It’s been a whole year since Meta laid off 11,000 people on November 9, 2022. The company has recovered, started hiring again, and life seems to have moved on for everyone. But for me, it feels like I’m still stuck in that difficult day. The decision to let people go was seen as necessary for Meta’s survival, but for those affected, it was a heartbreaking event.
Career Change
In 2020, it was my 6th year in the United States. After 2 unsuccessful attempts at the work visa lottery, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in computer science, shifting from psychology to engineering. Over these 6 years, I had witnessed and experienced the challenges faced by international students and realized that my existing path was unsustainable. To thrive here, I needed to learn technical skills for more opportunities.
During 2020 to 2021, I spent my days preparing for technical interviews and worked on web development projects at night. Coming from a social science background, I had to invest extra time to catch up on the basics. During Christmas 2020, I spent a little over 70 bucks on Udemy courses, learning JavaScript, Spring, and MERN stack. My resume transformed from initially having only Matlab projects to several more respectable projects.
A Questionable Moment
In February 2021, I started looking for internships with just 6 months of coding experience after my career change. Despite my lack of proficiency, I received several online assessment opportunities thanks to the favorable job market.
During one such assessment, I faced a coding problem I couldn’t solve. Desperate to secure the job, I sought help from a friend and managed to pass. Afterward, I felt it was a questionable move, and I looked down on myself. But I couldn’t afford to lose this opportunity. It was a huge temptation for me. At that time, I didn’t fully trust God’s sovereignty. I should have believed that if God intended to provide something, He would, and if He wanted to take it away, nothing could stop Him.
In September 2021, I began the job hunt for new grad positions because I was graduating in the next year. In our industry, new grad hiring usually happens a year before graduation, and I managed to secure interviews with some big companies.
God touched me, and I prayed for His help to maintain my integrity. I wanted to get an offer honorably and glorify Him in my work. But, was I capable of doing so? I wasn’t sure, as the temptation to land a job was overwhelming. Only with a job could I have the chance to stay.
Often, we become aware of our weaknesses and sins only when they manifest, serving as a reminder that how weak we are.
A Dramatic Interview
In October 2021, something dramatic happened during an interview from Facebook. I had passed the first 3 rounds and was down to the final round. The last interviewer was presenting the last coding problem. If I solved it, I would secure the offer.
Technical interviews in the computer field differ from traditional interviews. While there’s a vast question bank available for practice, the interview questions often differ, otherwise it’s not fair. Astonishingly, the final question happened to be one of the top three on a coding platform I had been practicing with–the original question. I could have easily solved it with my eyes closed.
At that moment, I had to make a decision: pretend not to know the answer and secure the offer, or tell the truth. Initially, the interviewer had mentioned, “If you’ve seen the problem before, please let me know.” If I disclosed that I had seen it before, he might change the question, and I couldn’t guarantee I’d solve the new one. But if I kept silent, I’d be failing myself again. The interviewer would never know, the company would never know, but I would, and so would God.
Eventually, I chose to be honest, even though I felt it might cost me the job. The interviewer changed the question, and I thought, “I’m going to die.” The second problem was one I had solved just two days before, and I could remember it vividly. This time, I hesitated for 2 seconds only and told him that I’ve practiced it before.
Strangely, a sense of relaxation and relief washed over me, as if I had already aced the interview. The third question was finally unfamiliar but difficult, and I surprisingly solved it somehow.
The 50-minute interview felt like two hours. I had a strong feeling that this interview wasn’t just a test of my coding skills; it was a test of my faith. In those moments, I could sense the comforting presence of God, walking with me through the challenges.
When I looked back, I wonder if I had failed the last question, would I still be as grateful as I am now, or would I regret my “naivety”? The conclusion I ultimately arrived at is that the path of righteousness may not be the fastest, but it’s the one that brings me the most joy and peace.
Indeed, the correct thing is to maintain honesty. However, everyone has their own decisions, made based on their faith and circumstances at that time. We have no right to judge others’ choices. When we go against our conscience (which we often do), it doesn’t stop us from being loved by God.
However, we need to recognize our weaknesses and repent, rather than suppressing our conscience until it becomes numb. We should actively build ourselves, making our abilities strong enough that we don’t need to resort to suspicious actions. That tender, childlike heart needs nurturing and care because everyone only has one, and once it’s lost, it’s gone.
Work Visa Lottery
The chance of winning a work visa was approximately 30%. If I didn’t win, I couldn’t work legally, as I had already used my 3-years OPT after completing my first master’s degree. So, I only had one option—win the work visa lottery to work legally, or else, the offer would be meaningless. Many people are unaware that the most challenging part for international students isn’t finding a job but obtaining work authorization. Not all jobs generously offer sponsorship for work visas.
I was fortunate that both companies were willing to sponsor me. If both companies applied, my odds would double. However, I hesitated because it would mean potentially breaking one offer if both won, which wasn’t ethical, especially considering that I would be utilizing their legal resources as well. Ultimately, I decided to apply through only one company.
I had a simple belief at the time—I wanted to see where the hardest road would take me.
I must admit, there was a bit of a superiority complex in me back then. I believed I had hopped on the fast track with Facebook, thinking everything was set in stone.
Disappointing Lottery Results
Not every time leads to a miracle. The 2022 work visa lottery was one of the harshest ever. When I saw the official statistics, I was too upset to eat for a day. As someone who applied with only one offer, my chances of winning were just 26.45%. Why were they lower than expected? Because 13% of people had two or more companies applying for them. For instance, there were individuals with 75 companies vying for their visas. They were very likely to get selected multiple times, only having to respond to one offer and turning down the rest. Sadly, the opportunities rejected would go to waste.
How far can people go to pursue what they desire? The likelihood that all 75 of these offers were genuine and reliable is extremely low; these individuals probably had a strong need to stay. However, they wouldn’t care, and this selfish behavior would make many innocent people sacrificial. How many individuals left their homes, invested years of their youth in education and work, all for this opportunity, only to be easily defeated?
I don’t hate them. I dislike the system. The individuals who designed this lottery system knew that such injustices would occur, but they didn’t do anything. It’s the system’s subtle punishment for honest people and encouragement for those who manipulate it for personal gain. This country has always been revered for its relentless pursuit of fairness and justice. While no nation is flawless, its citizens revere God, and it seeks God’s law. Yet, the implementation of this system raises doubts, revealing unfaithful motivations behind its encouragement of injustice.
A year later, H1B fraud has received unprecedented attention. As the saying goes, justice may be delayed, but it will not be absent. The absentees are only those fleeting guests, like dust. Destiny blew this least significant dust, myself, to the edge of the cliff.
(to be continued…)
