From programmer to popcorn-popper, tech worker takes a leap of faith
SAN FRANCISCO - The tech industry's layoffs, which began last year, are showing no signs of slowing down. More than 150,000 tech workers have received pink slips this year alone, more than all of 2022 combined.
A year ago, Jerry Haagsma was living the high life as a software engineer at one of the world's top tech companies, taking home a six-figure salary, all at the age of 30. But even though he was at the pinnacle of his career, his life was starting to feel a little stale.
"I loved my job and I was fulfilled by it. But I would still get that feeling on Sunday evenings of, 'Oh, I have to go into work tomorrow," Haagsma said.
After seeing several of his peers leaving the tech industry, Haagsma decided to take a leap of faith and follow a life-long passion, going from coding to corn-popping.
"It literally explodes when you cook it," he said. "I don't know if there's another food that does that."
It all started back in college, after his roommate's parents delivered 10 pounds of corn kernels to their dorm.
"We were making just butter and salt popcorn on the stove top but eventually we were getting bored of that," he said.
That's when he began experimenting with different seasonings. These days, he's making his own gourmet popcorn called Jerrypop in his living room in San Francisco, coming up with quirky flavors like "Chipotle Cheddar," "Habanero Ranch," and "Goat Cheese Chive."
Not only does he not get the so-called "Sunday Night Blues" any more, he's looking forward to Mondays.
"My whole mindset towards money and finances kind of changed and now I think it's more important that I pursue my passion," he said.
As tech companies aggressively cut jobs, more and more people like Haagsma are leaving the industry to chase their dreams.
George Anders, the Senior Editor-At-Large of Workforce Insights, a popular LinkedIn newsletter about job market trends, said people nowadays are looking for more than just a paycheck, hefty as it may be.
"One of the things we're seeing is with the pandemic haven taken people out of the office for a year and a half, two years, that was a very powerful time to reset, to reconnect, and to figure out, 'What do I really want out of life?'" he said.
While most people will likely stay in tech, he said, a growing number are using the opportunity to reinvent themselves.
"People want to get back to using your hands and touching things, shaping things, being able to pick up what they've built. And that can be a powerful pull that brings people into fields like food, hospitality."
Haagsma's original plan was to return to tech eventually. But after experiencing the sweet taste of independence, he's hoping he won't have to.
"I don't want to not do popcorn and wonder what if I did popcorn," he said. "I want to give it my all."