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Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

freshtechapps.com

31–40 of 51 posts

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#31

The article uses an interesting phrase "[BC] has been accused of poaching [employees]". As if competition on the buyer-side of the labor market was morally suspect... Steve Jobs would have approved of the sentiment!

I think in this case, it's just a literary device to make the text more interesting. At least it's more credible to me than a conspiration about manipulating the tech masses into disliking poaching.

Whatever the intention, it's still a very biased perspective - the fact that the bias is so subtle is what makes it even worse.

There's nothing to accuse - nobody's doing anything illegal or even unethical. A more appropriate line would be "[BC] has previously succeeded in hiring talent away from Google[0]", etc. "Accused" is the objectionable word - you generally don't accuse someone of something positive or commonplace.

It's similar to the effect when newspapers have headlines on how "Snowden's actions" have caused people to be more suspicious of the government. (His actions aren't the reason people are suspicious; they're just the reason people know about the facts that are what really make them suspicious)

[0] or, if they want to keep the word "poach" since the pun is part of the story, "[BC] has previously succeeded in poaching talent away from Google", etc.

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would think the allusion is rooted in hunting, where poaching is taking something you don't have a right to take.

I disagree with you both because as the GGP said, companies don't own employees. In the business world I see poaching as hiring a person who you learned about solely through their employment at the company in question.

My reply was to phrasing in the GP comment that has since changed (It talked about poaching being a literary allusion to dating or marriage).

I definitely think some business use of the word poaching is intended to stir up the idea that some sort of trespass has occurred, but language also tends to like such cute usages (regardless of the presence of an underlying agenda).

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#34
The recruiter of Bigcommerce, Steve Donnelly, will ask the guys waiting for the Facebook bus whether they were interested in changing the world of e-commerce. But to his disappointment, many of them replied no.

Obviously, they are going to reply that in a situation where they are together with their co-workers.

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#35

I have no issues with companies courting employees from other companies; it shifts the power balance a bit back towards the individual for a change. I am, however, a little put off by the term "poached", which BigCommerce is actively using in their campaign. It implies the sentiment that these people are simply a quarry being hunted as a prize rather people, of their own free will, deciding that the grass is greener…

Is using the word "poached" just a joke since they are handing out poached egg sandwiches?

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#36

The article uses an interesting phrase "[BC] has been accused of poaching [employees]". As if competition on the buyer-side of the labor market was morally suspect... Steve Jobs would have approved of the sentiment!

The mugs of coffee they're handing out say #poached on them along with their URL. They're serving poached egg sandwiches. http://www.freshtechapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Eggs...

It's not the article, it's the company themselves.

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#37

I have no issues with companies courting employees from other companies; it shifts the power balance a bit back towards the individual for a change. I am, however, a little put off by the term "poached", which BigCommerce is actively using in their campaign. It implies the sentiment that these people are simply a quarry being hunted as a prize rather people, of their own free will, deciding that the grass is greener…

I think they used it, in part, to make a pun. Because BigCommerce offers them free poached egg sandwiches.

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think in this case, it's just a literary device to make the text more interesting. At least it's more credible to me than a conspiration about manipulating the tech masses into disliking poaching.

Whatever the intention, it's still a very biased perspective - the fact that the bias is so subtle is what makes it even worse. There's nothing to accuse - nobody's doing anything illegal or even unethical. A more appropriate line would be "[BC] has previously succeeded in hiring talent away from Google[0]", etc. "Accused" is the objectionable word - you generally don't accuse someone of something positive or commonp…

Maybe it's just me, but when I read that accusing tone, I saw that as a tongue in cheek.

Like a fake news coverage for a super villain.

Or perhaps I'm super blind for not seeing the obvious attempt at discrediting the practice.

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#39
post #34

The recruiter of Bigcommerce, Steve Donnelly, will ask the guys waiting for the Facebook bus whether they were interested in changing the world of e-commerce. But to his disappointment, many of them replied no. Obviously, they are going to reply that in a situation where they are together with their co-workers.

Are you saying there are people out there that want to change the world of e-commerce? Maybe someone who owns a large share of an e-commerce firm will feel this way. Some guy waiting for the bus to go to work to pay the bills definitely does not give a shit about changing e-commerce. A more apropos question is to ask if the person wants to become financially secure quickly and not have to take the bus to work every morning. Alas, there's no company that makes that as a goal for its employees.

Re: Startup Uses Eggs to Poach Employees from Facebook, Google

#40
I don't think they're poaching anybody. I'm looking for a new job and this company has been posting the most ridiculous, desperate ads on Craigslist.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eng/

Y work for 1 startup, work for 50K - Software Eng (PHP, Ruby) Product

Are you down with OLTP?- Database Engineer (MySql, Innodb)

Are you SaaS-y enough? - System Engineer (Linux, Perl, PHP, Ruby)

Are you ob-cess!d?- Front End Engineer (HTML, CSS, Javascript)

Engineers: Last day to RSVP here for Happy Hour at our new SoMa digs!

Engineers: RSVP here for our Happy Hour at our new SoMa digs!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/web/index100.html

Rich and Sexy- Front End Engineer (HTML, CSS, Javascript)

The headlines are horrible.

The postings are horrible...

  We are SoMa's hottest new startup and we are building a team of badass engineers to help us take the world's fastest growing e-commerce solution to the next level.
The image (which doesn't show anyone working) is horrible...

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a605/Bigcommerce/CL-Ad2_...

The recruiting video (with swearing!) is horrible...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uibkWc26MgQ&hd=1

These guys have been posting this crap nonstop on Craigslist for a while so I'm not surprised at all to see them trolling bus stops.

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