Despite being laid off from her high-paying tech job at the age of 24, she found joy in shucking oysters for parties.

Recently, Hannah Chea spent a considerable amount of time working at her computer.

At lavish events, she entertains partygoers with fun facts about chilled oysters, which she shucks for them.

In September, after a year of concern about being let go, Chea, 24, was released from her position as a data analytics engineer at Paramount.

Chea, a resident of San Francisco, tells CNBC Make It that she fully expected the layoff that occurred. She and her colleagues had been anxious since the company started downsizing in late 2023. Although losing one's job is never pleasant, Chea chooses to focus on the positive aspects that have emerged from the situation.

She is relieved that she was released from her team rather than other colleagues who were facing financial difficulties, such as having families or starting a family or recently purchasing a home.

Chea received four weeks of severance pay after finishing her work in one week. Additionally, she has a part-time job as a "mobile oyster shucker" that she picked up a year ago to supplement her income.

Becoming a mobile oyster shucker

A year ago, Chea discovered the oyster-shucking job through Instagram and spoke with the owner of Oysters XO, a catering company with multiple locations across the U.S. After joining the team, she learned how to shuck oysters and share interesting facts about them to party guests. Her favorite fact is that oyster farms can aid in ocean cleaning, and that shells can be recycled to reinforce eroding coastlines.

Chea has worked one to two events per month in the past year, each lasting two to three hours of shucking oysters and engaging guests in lively conversation. She recently traveled to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl in February.

"Chea says, "I really like the novelty of it. I think it's crazy to say I only do oyster shucking — in heels. I think I'm a very extroverted person. I really wanted break the monotony of my remote tech job [and] just staring at a computer all day.""

Chea plans to devote more time to organizing events and expanding Oyster XO's presence in the Bay Area during the holiday season, now that she is unemployed.

Chea revealed that she earns more than she expected while shucking oysters, which surprised her and motivated her to continue the job.

She notes that it is suitable for luxury events such as big corporate parties, weddings, and other large gatherings.

'I'm not in a rush to find a new tech job'

Despite her current shucking earnings not being enough to cover her rent, let alone recover her previous six-figure tech salary, Chea feels fortunate to be in a "lucky place." Prior to thinking a layoff was imminent, she lived frugally and saved up approximately a year's worth of living expenses.

Chea says, "I'm not in a rush to find a new tech job. I've been taking this time to just think about my life and what's next. I do feel very happy to have relief from the stress and worries about my job. I think that was such a big stressor, working in tech."

She's excited to consider making her part-time job her full-time career in the future.

"Right now, I'm happy to have the freedom to explore," she says. "I didn't allow myself to explore before."

Chea acknowledges that her post-layoff circumstances and optimism may not be the same for many others.

Since she shared her experience on social media, I've noticed many comments like, 'She's not crying and sitting at home,'" she says. "I believe I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to explore and set myself up for success during this transition.

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