A former software engineer at Meta now works part-time scooping ice cream in Austin, Texas, as one of many tech professionals turning to gig work to sustain income amid prolonged job market volatility. The shift underscores growing reliance on side gigs across high-skill sectors.
- Former Meta employee laid off during 2023 restructuring now works as an ice cream vendor in Austin, Texas.
- Meta reduced workforce by approximately 10,000 roles—16% of global staff—during 2023.
- 24% of former tech employees took non-traditional work within 12 months of job loss, per 2025 U.S. BLS data.
- In high-cost tech hubs, 13%–19% of displaced workers entered food service or gig roles.
- 68% of displaced tech workers cited income instability as a key reason for taking side gigs.
- Tech firms including Meta, Amazon, and Google reported flat or reduced hiring in 2024.
A former Meta software engineer, who worked on infrastructure teams in Menlo Park, California, has transitioned to selling ice cream at a local mobile vendor in Austin, Texas, to cover living expenses. The individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was laid off during Meta’s 2023 workforce reduction that eliminated approximately 10,000 roles—about 16% of its global staff. This case reflects a wider trend: a 2025 survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 24% of former tech employees in major metropolitan areas reported taking on non-traditional work, including food service, rideshare driving, and freelance consulting, within 12 months of job loss. Among those, 13% cited income instability as the primary reason for transitioning to gig work. The shift is especially pronounced in high-cost regions. In San Francisco, 19% of displaced tech workers took on food service roles, while in Seattle and Austin, the figure reached 16% and 14%, respectively. These workers often find that gig platforms offer greater flexibility in the face of delayed re-employment, with 68% of surveyed individuals stating they chose side work to maintain financial resilience while seeking new roles. Employers in the tech sector continue to face hiring freezes and reduced headcount expansion, with major firms like Amazon, Google, and Meta reporting flat or declining hiring in 2024. As a result, professionals are increasingly forced to supplement income through non-traditional means, raising concerns about long-term career trajectory and skills retention.