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Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

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Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#251

Post by yCombLinks »

Yoric wrote: post #226
woofcat wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know many companies that do select whole teams, but it's also cleaning house time and the lowest performer from a previously non-impacted team will be included as laying off is easier than firing depending on where in the world you are.

Regardless, in absence of information, you cannot conclude that someone who was laid off was an underperformer. It can just as well be a member of a team who was considered lower-priority and disbanded.

He's describing a general bias that absolutely exists, whether it's always accurate is unrelated.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#252

Post by webosdude »

I think there should have been a poll for this question to quickly gauge. 1. When people were laid off? A. Before Q4 2022 B. Q4 2022 C. Q1 2023 E. My job is fine 2. Were you able to find a job? A. Yes B. No 3. How long did it take to find job? A. 6 months 4. How many offers did you get? A. 1 B. 2-3 C. 4+

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#253

Post by giantg2 »

sharemywin wrote: post #244
giantg2 wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"they'd be willing to take anything." That would apply to me too. I have 10 years in the industry but have been underpaid and have a family. My current plan if I get fired is to work at Walmart or Lowes until I can find another job.

pretty sure unemployment pays better than walmart.

If you're fired, unemployment doesn't pay you anything. My company generally won't layoff and instead finds reasons to fire people.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#254

Post by JSavageOne »

titanomachy wrote: post #177
jaxomlotus wrote: post #66

Here's the flip side: I was hiring (at a stealth vc-funded startup). I reached out to every designer and coder laid off from Twitter and Amazon (one of my investors sent me a spreadsheet that those laid off folks added their contact info to). I didn't receive a single interested response to my reach outs. Now granted, I'm sure they were bombarded with lots of startup offers and being picky what company/stage they wer…

I’m a low-senior engineer recently laid off. I got lots of emails like that and politely declined. I have a bit over four months of severance pay. For the moment, I’m enjoying other fulfilling activities as well as spending some time upgrading my tech skills through independent study. I’ve considered some startups, but it seems like it’s often difficult to enforce boundaries on work… I benefit a lot from being able t…

> Also, I have a hard time getting objective information about the work culture at startups.

Yes this is a big problem as you have no idea what you're signing up with startups. Maybe the founder expects you to work 12 hours/day and constantly be available, maybe they will fire you a month before your equity vesting, or just randomly fire you one day despite having never given any negative feedback. I've seen all of this at startups, and there is zero accountability. Last time it happened to me I wasn't even offered any severance.

If anyone is considering working for a startup, please do your due diligence. Do not be naive and think that because the founders are very friendly and their startup is backed by YC that they are a good place to work and won't fire you the second they have any doubts about you (personally I'll never work as a full-time employee for a startup going through YC ever again, but that's a story for another day).

Going forward if I'm ever thinking about working for a startup, I will reach out to employees, and ideally ex-employees, to get the inside scoop on what the founders are really like behind the smoke & mirrors.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#255

Post by badpun »

georgeecollins wrote: post #237
ryandrake wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Furthermore, some very senior employees are in this boat: They kinda have enough savings to just retire, but were hanging on to their jobs to save maybe 10% more or whatever. Now that they're out of a job they are simply saying "Whelllp, I guess I'm now retired." and not really feeling the need to look anymore. I know someone who refused a forced return to office, and when his company tried to call his bluff, he just…

>> were hanging on to their jobs to save maybe 10% more or whatever The amount of wealth all people need is constant. It is 1.5 x whatever they have today.

Crap, this fits me exactly.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#256

Post by giantg2 »

sumeno wrote: post #242
giantg2 wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"they'd be willing to take anything." That would apply to me too. I have 10 years in the industry but have been underpaid and have a family. My current plan if I get fired is to work at Walmart or Lowes until I can find another job.

If you're underpaid and employed the now is the time to look for that new job, not after you're fired and working at Walmart

I was underpaid. Now my skills have atrophied to match my low pay. Only about 17 years until I can "retire". I'll probably end up working at Walmart in retirement anyways.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#257

Post by Yoric »

whstl wrote: post #236
Yoric wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of curiosity, any offer in Haskell?

Unfortunately not yet! However I did talk with some recruiters that wanted me to work with Clojure and Elixir, despite not having written a single line in them, purely because I knew Haskell. Which is kinda interesting because years ago I noticed some resistance from companies in hiring Senior/Principal/Staff in languages other than their main.

Yeah, I did notice more open minds.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#258

Post by Yoric »

yCombLinks wrote: post #251
Yoric wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless, in absence of information, you cannot conclude that someone who was laid off was an underperformer. It can just as well be a member of a team who was considered lower-priority and disbanded.

He's describing a general bias that absolutely exists, whether it's always accurate is unrelated.

Fair enough.

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#259

Post by bedobi »

millerm wrote: post #214
bugbuddy wrote: post #17

I was a senior dev at a big tech and got laid off in November. I have applied to hundreds of places. Not a lot of responses. I have been doing interview preps the whole time. It has been very demoralizing and I am thinking of switching careers to something else. I have been considering skilled trades. I like carpentry in particular.

I've been doing this stuff for decades. It has become an unbearable career. It's too late for me in life to change it as there are other circumstances that have made certain paths impossible for me to do. I'm screwed. Meanwhile, the uppers keep getting paid more and more while I get tossed. I honestly believe this is my final year on this planet.

Call 988, this is no joking matter

Re: Ask HN: Laid off folks, are you getting hired?

#260

Post by georgeecollins »

millerm wrote: post #214
bugbuddy wrote: post #17

I was a senior dev at a big tech and got laid off in November. I have applied to hundreds of places. Not a lot of responses. I have been doing interview preps the whole time. It has been very demoralizing and I am thinking of switching careers to something else. I have been considering skilled trades. I like carpentry in particular.

I've been doing this stuff for decades. It has become an unbearable career. It's too late for me in life to change it as there are other circumstances that have made certain paths impossible for me to do. I'm screwed. Meanwhile, the uppers keep getting paid more and more while I get tossed. I honestly believe this is my final year on this planet.

>> I honestly believe this is my final year on this planet.

You are obviously an intelligent person who is entertaining some unhealthy thoughts. Many people have felt the way you feel-- it happens. But you need to seek therapy or the council of someone you trust to put your problems in perspective. Your life is precious even if it doesn't feel that way right now.

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