Why I Left Google for London: Lessons from Corporate & Life After Big Tech

From The Existential Crisis of a Tech Enthusiast · 00:42:48

Show by Clorama Dorvilias

I left my dream job at Google after just 7 months to move back to London. 18 months later, was it the right decision? 🤔After nearly 6 years at Meta Reality Labs, I joined Google XR to work on one of the most exciting projects of my career: the intersection of AI and XR. I loved the technology, my team, my manager, and the work itself. So why would I voluntarily walk away?I sometimes still ask myself this question, but I learned the hard way, when you're privileged enough to have options, you'd be surprised the types of decisions you'll be faced with making when you're no longer operating financially in survival mode.In this episode, I'm reflecting on my journey through Big Tech, the unexpected circumstances that led me to leave Google, and what the last year and a half of being "job optional" has actually looked like.We talk about:Why I left Google for London: the surprising reverse culture shock, quality of life, immigration, and choosing between professional opportunity and the everyday life I wanted.What corporate taught me (as a creative turned technologist-but still creative!): The realities of climbing the corporate ladder, navigating workplace culture, and how execution, relationships (esp. w/managers), and reputation shape career progression.Financial freedom and career autonomy: How years of working, saving, and investing gave me the flexibility to make an unconventional decision.Life after Big Tech: Adjusting to a slower pace, relearning my creative interests, and learning how to rest without feeling like I always need to be productive.I also included some original footage from March 2025, when I was waiting to find out whether my voluntary exit from Google had been approved. Looking back at those recordings 18 months later was pretty surreal. Apparently, hindsight isn't always necessary to know what matters to you and made this video all the more therapeautic for me. 😅And for the record! This isn't an anti-corporate story! I highly recommend this path when it aligns with scaling your personal interests and passions. I'm genuinely grateful for my experiences at both companies and everything my career made possible. But I've also learned that professional success and personal fulfilment aren't always the same thing.The irony of financial freedom is that your decision-making gets harder and you can't put the responsibility on golden handcuffs or survival mode anymore. Its all YOU and the consequences/tradeoffs that come with that. Subscribe for more conversations about emerging technology, creative freedom, career transitions, financial independence, and figuring out what makes a meaningful life.Podcast Available also on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.#LeavingGoogle #LifeAfterBigTech #LondonLife #CareerChange #FinancialFreedom

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