Anyone here been laid off in Silicon Valley?

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Nov 3, 2007
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Originally posted by: loki8481
it's kind of awkward talking with someone who just got shitcanned from a company.

Oh, I'm sorry for making them feel a little awkward and uncomfortable, but I just lost my fucking job, and now none of my friends want to communicate with me. Do I have the fucking plague or leprosy or something?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
That's normal protocol, don't worry about it. Go file for unemployment and make your 40 hours per week job be finding your next job. This probably won't be the last time it happens.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,113
925
126
If you were on an "at will" employment policy, they don't legally have to tell you jack shit. They don't need a cause, so you'll probably never know why. It sucks, but that's the way many businesses operate.

case in point

Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

The California Supreme Court has clarified that an "at will" provision in an employment agreement is enforceable based on its plain meaning: The employment can be terminated at any time, with or without cause.
 

oboeguy

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 1999
3,907
0
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Worked for Yahoo, eh? I hear Google is hiring!


Dude, welcome to the world of at-will employment. That's the way things go now. Your employer has no legal obligation to say why you were canned. If give a reason, they open themselves up to a lawsuit (hard to challenge nothing, get it?).
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
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Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
Originally posted by: loki8481
it's kind of awkward talking with someone who just got shitcanned from a company.

Oh, I'm sorry for making them feel a little awkward and uncomfortable, but I just lost my fucking job, and now none of my friends want to communicate with me. Do I have the fucking plague or leprosy or something?

Is this your first job ever or something? If you've ever had a job before you would know that as soon as you leave a job you will most likely never speak to or hear from any of your work friends again. I've had lots of "friends" at work and only one that I still see (and probably only because I ended up roommates with him for a few years).

It's an odd feeling the first time it happens but for most of us that happens around age 15 and we get used to it. Obviously you never had that experience or we probably wouldn't be reading this gem of a thread.

Viper GTS
 

zoiks

Lifer
Jan 13, 2000
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Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
Originally posted by: xochi

What was the general reason that was given to the group? company not doing well financially? Company moving in a new direction? anything like that?


1000 people got laid off this week. It was known the company was doing a bit on the mediocre side.

Did you work for Yahoo?
 

zoiks

Lifer
Jan 13, 2000
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Originally posted by: Drako
Originally posted by: zoiks
Originally posted by: Drako
Welcome to California - California is an "at-will" employment state. Companies can get ride of you at anytime without liability.

Having gone through a layoff several times in my life, I know how you feel. After awhile I learned not to take it so personally.

Has nothing to do with California. Unfortunately, thats how it works sometimes in Tech companies.

It has everything to do with being an "at-will" state though. They have no requirement to give any reason for termination.

Sorry, you're being a bit dense. Plenty of states that have software companies. i.e NY, MA operate the same way. Unless you have a reason to hate California which seems that you do.
I used to work for a NY company in CA and that was the exact philosophy there as well.
 

NL5

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
3,287
12
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Laid off is different that fired. At will means they can fire you for any reason. You can be "laid off" whether it's an at will state or not. He was laid off. Collect your unemployment and move on......
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
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I wish it wasn't true , but Viper GTS is right.
The more jobs you have the more you will find its true.
The friends you make at work, pretty much stay at work.
If they weren't friends that you spent time with outside of work, don't expect them to be a friend now that you don't work there.

I've had engineering jobs where the people there were as nice as could be, friendly, we joked about stuff, ate lunch together. I leave the job, and I have to call their secretary to speak to them anymore.

Its just the way of things.

As to why you , it can be anything from random names drawn to whoever made the most, to whoever worked there the least. Don't take it personal, I know thats hard when its your career, but try to realize your just as good at your job as you were before you got laid off.

 

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
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Start the process now for unemployment and work your ass off to find another job.

Life goes on.

Let it go.

Don't take things like this personal, they're probably afraid of being sued or fired and have been told not to say anything.
 

Safeway

Lifer
Jun 22, 2004
12,081
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Way to whine. Whining helps, a lot.

Seriously, like I said before, get over it. They didn't single you out. You were probably overpaid, so they cut you for lack of experience. Just like the other 999 people.
 
Nov 3, 2007
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Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Is this your first job ever or something? If you've ever had a job before you would know that as soon as you leave a job you will most likely never speak to or hear from any of your work friends again. I've had lots of "friends" at work and only one that I still see (and probably only because I ended up roommates with him for a few years).

It's an odd feeling the first time it happens but for most of us that happens around age 15 and we get used to it. Obviously you never had that experience or we probably wouldn't be reading this gem of a thread.

Viper GTS

YES. That is exactly what I wrote: "This was my first "real job" after having graduated from grad school."

I've had other jobs, but I've never been laid off like this.

 

Drako

Lifer
Jun 9, 2007
10,706
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Originally posted by: zoiks
Originally posted by: Drako
Originally posted by: zoiks
Originally posted by: Drako
Welcome to California - California is an "at-will" employment state. Companies can get ride of you at anytime without liability.

