Anyone here been laid off in Silicon Valley?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

uhohs

Diamond Member
Oct 29, 2005
7,658
39
91
the greatest irony here is that he's ignoring the questions of if he worked for yahoo.
heh.
 

tallest1

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2001
3,474
0
0
I'm sorry but after reading the whining original post, I thought the thread was a parody. OF COURSE people get laid off in Silicon Valley! Thats life man, get over it.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,862
84
91
Originally posted by: oboeguy
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?).

google hires u if ur still working at yahoo.
not if ur fired lol:)
such is quality control for those that can afford to hire that way!
google doesn't want your scraps, they want your tasty brains!
 
Nov 3, 2007
105
0
0
Originally posted by: Naustica
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.

Stop stalking me.
 
Nov 3, 2007
105
0
0
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
google hires u if ur still working at yahoo.
not if ur fired lol:)
such is quality control for those that can afford to hire that way!
google doesn't want your scraps, they want your tasty brains!

Do you know this for a fact, or are you speculating?
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,413
1,570
126
goddamnit I miss the stars already.

i rate this thread terrible.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,862
84
91
Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
google hires u if ur still working at yahoo.
not if ur fired lol:)
such is quality control for those that can afford to hire that way!
google doesn't want your scraps, they want your tasty brains!

Do you know this for a fact, or are you speculating?

googles hiring practices aren't secret. poaching is one good way to get good experienced workers. google can afford it as well.
 
Nov 3, 2007
105
0
0
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
google hires u if ur still working at yahoo.
not if ur fired lol:)
such is quality control for those that can afford to hire that way!
google doesn't want your scraps, they want your tasty brains!

Do you know this for a fact, or are you speculating?

googles hiring practices aren't secret. poaching is one good way to get good experienced workers. google can afford it as well.

No, I mean they want people still working for competitors but not those who've been laid off.
 

PowerEngineer

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2001
3,548
716
136
Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
1000 people got laid off this week. It was known the company was doing a bit on the mediocre side.

1000 laid off? And you're asking why this is happening to you?

You need to take a step back and realize that this isn't necessarily a reflection on you or the work you did for them (unless maybe you're as hot tempered as your posts here suggest). As others have said, it doesn't amount to a blemish on your work record. Lay-off's are understood to be a reflection on the company (and its management) -- not on the employees laid off. Prospective employeers will not see it as a negative (as long as you don't frame it as one). A large lay-off and you were just recently hired -- no big deal.

Employers are very reluctant in these litigious times to say much of anything about former employees -- particularly if it might be taken as a negative. The official policy at many corporations now is that they will confirm that a person worked for them, give the start/end dates of employment, and maybe provide the job titles -- but that's it. I hope you saved you annual performance appraisals.

If I were you, I'd mend fences with your former boss. Tell him that the lay-off came as a complete shock to you, but that you really appreciated the opportunity to work for him (that you "learned alot", etc.) Ask him to suggest areas that you should strengthen (which might give you some hints...) and see if he's willing to have prospective employers contact him (if you can trust him). Don't burn those bridges!

It's possible that your former coworkers may be suffering some pangs of guilt over having weathered the lay-off when others like you did not. E-mails asking "why the hell did this happen to me" will not be seen as an opener for an enjoyable exchange. Maybe they're even afraid you're going to go "postal" on them!

I'd mend fences with them too. An e-mail telling them that you enjoyed working with them and learned a lot (yada, yada, yada), and maybe an invitation to contact you if anyone ever wants to do whatever sport/activity you're famous for. Chances are that you'll never hear from most of them; but with the high turnover rates in Silicon Valley, you may just find yourself working with some of them again later on. Best to be remembered as a good guy.

Good luck on finding a new job!




 

Legendary

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2002
7,020
1
0
Stop being a bitch.
Companies want money. You cost money. You did not make the grade.
I got laid off 2.999 months into my first job out of college. I got a job two weeks later. Get over it and just move on. You're either as good as you think you are, or you aren't. Nothing your previous employer says can change that.
 

Geekbabe

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 16, 1999
32,167
2,399
126
www.theshoppinqueen.com
Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
Originally posted by: Ns1
Originally posted by: zoiks
I think they ought to tell you why you are being let go. Didn't they have any explanation on your termination letter when you signed it?

I think he got listed as "downsized/laid off", but he wants to know why him specifically

Yes, exactly, why me? I worked hard as hell and got along with everyone. And even if they still had to lay me off, why the F is no one returning my emails? I thought these were my friends. It's like I have the plague now.

You do have the plague now... you no longer exist there.

Listen,if a lot of others were let go,the reason is most likely budget cuts on their end and has nothing to do with your performance.
 

