According to Business Insider, Devang Sharma first joined Meta in 2022, moving from London to Toronto only to be laid off after four and a half months. The 27-year-old software engineer then worked at Amazon before a Meta recruiter reached out three years later in 2025. Sharma received multiple offers from other AI companies but chose to return to Meta in a more senior position based in Menlo Park headquarters. His new role involves building AI models directly rather than just implementation work. He advises other boomerang employees to approach returns with a fresh, curious mindset rather than relying on past assumptions.
The boomerang employee phenomenon
Sharma’s story highlights something interesting happening in tech right now. Companies that did massive layoffs are now realizing they cut too deep, especially in specialized areas like AI. And they’re actively using internal tracking systems to reconnect with former employees who already know the culture and systems. It’s basically the corporate version of “I can fix him” – except now it’s “I can rehire him.”
The AI gold rush changes everything
Here’s the thing that really stands out: Sharma wasn’t just returning to any role. He specifically wanted to work on foundational AI models, not just implementation. At Amazon, he was fine-tuning existing models. At Meta, he’s building them from scratch. That’s the difference between watching the AI revolution and actually driving it. And honestly, who wouldn’t want that opportunity right now? The company’s evolution toward AI integration is happening at breakneck speed, and being at headquarters means he’s in the room where it happens – literally sitting front row for executive speeches that Toronto employees only saw on video.
The layoff risk calculation
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room: what about getting laid off again? Sharma acknowledges the possibility but makes a compelling point. He’s in his 20s, no family responsibilities, and the potential reward of working on cutting-edge AI outweighs the risk. “I would’ve regretted not taking a chance to work on something amazing, simply because I chose a safe route,” he says. That’s a refreshingly honest take in an era where job security feels increasingly fragile. You can’t control layoffs, but you can control whether you’re working on projects that excite you.
Coming back with fresh eyes
Maybe the most valuable insight here is Sharma’s approach to returning. He’s consciously acting like a newbie despite his previous experience. That’s harder than it sounds – when you think you know how things work, it’s tempting to rely on old assumptions. But Meta in 2025 is apparently a much leaner, faster-moving company than the 2022 version he left. Priorities have shifted, and the integration of AI has fundamentally changed engineering roles. His advice to approach returns with curiosity rather than prejudice? That’s probably the secret sauce for any boomerang employee’s success.
