Courtesy Jerry Lee, Mayuko Inoue, Dayana Sabatin., Rahul Pandey; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/Insider
- Insider spoke to people who left well-paying jobs in tech due to overwhelming workloads and stress.
- Some left behind prestigious roles to pursue their passions, while others quit tech due to burnout.
- One said staying at Meta would've ensured financial security, but he knew it wasn't right for him.
In a world where high-paying tech roles are highly coveted, many professionals are choosing alternative paths over big paychecks. Some left behind their glamorous roles to pursue their passions, and some quit tech due to burnout.
These 10 professionals share what finally made them leave big tech — and what they're doing now.