Having gone through a layoff several times in my life, I know how you feel. After awhile I learned not to take it so personally.

Has nothing to do with California. Unfortunately, thats how it works sometimes in Tech companies.

It has everything to do with being an "at-will" state though. They have no requirement to give any reason for termination.

Sorry, you're being a bit dense. Plenty of states that have software companies. i.e NY, MA operate the same way. Unless you have a reason to hate California which seems that you do.
I used to work for a NY company in CA and that was the exact philosophy there as well.

LOL, I've lived in California for 26 years, and have no intentions of leaving anytime soon. Where did I say I hated California? I clearly stated that California is an "at-will" employment state, nothing more.



 

zoiks

Lifer
Jan 13, 2000
11,787
3
81
Originally posted by: Drako
Originally posted by: zoiks
Originally posted by: Drako
Originally posted by: zoiks
Originally posted by: Drako
Welcome to California - California is an "at-will" employment state. Companies can get ride of you at anytime without liability.

Having gone through a layoff several times in my life, I know how you feel. After awhile I learned not to take it so personally.

Has nothing to do with California. Unfortunately, thats how it works sometimes in Tech companies.

It has everything to do with being an "at-will" state though. They have no requirement to give any reason for termination.

Sorry, you're being a bit dense. Plenty of states that have software companies. i.e NY, MA operate the same way. Unless you have a reason to hate California which seems that you do.
I used to work for a NY company in CA and that was the exact philosophy there as well.

LOL, I've lived in California for 26 years, and have no intentions of leaving anytime soon. Where did I say I hated California? I clearly stated that California is an "at-will" employment state, nothing more.

Sorry if I misunderstood. My apologies.
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,816
83
91
Originally posted by: Modelworks
I wish it wasn't true , but Viper GTS is right.
The more jobs you have the more you will find its true.
The friends you make at work, pretty much stay at work.
If they weren't friends that you spent time with outside of work, don't expect them to be a friend now that you don't work there.

I've had engineering jobs where the people there were as nice as could be, friendly, we joked about stuff, ate lunch together. I leave the job, and I have to call their secretary to speak to them anymore.

Its just the way of things.

As to why you , it can be anything from random names drawn to whoever made the most, to whoever worked there the least. Don't take it personal, I know thats hard when its your career, but try to realize your just as good at your job as you were before you got laid off.

pretty much.

it's exactly like school... I had "school friends" that I hung around with at school, and real friends that I hung around with outside of school. after graduation, I never saw any of the school friends again except in passing.
 

mordantmonkey

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2004
3,075
5
0
wow generation Y is a bunch of pansies huh?
I ranted about that dumbass CBS (60minutes?) piece because i thought it was BS and i should stick up for "my generation".

dude it's a job. get over it. are you this needy after a break up?
you got laid off. not fired. what makes you think you did anything? being fairly new, you probably just didn't have any critical responsibilities in the company. or at least none that couldn't be covered by someone else. during layoffs someones gotta go, and you just happened to be one of the unlucky few.

but frankly, do you really want to be working for a company that's going down the crapper?
look at this as an opportunity to find a better job at a better company.
After working at my last job for 7 years i realized there wasn't much more room to advance. I quit, moved and found a better job with more pay at a better company with more room for advancement.

look on the bright side, now that you have a degree AND work experience you should have no problem finding a new job... as long as you don't whine about being laid off in the interview.

best of luck.
 

gsethi

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2002
3,457
5
81
As an employer in the state of CA (at-will state), I will be firing one person this week. And I wont have to give any explanation. Also, as an employee, you can leave anytime and dont have to give any explanation (unless you have a contract).

Thats just the nature of the business here.

Reason for termination from employment can be many such as:
Performance not upto par as required by the job.
Poor performance lately (when you started, you were excellent but have been slacking off lately)
Cheap replacement found
Slow Business
Boss doesnt like you anymore
A complaint filed against you

Just dont take it personally and move on. And dont try to burn any bridges. I have had employees come back to me couple of months after they quit and I only hired back the ones who were nice to me when they left (gave 2 weeks notice, trained their replacement etc.)


Just dont mix your Personal and Business/Work life together and you will be fine. Again, as others have said, just move on and look for another job. btw, I am hiring ;) (need replacements for ~2 other employees )
 

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,438
5
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Originally posted by: mordantmonkey
dude it's a job. get over it. are you this needy after a break up?

Best reply for me.

Of all of my former coworkers, I still talk to 1. If I leave my current job, I will talk to that coworker, and 1, MAYBE 2 more that will still be at my current employment. Of course, these are also ones whose homes I've been to for bbq's, birthday parties and such. Other ones will get a hello and handshake if I see them at the grocery store.
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,689
2,811
126
You should have taken the Microsoft job instead of Yahoo. :p

Almost all sectors are going through rough time right now. Look at the bright side, at least you're not in banking or investments. :) With your Yahoo experience, it shouldn't be too hard to get another job.