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Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

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Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#361

Post by _ah »

Cyberdog wrote: post #68
impostervt wrote: post #53

Seems like a good time for people with ideas who can't code to team up with people who can code but don't have a good idea. To take a chance on an app/idea what we wouldn't normally want to quit our day jobs on. Are there sites that team people up like that?

Well, that's pretty much any job board. AngelList's jobs area [0] in particular has good deal of equity-only positions - no pay, but a share in future earnings (which, it can't be overemphasized, are entirely theoretical). Unfortunately, my landlord and debt-owners do not accept hope for the future as payment. 0: https://angel.co/jobs

Although actually, that's an interesting proposition. Offer your landlord a percentage of your equity in exchange for reduced rent. Who knows, you might find a well-financed investor who's willing to take a risk on you.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#362

Post by caseysoftware »

tcgv wrote: post #182
eropple wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But in February, there wasn't any sign of an economic downturn. Everyone was enjoying the bull market. First: I’m super sorry about what you’re going through and I hope things work out with your new employer. Second: I worry that “nobody could have known” will be the narrative. A very large portion of my circles was aware that COVID was about to explode and that the prevention measures would either drastically slow…

> A very large portion of my circles was aware that COVID was about to explode (...) Your circles seem to be the exception then. There are a lot of factors that affect personal perception of such matters, like proximity to inflicted areas, professional background (ex: medical), experiencing similar events in the past, etc. In hindsight it seems obvious that the world wasn't paying attention. But it took until Februar…

Trump announced the China travel ban on Jan 31 - effective Feb 2nd - which was over 6 weeks ago. Even then he was called names and the "it's just the flu" mantra started. Huge segments of the world saw what was coming and started moving, most didn't move far enough fast enough.

Ref: https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/31/21117403/trump-coronaviru...

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#363

Post by grumple »

I’m personally unaffected and unlikely to be for a while longer because my SaaS serves a class of businesses that will be remaining open during quarantine. We’re pretty slim as an organization and fully remote so I’m hopeful we’ll be fine through this.

However, my SO is a physical therapist and several of her colleagues at other businesses have been laid off as people stop coming to appointments (rehab not being acute care and many patients being elderly or otherwise vulnerable). All of my service industry and entertainment industry friends are unemployed for the foreseeable future. The knock-on effects of even a short shutdown are likely to be significant.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#364

Post by dillonmckay »

dajohnson89 wrote: post #277
caseyf7 wrote: post #208

Friday will be the day we find out how much boards are asking their companies to reduce burn. The first large wave of layoffs will probably happen this Friday and then it will be a nervous few weeks. Much more similar to 2001 than 2008.

what’s special about friday in particular? i know it’s the end of the quarter but aren’t the earnings announcements etc spread out over a few weeks?

You want to stop the bleeding as soon as possible, but you don’t want to lay anybody off during the week, so they have time to collect their thoughts over the weekend.

Whereas, if you fired them on a Monday, they may show up Tuesday and cause issues.

Salary is probably the most costly expense.

In the early 2000s, the warning sign was reducing the cleaning staff, and having developers empty the trash.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#365

Post by Twixes »

nojvek wrote: post #341

I haven't been laid off but I voluntarily quit my job in Jan when COVID-19 looked like China would handle it by themselves. I went solopreneur fulltime on https://boomadmin.com but everyday I question myself whether it's a good idea. Had about 3 years of savings, now only 1.5 years. The stockmarket wiped out a huge part of my runway. I can live like a cockraoch, but let's see what happens. Tough times. I'm optimistic…

If your savings are diverse stock, you'll probably get your value back just fine in 3 years if you go long.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#366

Post by krsgoss »

dangoor wrote: post #36

Khan Academy is still hiring, though our focus is backend and full-stack engineers right now[1]. I hope you're able to find new work soon! This is an odd time for us. We're an online education non-profit. With all of the school closings[2], we're seeing a huge spike in traffic. Fortunately, our infrastructure can handle it, but we are still spending some effort staying on top of the rapidly changing traffic patterns.…

Just came here to say big thanks to you and everyone else at Khan Academy for the tremendous work you're all doing. As a working parent who has now been thrust into the role of teacher, it's been incredibly helpful. Thank you!

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#367

Post by _bohm »

WFHRenaissance wrote: post #357
Miktor wrote: post #349

This is probably a long shot - and I'm sure you'll see quite a few posts like this over the coming weeks - but I'm going to swallow my pride and ask nonetheless. I've been a data entry clerk for the past twenty years, working for a major bookmaker in Northern Ireland. With the coronavirus pandemic hitting recently, many businesses have decided to lay off large numbers of staff. I've just become one of the unfortunate…

Apply for jobs at defense contractors, they're always looking for people that know C++. It will not be glamorous work, but I think it might be a good bet for you. Raytheon Missile Systems is hiring in Tuscon Arizona, inquire about remote work. Also, I recommend you learn SQL (just learn SQL Server or Postgres).

OP specified they live in Northern Ireland so it is unlikely they will be able to get a job with an American defense contractor as a non-citizen who can't obtain a security clearance.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#368

Post by dippersauce »

WFHRenaissance wrote: post #357
Miktor wrote: post #349

This is probably a long shot - and I'm sure you'll see quite a few posts like this over the coming weeks - but I'm going to swallow my pride and ask nonetheless. I've been a data entry clerk for the past twenty years, working for a major bookmaker in Northern Ireland. With the coronavirus pandemic hitting recently, many businesses have decided to lay off large numbers of staff. I've just become one of the unfortunate…

Apply for jobs at defense contractors, they're always looking for people that know C++. It will not be glamorous work, but I think it might be a good bet for you. Raytheon Missile Systems is hiring in Tuscon Arizona, inquire about remote work. Also, I recommend you learn SQL (just learn SQL Server or Postgres).

I know Lockheed Martin is also hiring for software developers in the East US, might be worth a look. A job is a job, and the culture at the company doesn't seem too bad.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#369

Post by gscott »

Rebles wrote: post #81
toomuchtodo wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ask your old employer if your role is still available. Plans change, and if you left on good terms, they might be amiable to your return if you need that option.

If my new employer bails, I might consider this. But I would probably try to find a new new job before then. Also, my boss wanted me to confirm 3 times what my last day would be, because, once he put it in the system, his hands were tied. I guess the LDO (Last day of office) process is pretty streamlined to tie up all the loose ends: halting pay checks, revoking unvested RSUs, stopping medical benefits, revoking user…

They have shipped out the laptop I think you're in good shape. Seems like they might pay you for some down time since the can't set you up right away but you're probably be paid for all.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been laid off?

#370

Post by bryanmgreen »

Basically.

I was actually laid off last year and had been searching for a new gig.

Finally made some progress on finding two companies I really liked and made it to the final interviews. One company’s business is in jeopardy and the other has paused hiring.

If anyone needs a full-stack marketing leader with digital, offline and partnership experience, I’m here! Full or part time at any level or consulting. Let me know!

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