I was just recently offered a position of Software Engineer with the Yahoo Mail team doing Android development in Kotlin in Sunnyvale, CA. And I’m slated to start in early January. Today is actually the last day for me to accept it as I was given the official offer two days ago and they said it expires within 2 days. It’s 125k base (after negotiation from 120) 10k signing 60k vesting over 3 years in Verizon stock But I’m hesitant in accepting it. For the following reasons(I was given verbal offer at a late night yahoo event that was held during a tech conference ); 1. Even though there was onsite hiring at this conference , when I wen to this company’s happy hour (was late at night), I didn’t know I was being interviewed. I pretty much got ambushed and put in a room answered some simple questions. 2. The interview itself was barely technical, I was asked how to implement infinite scroll and some technical questions about the difference between redux and mobx. 3. At that event, the other people who attended could smell the desperation of the company. 4. They’re having me do Android Development in Kotlin after I had explicitly said all my mobile development experience is in React Native and I’d like to stick to React Native. I have absolutely no interest in android development. 5. Recruiter came in and told me that I had 3 days to accept offer but once I told her than I was interviewing at other places she gave me until the end of month. 6. The recruiter was really really trying to sell me on the job. I kept hearing how great the team was and how “surprised” she was they found a candidate. I’ve been looking for a job since August of last year and during that time I’ve had six Silicon Valley onsites(Facebook, Yahoo but another position, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Oculus and Yelp) with more interviews to come , so I don’t wanna shoot myself in the foot by not taking a reasonable offer but I also don’t want to travel to the opposite coast of the country for a job I could potentially hate. I actually just quit my job (3 weeks ago) because I had no more PTO days and could no longer work from home bc our team members were leaving. Can anyone who currently works here or on the Yahoo Mail team give insight into what it’s like to work there? Not sure if it’s clear but I’m no longer with vanguard , I quit it a month ago , 18 hours before I received this offer in the post
Assuming you didn’t take this job and no Big offers came what’s the backup plan? I’ll advise taking job since you don’t have any job currently. Keep looking in parallel. Yahoo is still better brand than Vanguard. Best of luck.
I don’t know .... yeah I quit vanguard a month ago and 18 hours later I got yahoo. I’ve only been unemployed for a month so I still got savings and I’m not super desperate.
In my experience don’t get to that point where you feel super desperate. Have a backup plan.
If you don’t plan to applying to Yahoo in the future, then take it and set start date end of Jan or later. Then if one of your other interviews goes well, renege you initial acceptance.
That’s what I was thinking of doing, but my start date is a HARD early January. They actually wanted me to start next week but I couldn’t, I’m leaning on declining all together because if I accept that means I have to do it for a year
if you’re moving across the country and they’re paying the relocation costs, you may be better off continuing looking; otherwise they may make you pay the costs incurred for your relocation.
Don't go there. Yahoo is slowly turning into Verizon since the acquisition. Everything is going down hill. Morale is terrible. Executive churn is massive. They have had 3 ceos in 3 years and verizon execs are gradually being installed as others leave which is eroding the culture. Perks/benefits getting progressively worse since the acquisition. Don't even get me started with the yahoo vs AOL rivalry. Just keep leetcoding and find something better.
Yeah I’ve heard this company is going down the toilet and by the way they hired me kinda reflects that. I really don’t want to move on the opposite coast just to have a job like my Last one (which I DESPISED)
Agreed. We need to stop giving offers to anyone who shows up to our minority recruiting events.
if you don't have a backup at the moment take it, keep practicing and keep applying
Take it and keep looking.
Yeah but I’ll be moving on the other side of the country as I’m currently in the east coast. Do companies care if you leave another place after like 6-7 months?
They do not if you had a good reason why. Avg software engg tenure in silicon valley is 2 years.
Is there a reason you want to be in East Coast vs. moving to California? You said this more than once. If location is the deal breaker for you, why are you even asking for advice. You seem to be not convinced despite some good advice. First Vanguard is not a technical company to have on your resume. Second you don’t have a backup plan. Third, you are asking whether it matters if you leave in 5-6 months. If you are so committed to not accept the offer, I believe you have a lot of pre conceived notions and in IMHO, you are wasting everyone’s time here by asking for advice. You seem to be not open for the fact that it’s much better name on the resume than Vanguard. Work for 1 year and move on, if you like CA.
I quit vanguard a month ago I’m currently unemployed. And I WANT to move to CA but I want to move there for a job I’m excited for and see myself at for the long term.
Then take this opportunity, come here and then start searching for another role that excites you. Companies over here prefer you to be local here. Verizon is not the company to work for the long term. 1 yr max is ok. If you are an engineer, with your experience, no one cares if you leave in 6 months. People know the environment at Verizon
Accept it. Work there until you find a better job. This is the best of all the worlds I think. A friend of mine got 11/11 rejections. Do don't count on interviews that are lined up. It might take a lot longer to find an ideal job and you don't want to burn all your savings. Yahoo would look much better as a current job for future companies than vanguard. Company not doing good- is a great reason to convince the future employer even if you have to switch within a couple of months.
11 onsites? I just feel like if I can get all these interviews without yahoo on my resume, why take a job I’ll hate with the intention of getting more interviews. I feel like yahoo won’t make me prepared for more interviews or even get me much more than I’m getting right now.
6 onsite, 5 phone. You are right, but there is a chance that work might be good as well. With more experience, it would be a bit easier to talk through the interview. You have more stories to share. Secondly, gap in resume is taken as negative. Beyond a point, that might create issues too. You will be taken more seriously when you are on job vs you are unemployed.
Why are you even asking? You clearly don't want to accept the offer. I think that's foolish but do what you want
You right , I can’t waste a year of my life doing nothing
How are things are Vanguard by the way? I guess they probably don't pay particularly well because it's a cooperative? I would say there is a lot of SWE work to be done there, through. The website and apps are pretty shit, currently.
Disclaimer, I don’t work there. 1. Who uses Yahoo Mail anymore? Any yahoo email account you come across was probably comprised at some point. 2. If the interview was too easy, then the people that you work with will probably be mediocre.