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Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

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Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#31

Post by techwraith »

mindstab wrote: post #24
brown9-2 wrote: post #6

Does Yammer have similar policies against hiring people from Apple, Microsoft, or Oracle? This reeks of publicity-seeking.

Also this is the first time I've heard of Yammer, while Yahoo is big and old. Is this even a likely occurrence? Have they had or hired many or any yahoo ex employees in the past? Headline read to me "Small no name startup says they won't hire employees from huge company that's also never heard of them" Seems all about the publicity.

Yammer as a company has almost 300 employees, just raised an $85 million round, is growing like crazy, and has (a lot of) real revenue. Hardly a "small no name startup".

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#32

Post by bullseye »

encoderer wrote: post #5
brooknam wrote: post #4

This goes a bit far. I am sure there are fine folks at Yahoo who have achieved seniority that they need to support their families. They may object to how the company does business, but can't just walk away job. Is the hiring situation in the Valley really so intense that anyone could find new work in 60 days?

Any talented engineer, yes. So either you're soulless and refuse to leave, or you're incompetent and you're scared to leave. Either way, not hiring them seems fair to me.

>> So either you're soulless and refuse to leave, or you're incompetent and you're scared to leave

So... in your world, everyone (not soulless and incompetent) is currently employed where they agree 100% with the direction and vision of the company as dictated by management. If, sometime in the future, they don't agree with management decisions, their only course of action is to give notice and leave. Pensions, security, and seniority be damned. Since they must also do this within 60 days (more than enough time according to Yammer), having another job lined up is not guaranteed either.

Maybe I missed the part where Yammer would automatically hire ex-Yahoo employees on the spot, at the same pay-rate and bonus structure, if they quit within 60 days?

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#33

Post by shingen »

While it's a perfectly fine choice to ostracize Yahoo for their actions, Yammer's CEO is going to end up looking like little more than a hypocrite at the least, and maybe a dipshit, if he doesn't apply the same rules to all companies equally based on behavior.

The odds the CEO will apply the same rule to all other companies acting with patent belligerence? Approximately zero. They'd need a substantial piece of tracking software just to attempt it, and then it'd be down to subjective whim as to which company employees deserves to be 'punished'.

Lame.

Here's what it's equivalent to intellectually (using an extreme example to frame it): Joseph Stalin was evil, therefore everyone in the USSR was evil; never allow anyone from the USSR to immigrate.

Sometimes it's not so simple as to pack up and leave your job when, say, you have children and a family to look out for or any number of a zillion other considerations in life (which is already hard enough in general). Really makes me think the CEO is a serious jerkwad.

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#35

Post by potatolicious »

brown9-2 wrote: post #27
motoford wrote: post #13

I thought his statement was over the top at first, but after I read the article I say good for him for standing up for what he thinks is right. We all know that this patent nonsense has got to stop. There is nobody building any app anywhere that does not violate some patent. The only way we are surviving is by being under the radar. Let's not forgive Yahoo for this like we forgave Amazon. I'm especially pissed at Yah…

But there is a difference between punishing the company management that made the decision and employees that had nothing to do with the decision.

If my employer suddenly got into the business of mulching orphans for fertilizer, I'd consider it my personal responsibility to quit/move on as soon as possible.

Yahoo employees should get no blame for decisions they didn't make, but they do have to bear the responsibility for tacitly condoning this behavior. Considering the current job market for software engineers in the Bay Area, the whole "but I need to pay rent" argument doesn't even hold water.

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#36

Post by moocow01 »

This tactic leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. Yes patent abuse needs to be dealt with, yes Yahoo is now apart of the abuse and it is sad. But firing a rocket at Yahoo employees by telling them they need uproot their lives or otherwise they will be black listed from employment, with hopes that other companies will follow along is disgusting and says more about Yammer than Yahoo.

Look, yes Yahoo needs to take it in the chin as well as their decision makers and true owners. Regular employees even with their stock options are for all intensive purposes not owners. Employees all have unique individual situations (H1B, mortgages, etc etc) and they will leave when the situation is right for them. Weaponizing hiring is just as pitiful as weaponizing patents.

Find another way to do it.

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#37

Post by tobtoh »

What a ridiculous statement from a CEO. I sympathise with the issue he's trying to draw attention to, but his hysterical over the top utterance doesn't reflect positively on him as a CEO. The last thing I want in my CEO is someone who seeks to vilify those who had nothing to do with bad decisions, or judges people in such black and white terms.

This reeks of publicity seeking - which reflects even more poorly on the CEO. He's willing to vilify innocent workers to promote his company - so not only does he exhibit poor judgement, he's also unethical.

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#38

Post by jordibunster »

mindstab wrote: post #24
brown9-2 wrote: post #6

Does Yammer have similar policies against hiring people from Apple, Microsoft, or Oracle? This reeks of publicity-seeking.

Also this is the first time I've heard of Yammer, while Yahoo is big and old. Is this even a likely occurrence? Have they had or hired many or any yahoo ex employees in the past? Headline read to me "Small no name startup says they won't hire employees from huge company that's also never heard of them" Seems all about the publicity.

I know of at least three (great) people here at Yammer that we previously hired from Yahoo.

Re: Yammer CEO won't hire anyone from Yahoo who doesn't quit in next 60 days

#39

Post by robryan »

encoderer wrote: post #5
brooknam wrote: post #4

This goes a bit far. I am sure there are fine folks at Yahoo who have achieved seniority that they need to support their families. They may object to how the company does business, but can't just walk away job. Is the hiring situation in the Valley really so intense that anyone could find new work in 60 days?

Any talented engineer, yes. So either you're soulless and refuse to leave, or you're incompetent and you're scared to leave. Either way, not hiring them seems fair to me.

Maybe that "soulless" programmer is enjoying their job working on interesting tech, far removed from the actions of upper management.
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