design. My tech career began with freelance work for a few start-ups during my studies. I built up my portfolio designing for apps and websites, and went on to work at tech startups after finishing my diploma in 2017.
Digitalization was a big deal at the time. I felt there would be a lot of demand for my skills and a good industry to build my career.
Between 2018 and 2022, I worked for a few startups focused on crypto and blockchains, where I learned a lot about the technology behind those kinds of products. There were always interesting design problems to solve. In 2021, I relocated to Europe, where I live now, for a fintech role.
In 2022, I lost my job due to an insolvency. After that, I worked for a data company, a Danish fintech unicorn, and then pivoted to an EdTech company, but I was laid off from the EdTech in May 2025.
The tech industry is in a downward spiral
When I first started working in tech, there was a lot of innovation and discovery around products, and I was building a lot of new things.
Nowadays, many product playbooks are already made. There are also more resources designers can implement into their own work, but it feels like you’re mimicking something that already exists.
Being a designer gets diluted when you’re not creating anything new.
In my experience, founders were more generous with their funding than they are now. Hard work used to be well-rewarded, but now, I don’t think startup employees see good rewards.
Earlier in my career, we’d always celebrate something good happening by going for team lunches or team trips. This has been less common for me recently.
It wasn’t like we got everything we wanted, but there was a work-hard, play-hard environment.
When I moved from the unicorn I was working at to my last job at an EdTech company, I took a pay cut — partly because I wanted to make an impact in the education space.
Efficiency pushes are hurting employees
I don’t think changes have happened because there’s less money in the industry. I think it’s because companies are trying to become more efficient. They’re cutting fat, and employees are getting the short end of the stick.
My friends at corporate companies get job stability, a clear career progression, and corporate discounts. They may make less money than I do, but they can use their job stability to build wealth. Meanwhile, I’ve been in and out of employment during my career. Since finishing my diploma in 2017, I’ve worked for six tech startups.
Years ago, if you weren’t happy with your pay, you could leave and find another job.
It was never easy to find a job in tech — you need technical knowledge — but nowadays, it feels like the amount of talent saturation makes it harder to land roles. It’s switched from an employee’s market to an employer’s market.
Companies overhired during COVID. I lost my job to insolvency in 2022. The industry was never the most stable, but since 2022, I feel like layoffs have become so common that it’s almost impossible not to get laid off.
I’m seriously considering leaving tech
I don’t regret my career in tech. I’ve been challenged, and I’ve grown a lot as a designer.
After being laid off in May, I was job-searching for three months. I applied to around 60 jobs, but received a lot of rejections before landing my current role.
I’ve been working on multiple side projects, including writing on Medium and starting a product studio. I plan to continue working on these in conjunction with my new job.
I’m considering what I should do next. I would probably like to focus on designing physical products instead of digital ones.
It will be difficult to convince me to work for tech companies. I don’t think it’s worth it.
Do you have a story to share about working in tech? Contact this reporter at ccheong@businessinsider.com.
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