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The Fall of Travis Kalanick

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Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#21

Post by derwiki »

Karunamon wrote: post #19
mLuby wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does to me. Specifically, it says the person either tolerates or contributes to what is widely regarded as one of the most toxic work cultures in software; same goes for Amazon. Up to me to determine whether they're the former or latter. Granted, when they joined and when they left and why makes some difference, but it's still not a great starting place for a candidate.

This reply right here is why I turned down Uber when a recruiter reached out to me. I have no moral qualms about a company that ignores taxi laws, but the irrational reputational damage has been done, no matter how much they cleaned up the workplace. Hiring is already enough of a mind game with without adding "worked for a company the tech press loves to shred every chance they get" to my list of worries.

Do you feel the same way about Zenefits?

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#22

Post by uberemployee »

moxious wrote: post #8
misun78 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Significantly better with Dara who understands the needs for a peacetime ceo. Happy to field any specific questions.

The media has reported on some fairly outrageous cultural excesses. Question -- did you experience these when Kalanick was there? Since Dara showed up, anything specific you can say about what was done and whether it "feels different" and how? In some places the CEO is a distant figurehead, and whatever his or her values, the day-to-day experience is more dominated by your local crew of < 20 people. In other places,…

What do you mean by cultural excesses?

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#23

Post by matte_black »

dawhizkid wrote: post #20
derwiki wrote: post #3

> “Until 2017, you could go into Uber on any given day and half the T-shirts were Uber T-shirts,” says one executive. “They disappeared overnight. People didn’t want to wear Uber stuff.”

Speaking for myself, I worked at Uber in 2015/2016 and did not wear Uber swag in public because I was afraid of awkward encounters with Uber drivers, which happened on several occasions sitting in the car when it somehow became known I was an Uber employee.

Don't companies usually hand out t-shirt swag with their company names on it?

Most of the time that I see someone with a company logo on their shirt I do not readily assume they work at that company.

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#24

Post by maym86 »

autokad wrote: post #16
mLuby wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does to me. Specifically, it says the person either tolerates or contributes to what is widely regarded as one of the most toxic work cultures in software; same goes for Amazon. Up to me to determine whether they're the former or latter. Granted, when they joined and when they left and why makes some difference, but it's still not a great starting place for a candidate.

its good to know you judge people by where they come from and not what they can do / have done.

Seems entirety reasonable to judge on both. A persons impact on your company is not just what they can do but also how they behave.

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#25

Post by uberemployee »

heymijo wrote: post #15
misun78 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Significantly better with Dara who understands the needs for a peacetime ceo. Happy to field any specific questions.

Have you had any experience with Frances Frei? She seems to be a unique talent who seems genuine from her interviews. I'm curious how she is viewed within Uber and what impact she may be having.

FF is great. She is leading online courses for all Uber employees about business strategy and culture from real Harvard professors. It’s very educational for everyone.

It’s a very unique opportunity for us because she is an expert on what makes companies great. Not just culturally but business strategy too. Having her as a key member of the team is an advantage that t companies don’t have because whereas other people are figuring things out on their own, she actually studied it and taught it.

I hope she stays a long time to help mold this company into one of the greatest companies.

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#26

Post by ryguytilidie »

autokad wrote: post #16
mLuby wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does to me. Specifically, it says the person either tolerates or contributes to what is widely regarded as one of the most toxic work cultures in software; same goes for Amazon. Up to me to determine whether they're the former or latter. Granted, when they joined and when they left and why makes some difference, but it's still not a great starting place for a candidate.

its good to know you judge people by where they come from and not what they can do / have done.

Actually, it sounds exactly like he's judging people based on what they "have done".

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#27

Post by panarky »

derwiki wrote: post #9
spaceflunky wrote: post #6

What's it like to show up to work at Uber? Do people just sit there miserably while they constantly remind themselves that a "big payday" is on the way like some kind of perverse mantra? What if the pay day never comes? How will it look when your resume says you stayed at Uber well after everything has been revealed?

I don't think it looks bad on a resume. Anecdotally, all of the candidates I've interviewed who work at Uber presently have been quite good.

When I see Uber on a resume I have to ask more questions to get comfortable that I'm not hiring an asshole.

Uber has many good, decent people, but there is definitely some guilt by association.

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#28

Post by Karunamon »

derwiki wrote: post #21
Karunamon wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This reply right here is why I turned down Uber when a recruiter reached out to me. I have no moral qualms about a company that ignores taxi laws, but the irrational reputational damage has been done, no matter how much they cleaned up the workplace. Hiring is already enough of a mind game with without adding "worked for a company the tech press loves to shred every chance they get" to my list of worries.

Do you feel the same way about Zenefits?

No, but I wouldn't work for them for completely different reasons.

Re: The Fall of Travis Kalanick

#30

Post by xyzzy_plugh »

panarky wrote: post #27
derwiki wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it looks bad on a resume. Anecdotally, all of the candidates I've interviewed who work at Uber presently have been quite good.

When I see Uber on a resume I have to ask more questions to get comfortable that I'm not hiring an asshole. Uber has many good, decent people, but there is definitely some guilt by association.

For what it's worth, I do the same -- except for Google and Apple , employees, and also anywhere else.

Guilt by association is just you being naive.

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