Got laid off last week. The company had raised sufficient funding last year that the CEO stated during All Hands it was near breakeven and had enough runway to last for several years. Last year, a fast riser joined in a managerial capacity and become COO in span of months. They started bringing on their own people (including their child as well as someone they allegedly poached from their last employer) into positions, awarding inflated titles and authority despite lack of relevant experience and objections from hiring teams. A few weeks ago HR was PIPed despite no history of bad performance and then let go, allegedly after bringing up concerns about hiring practices. Weeks later, a few other teams (including mine) were gutted while the individuals brought on by fast riser remained safe. No bad performance reviews or PIPs for these teams, allegedly funding is there. Another employee not in the safe circle was PIPed retroactive to when they started their leave a few weeks back. This just seems pretty shady. I'm early-career and pursuing an advanced degree in addition to working, so expect I should be able to land on my feet relatively soon. I also know tons of more qualified and experienced professionals have been laid off from established companies with hordes of cash, so that's helping me keep perspective. Wondering whether it makes sense to just take the proposed severance package and search for new jobs or if there's any way to push back or even negotiate severance. Others laid off have tried negotiating so far without luck. The lack of agency in this decision (allegedly non-performance based) and the political angle is a bit gritting. I wish I had at least started applying for roles much sooner instead of turning a blind (hehe get it) eye to what was happening. I expect fast riser enabled by leadership to continue filling the company with their people and try to get it acquired. Few things my naive and green self has learned: - always be closing (interviews & job offers) - be careful when selecting/joining startups, culture matters - competent leadership and strong managers matters just as much as IC - be mindful of office politics and when things start looking shady, gtfo - outperform in your role, coast when leaving - get everything in writing Thanks for reading my (perhaps unwarranted) complaints/rambling and I hope it least serves someone some use. TC: 🥜🥜 #hiring #severance #startup #nepotism #tech #layoffs
I agree. This literally happens everywhere and not just in startups. I know a manager who moved from one company to another and literally hired his entire team at the new place. PS. Networking is key sometimes.
You got this right op, your points are good. Stay sharp, stay hirable. This way you’re completely independent and you have real job security, coming from your ability to find a job, not from a company that can lay you off at any time.
Take severance package and leave. But I would raise this with the CEO, and also write a letter to the VCs if the company is small enough. Do not get personal and keep it professional. This will help the company if there are shenanigans going on.
Especially prevalent in certain nationalities.
All of them?
Less in folks brought up developed countries.
good learnings! consider this job a success, you leaned a ton in a single job. except that last one. in writing means nothing.
Did the people who negotiated use employment lawyers. You'd be wise to have any agreement reviewed by a lawyer because people assuming they can somehow do it themselves are pretty naive.
This happens every where mate. Welcome to the real jungle called life 🤦♀️
Bigger companies converge to standard culture. Shit pockets exist of course. Startup, you can have the entire company be bad culture. Or great culture. More variability.