I was laid off from HP after 30 years. At 59, I moved to Antarctica for work — and the wildest adventure of my life.
After being laid off from HP following a 30-year career, 59-year-old May Lee pivoted to a new life by taking a seasonal job in Antarctica. Her story highlights the potential for career reinvention and personal growth after unexpected corporate downsizing.
Why it matters
This narrative offers a perspective on mid-to-late career transitions and the psychological impact of long-term corporate loyalty.
May Lee believes you can always reinvent yourself. Courtesy of May Lee May Lee was downsized from HP, where she had worked for over 30 years. After a valuable conversation, she decided to pivot entirely and take a seasonal job in Antarctica. She can't wait to return to Antarctica for her second job. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with May Lee, a 59-year-old seasonal worker in Antarctica and former marketing and communications manager at HP. It has been edited for length and clarity. I joined Hewlett-Packard in 1987 as a software engineer intern. As a graduate, I wanted to sign on for life with a good company that I knew I could be loyal to and would be as loyal as a company could be. I didn't want to climb the corporate ladder or jump from company to company.
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