Skunkwourk

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2004
4,662
1
81
Originally posted by: uhohs
the greatest irony here is that he's ignoring the questions of if he worked for yahoo.
heh.

i was thinking something similar.

Anyway, OP, even if you were doing a great job, perhaps they knew it and didn't want to increase your salary or felt someone could still do the job for less. Sometimes its not about being the best worker, its about being the most cost effective worker.
 

imported_Baloo

Golden Member
Feb 2, 2006
1,782
0
0
Most such decisions are based on seniority, primarily. The fact is, you got laid off because of the downward spiraling economy. We got into this downward spiralling economy because you, and others like re-elected the dum bass, so techcically, you laid yourself off.
 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
WAS IT YAHOO?!?!?!??!?!?!?!? :p

EDIT: Are you that douchebaggy guy who used to bring it up in every CS thread that he had a PhD in CS and that he worked at Yahoo after considering X/Y/Z other companies? He had a different username, but IIRC, was banned.
 
Nov 3, 2007
105
0
0
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.


thank you. I'm glad to know it's not me. As I said, I'm new to all this. Your kind of post is why I read ATOT.
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: tfinch2
WAS IT YAHOO?!?!?!??!?!?!?!? :p

EDIT: Are you that douchebaggy guy who used to bring it up in every CS thread that he had a PhD in CS and that he worked at Yahoo after considering X/Y/Z other companies? He had a different username, but IIRC, was banned.

That was Rogodin2, IIRC.

 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: tfinch2
WAS IT YAHOO?!?!?!??!?!?!?!? :p

EDIT: Are you that douchebaggy guy who used to bring it up in every CS thread that he had a PhD in CS and that he worked at Yahoo after considering X/Y/Z other companies? He had a different username, but IIRC, was banned.

That was Rogodin, IIRC.

I'm pretty sure it was someone else, even though Rogodin was a douche as well. I'm straining my brain to remember the username.

EDIT: shuttleboi!
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: tfinch2
Originally posted by: Special K
Originally posted by: tfinch2
WAS IT YAHOO?!?!?!??!?!?!?!? :p

EDIT: Are you that douchebaggy guy who used to bring it up in every CS thread that he had a PhD in CS and that he worked at Yahoo after considering X/Y/Z other companies? He had a different username, but IIRC, was banned.

That was Rogodin, IIRC.

I'm pretty sure it was someone else, even though Rogodin was a douche as well. I'm straining my brain to remember the username.

EDIT: shuttleboi!

Oh yeah, I remember him
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: Legendary
Stop being a bitch.
Companies want money. You cost money. You did not make the grade.

Apparently you did not get the memo regarding the OPs fragile state.

:p
 

LS21

Banned
Nov 27, 2007
3,746
1
0
we've had a few minor layoffs , where we got rid of some positions where people got paid lots for not doing much work. just getting rid of dead weight, basically. there are a few people in my group who are frankly just not that good at their jobs. if they ever happen to be fired, and they asked me why, i probably wouldnt tell them anything either.
 
Oct 20, 2005
10,978
44
91
Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
Originally posted by: Ns1
Originally posted by: zoiks
I think they ought to tell you why you are being let go. Didn't they have any explanation on your termination letter when you signed it?

I think he got listed as "downsized/laid off", but he wants to know why him specifically

Yes, exactly, why me? I worked hard as hell and got along with everyone. And even if they still had to lay me off, why the F is no one returning my emails? I thought these were my friends. It's like I have the plague now.

Did you try calling them?
 

SacrosanctFiend

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
4,269
0
0
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
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.

Please. "At-will Employment" is a phrase states use so that it doesn't seem so one-sided. There are so many protected classes and items that can be sued for (such as keywords in employee handbooks), no state is truly "at-will." We had an employment law luncheon on this very thing today.

California, specifically, has so many protected classes and case-law in favor of terminated employees, it's not even funny.
 

thepd7

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2005
9,429
0
0
Originally posted by: anandtechuser07
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.

I am loosely familiar with how CA is an "at-will" employment state. Does that have an impact on why my manager refused to tell me why I was laid off? Why is no one returning my emails? I was friends with all my former co-workers. Are the legally binded to not communicate with me?

yes, legal reasons, yes.

In an at will state your company doesn't need a reason. Like NS1 said, you can't get in trouble for saying nothing. If they have to give a reason for each person it's more work plus you open yourself up to someone sueing because the reason was invalid or not good enough.

Welcome to at-will employment. I actually don't mind it because I soon will have my emergency fund built up for cases just like that and it also means I can quit ANYTIME I want.