A millennial quit a 6-figure job at Google to pursue more meaningful work: 'I wanted more out of my career and my life.'

• Joslyn Orgill left her six-figure data engineer job at Google to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science.
• She said concerns about job security and a desire for more fulfilling work led her to rethink her career.
• Orgill shared her top advice for others considering a major career pivot.

Earlier this year, Joslyn Orgill faced a career-defining choice: keep her six-figure data engineer job at Google — or leave it behind to pursue a path she hoped would make her happier in the long run.

There were many reasons it made sense to stay put. For one, Orgill had long viewed Google as the top destination for aspiring technical engineers — and she'd worked hard to get there. She spent two summers interning at ExxonMobil and Adobe, and in 2021 earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree in information systems from Brigham Young University through an integrated program.

From a financial standpoint, she was doing well — and she and her husband had bought a home in Austin less than two years earlier, a decision that made staying at Google feel like the practical choice.

However, the reasons to leave began to build — she was concerned about job security in a tech career, felt somewhat invisible at a large company, and had a growing desire to pursue work she was more passionate about.

"Google's an amazing company, but the job just wasn't a great fit for me," said the 30-year-old.

Over the past year, I've interviewed more than a dozen workers who, like Orgill, chose to quit their jobs with a major employer — in some cases, without having another role lined up. While some eventually landed at another large corporation, others stepped away from the corporate world entirely; they joined a smaller business, pursued a venture of their own, made a career pivot, or focused on personal matters, such as parenting.

These individuals have become outliers in an economy where workers are quitting at one of the lowest rates in the past decade — a trend driven by a hiring slowdown that's left many clinging to their jobs with few alternatives. Those who have called it quits in this environment told Business Insider they did so due to concerns about job security, shifts in workplace culture, entrepreneurial ambitions, and a desire to do more meaningful work. In short, they tend to quit because they want more agency over their careers in the long run.

Orgill shared how she eventually became confident in her decision — and offered advice for others facing a crossroads in their careers.

"I wanted more out of my career and my life"

Orgill's decision was shaped in part by her time at BYU, where she taught two sections of an introductory programming and analytics course as an adjunct professor. She loved it and felt she was good at it.

In November 2021, Orgill received an offer for a full-time cloud technical resident role at Google, based in Austin, with the help of a referral from her sister-in-law. After she gave her a tour of a Google office, Orgill was especially eager to join the company.

"I just loved the vibes," she said. "I was really excited to work at Google."

She eventually settled into a full-time data engineer role, but over time, she said she began to feel "unseen" — and that it often didn't feel like her work was making much of an impact.

"I wanted more out of my career and my life," she said, "something that I was more passionate about than what I could achieve at a big company like Google."

Orgill considered pursuing new roles, both inside and outside Google, but said there didn't seem to be many openings she was interested in — something she attributed, in part, to a broader hiring slowdown in tech.

"I had friends who were graduating and weren't able to find jobs," she said, "so I just didn't have a lot of confidence that I would be able to find something that I enjoyed more at a different tech company."

Orgill also wasn't fully confident in her job security at Google — or in the tech industry more broadly. That concern hit home in January 2023, about six months into the job, when Google announced plans to lay off around 12,000 workers.

"It was a crazy, crazy day," she said. "That was a scary time."

'If I don't do it now, I'll always be wondering: what if I had?'

As doubts about her career grew, Orgill said her interest in teaching lingered in the back of her mind. One path she'd considered was working in tech, earning good money, and returning to teaching later in life. But over time, she began to question whether it was worth postponing what she truly wanted to do.

"I felt like there were so many reasons not to — I'm making enough money, we just bought a house — but I realized that if I don't do it now, I'll always be wondering: what if I had?"

Last August, she left her job at Google to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science with a focus on education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

While she's still figuring out what she wants to do after the program — which typically takes four to six years — she's strongly considering an academic career, potentially as a professor teaching computer science or information systems courses. Her larger goal, she said, is to help broaden participation in the computer science field.

"I want other people to feel confident that they can do something with technology, even if they're from an underrepresented group," she said.

'Giving up a salary and all of the benefits that I had was a big deal'

Orgill said she received three years of funding from the university to pursue her Ph.D. and receives a modest monthly stipend. From a financial perspective, a big reason she felt comfortable resigning from Google is that her husband works remotely and kept his job when they moved to Illinois.

The couple tried to sell their home in Austin but didn't secure an offer they felt good about, so they're renting it out to friends while living in an apartment near campus. However, the rent they collect doesn't fully cover the mortgage, so they hope to sell the home eventually.

Orgill said her experience in the Ph.D. program has been good so far. When she occasionally wonders whether leaving Google was the right move, she thinks back to how much she enjoyed teaching at BYU.

"That's what I go back to when I'm scared," she said, "because getting a Ph.D. is a lot of work, and obviously giving up a salary and all of the benefits that I had was a big deal."

One of Orgill's top pieces of advice for others weighing a big career move: consider how much you're willing to give up financially to pursue more meaningful work. She added that having a supportive partner has also been crucial to making the pivot.

"My husband was incredibly supportive and wanted me to find something that I was passionate about," she said. "I'm really grateful for that."