Well, new life experience for me. I took a job at a startup in the ed tech field around 3 years ago. Yesterday, I found out that that time was coming to an end. Around 25% of employees were laid off (300ish out of 1200ish) including me and my entire team.
They're venture-capital funded, and while I wasn't entirely surprised that layoffs were coming given some pretty rough financial headwinds this year, I wasn't at all expecting them to just cut my entire function. Kind of surreal.
I knew that startups were notoriously shaky when it comes to stability, and though it sucks to see it come to an end so abruptly, I suppose it's nice to have made a lot of money off of a bunch of investors. The severance package is, honestly, kind of crazy (4 months pay + 6 months paid health insurance + my laptop + free online classes + a plethora of job placement services). Thanks, VC funds!
In the end, I don't regret anything, but it's a very weird feeling to be out of a job for the first time since I was probably 14. It's hard to know what to do with myself, though I figure my "job" becomes job hunting...next week.
No need for sympathy - I'm actually kind of excited to look for something new. I'll at least have plenty of time to try and fail to fix my shit over the summer. :-) [Reply]
Just kidding, sorry to hear that dude. Glad to see you get a good severance package though to help keep you on your feet till you find something new. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bowser:
Very sorry to hear this, but congrats!
I'll feel better about it once I figure out what's next, but in a way, I actually do feel like contrats are in order here. I look at it this way - everyone who's left DIDN'T get a 4-month bonus, and now they all have to do 33% more work while I get to relax at home.
Sorry to hear. From everything I have read from you, you sounds like a pretty stand up, and intelligent dude. I am sure you won't be unemployed for long. That being said, enjoy the small break.
I am in a similar situation. Back in January, I learned that my entire department was being let go effective 2nd week of March. About 15 of us automated ourselves out of a job. Got a fat severance, and a ton of free time. Caught up on some fishing, and goofing off and annoying my wife. I start my new job on the 1st of June. Different field, but will transfer back into my field when the position opens back up. My wife is happy I won't be bugging her as much now... [Reply]
I was laid off from Harley Davidson with a similar package and I'll give you one head of warning: if you have any vices now is the time to be aware of those.
"Coke and strippers". You will not be the first nor the last. Free time with lots of money is the devil's playground. [Reply]
Look at this smug son of a bitch bragging about getting lai.......oh. Look at this smug son of a bitch bragging about getting paid to be a freeloader. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
I'll feel better about it once I figure out what's next, but in a way, I actually do feel like contrats are in order here. I look at it this way - everyone who's left DIDN'T get a 4-month bonus, and now they all have to do 33% more work while I get to relax at home.
Sounds like you're smart so you can land on your feet, but I've heard that the job market in tech is in bad shape. A tech-hostile congress passed legislation in 2023 that now includes R&D (software development, it) as just part of profits. So it' can't be written off. So companies have had to lay off armies of tech workers. I'd be hitting the pavement pretty hard. China does the opposite (100% of R&D is tax free) and their tech scene is growing without bounds. [Reply]
