A techie’s account of facing burnout after nearly 12 years as a software engineer has resonated with many. A senior software engineer who claims to work at Microsoft has sparked a widespread conversation on social media after opening up about severe workplace burnout and a sudden inability to clear job interviews despite holding over a decade of industry experience.A techie’s Reddit post on burnout has resonated with many. (Representative image). (Pexels)Taking to Reddit, the professional detailed how a once-flourishing corporate stint has rapidly deteriorated into a stressful ordeal, leaving them anxious about potential layoffs in a volatile market.Also Read: 'He came at 8 am, left at 3 pm': Ex Amazon employee reveals teammate's secret to avoiding burnout“Currently at Microsoft, Burnout, can't concentrate or clear interviews. I’ve been at Microsoft for 6 years in the same team and have 12 years of total experience. Current position: Senior Software Engineer,” the techie wrote.The techie expressed that they feel their position on the team has “gone downhill” and fears getting laid off. “The situation in my team has gone downhill over the last year. People have become very political, and I genuinely feel I might get laid off or fired in the next few months.”Hence, the software engineer started interviewing for a new job, but claims they have been receiving very few calls. They added that they are also unable to clear interviews, despite having over a decade of experience.“Has anyone been in a similar situation? What did you do to get back into interview shape? I used to have 5+ offers every time I switched jobs. Now, when I might actually lose my job, I can't even get one.”The techie concluded the Reddit post by asking for advice from fellow social media users.What did social media say?An individual posted, “This is called life. Stay strong.” Another questioned, “Man, posts like yours make me lose motivation to stay in tech. You're at Microsoft, with so many years of experience, and you're still wondering what to do next. It honestly makes me wonder if I'll also be living with this much anxiety 12 years from now. Please, can someone tell me the reality?” The OP responded, “It's not about the company. It's about my situation. I am completely burned out and need a break of at least 6 months. Currently, people are also able to clear interviews who used to perform worse than I did in interviews.”Also Read: Bengaluru techie earning ₹45 lakh says he feels broke every month: ‘I don’t know where my money is going’A third commented, “I think you’re being too hard on yourself. The market is much tougher than it was a few years ago, and many experienced engineers are in the same position. My advice would be to stay at Microsoft as long as you can while preparing. Spend some time every day on DSA so your speed comes back, do a few mock interviews, and use referrals as much as possible instead of only applying online. Also, don’t limit yourself to big tech. There are plenty of good product companies and startups that value solid engineering experience over perfect interview performance. The fact that you got multiple offers in the past tells me you already have the skills. Right now, it sounds more like you’ve lost the interview rhythm than engineering ability. Keep practising consistently and you’ll get your confidence back.”A fourth wrote, “There are enough jobs in the market but most of them might be much below your pay grade. Most probably that’s the reason you’re not getting many calls.”(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism.