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Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

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Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meh, that's a completely arbitrary measure and flippant at best. He has no control over what his successors do, or their strategy. I, and many many others, prefer to judge him by how he handled the company when he actually had control over it.

I didn't come up with it. It is the yardstick that he suggested we use to measure his performance :) And it's a well-known issue with executive compensation that CEOs will juice numbers in the short-term to get their payouts which is likely why he proposed this as a measure of his performance.

Yes, I know. But it's a nonsensical way to measure it. Is sounds like something he said flippantly without thinking about what that meant, because it's meaningless.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#212
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Want to help fight COVID-19? Here's us: https://curativeinc.com/ Here's me: maddox@curativeinc.com We do testing, all aspects. They're oral swabs, which greatly reduces the barrier for many people who could get tested: They don't want a swab so far up their nose it feels like it's scraping their brain. We build the software for the full-stack of testing from managing drivethrough sites with healthcare workers, full l…

sounds really good. I am curious, what tech stack do you use?

Typescript/React Flask/Python postgres + redis terraform

Also building out a data science team—idk what the preferred stack is there.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but do you feel the same way about AirBNB, Google, Facebook, Apple, every major auto manufacturer, Tesla, Amazon, and myriad of other companies that behave in unethical ways? I can't think of a single tech company that hasn't engaged in some eye brow raising behavior. There was even some controversy with YCombinator funding a fantasy sports betting company.

I'm a little more nuanced in my analysis than the GP, but yes, I do feel that way in some degree about all the companies you mention, and how the employees have some incremental responsibility for the bad those companies do. Offered rents in Vancouver have dropped 15% since the pandemic took hold and AirBnB became a dead business for a bunch of mini-hoteliers. If you helped build that software, then I hold you a litt…

Are you sure it's AirBNB, or the general economy dropping? RE values and rents as a knock on result have been dropping everywhere as demand ($$$ to pay for rent) has dropped globally as peoples jobs are lost and people move in with their parents or similar and drop leases fairly suddenly.

When you really research how much AirBNB is part of a housing market, it's minuscule. One or 3 condo buildings can usually cover whatever supply AirBNB put into alternative demand markets. AirBNB is a convenient scapegoat in most markets, because it diverts attention from building more supply and all the NIMBYs blocking it.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#215

Hmm wonder why they announced it on a Monday instead of a Friday?

What is the line of reasoning that favors a Friday for layoffs?

There are several, one is that you can time it with payroll, so your last day is the end of the current payroll period, just makes it neat for accounting purposes.

Another is that if the company doesn't want the media to pick up the "bad news", Friday is the best time to do it because it'll get lost over the weekend when it's reported on.

And finally, there's less worry about retaliation from disgruntled employees if they have the weekend to calm down over being let go.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason why software companies don't generally hire contract software developers rather than bringing them on as FTEs is that they're less effective . Software development is a high-communication, high-trust activity; it's very helpful to be able to explicitly direct and manage the activities of your workforce, because otherwise they don't produce anything useful. For specific tasks that don't need to be high-trus…

I think the even bigger risk with getting a job at Uber will be that some of the future employers may not be willing to consider you due to sketchy reputation Uber has as a company.

Not a thing I’ve ever considered on a hiring front unless you’re famous as a sexual harasser or for pulling a Damore. Literally never heard of anyone doing this either.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#217

I was let go today from Uber. If anyone is looking for a Frontend/Fullstack with 7yoe. I'm here :) Find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-lawrence-b77400b8/

what's the worst way to contact you?

Smoke signals from the house across the street.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#219
post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>have a car mental model. I suspect buying a reasonable used compact car is much more financially prudent than using Uber as you means of transportation. Maybe the calculus flips in a dense city like NYC but there's no way people who commute every day with Uber are doing so for cheaper than actually owning a car.

Buying a reasonable used compact car probably costs around 2000$ minimum. And a 2000$ car, no matter how nice, has the potential to require much more $$$ in maintenance when things start breaking. Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't have $2000 and these people are also the same ones who can't get anyone to lend them money.

This is not some let them eat cake thing, frankly I think people with your pov are actually the ones saying that.

How much would it actually cost to commute 20-30 minutes to and from work in an Uber? $40 a day? More? Let's just say its 40 and you strictly commute during the week so that's $200 a week or 800 a month. Even with bad credit or no credit you would be able to save for a car rapidly. The $2000 car would only take 10 weeks to pay for fully in cash and the savings of 800$ per month could easily cover maintenance.

My point is if you can afford to use Uber as your sole means of transportation you can surely afford your own car and the people who can't are using subways or Buses. It's pretty simple, people who are struggling aren't using Uber very often.

Re: Uber cuts 3000 more jobs, closes 45 offices

#220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but do you feel the same way about AirBNB, Google, Facebook, Apple, every major auto manufacturer, Tesla, Amazon, and myriad of other companies that behave in unethical ways? I can't think of a single tech company that hasn't engaged in some eye brow raising behavior. There was even some controversy with YCombinator funding a fantasy sports betting company.

I'm a little more nuanced in my analysis than the GP, but yes, I do feel that way in some degree about all the companies you mention, and how the employees have some incremental responsibility for the bad those companies do. Offered rents in Vancouver have dropped 15% since the pandemic took hold and AirBnB became a dead business for a bunch of mini-hoteliers. If you helped build that software, then I hold you a litt…

I get your point, but any culpability on their part should not cause us to withhold compassion and empathy to a person losing their livelihood.

Being laid off sucks.

I can't imagine what it's like to be laid off during the worst economic period in US history since the great depression, AND to have people bag on you because you were employed by a company they didn't agree with.

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