(no subject)

[chipotle]

When I got back from lunch today, I was told four people had been laid off from NetPoodles, including the remaining technical writer, sales person and product manager. (There's a product management team, of sorts, still there, and there's a sales manager, even though now he's not managing anyone.) About an hour after that, I learned there were at least five. Whee!

Even though I've been expecting this, I'm still surprised, somehow. I guess whatever new investment they've gotten wasn't enough to keep going at their existing burn rate. From a business standpoint, the layoffs are probably a rational decision--NetPoodles is in the ironic position of running out of capital just as they're finally in a position to have revenue in their near future. So they have to start jettisoning whatever (and whoever) they can in the hopes of surviving.

I've applied for unemployment online and am now proceeding to have a strong beer, one of a few that a friend gave me at Anthrocon.

More to be written eventually. Maybe a lot more, since I'll have the time for it.

Comments

[joshuwain.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that, Chipotle. I know exactly how that feels... At least the economy (in theory) is picking up. You should have no problem finding work... My hopes are with you!

Yours,
Dave (Sylvan)

[prickvixen.livejournal.com]

Did they have a security officer escort you from the building?

Layoffs

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

I'm really sorry to hear that, Chipotle. Good luck on gearing the job search up to full speed. I'm confident that you'll be able to make this turn of events into an opportunity, somehow or other. Let me know if there's anything I can do.
-'Bee

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

No, They can't afford security officers. :)

[kareem.livejournal.com]

Will you be okay?

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

In the long run, I'm sure I will. In the short term I am expecting interesting times, in many senses of "interesting." We'll see.

[lothie.livejournal.com]

Eep.....I'm sorry to hear this, I mean, they sucked but at least it was employment. I hope you'll be ok. Is there anything we can do?

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

As I've said before, if you're in the Bay Area, you have a place to stay. Give me forewarning (chipuni at hypersurf dot cmm), so we can construct your bed.

You have my deepest sympathies. Good luck.

[chastmastr.livejournal.com]

MILLIONS of HUGS!

Calling you now...

[revar.livejournal.com]

Eeg. My sympathies. I remember going through that, last year. I survived the first round of layoffs, just to be around when the company went away completely three months later. I think the folks who were laid off in the first round were the lucky ones... They were given three months severance pay, at least, and had a clean break. The folks who were left had to pick up the pieces of a broken, depressed company, only to have the company cease to be three months later anyways. We only had two weeks severance, at the end. Hopefully your severance package will be reasonable, as NetPoodles still exists.

Luckily, I picked up a new job after a two month break. There are jobs out there, for qualified folks. It just sometimes takes a bit of looking.

If you need crash space in Si Valley, Tugrik and I could probably arrange something.

[chipotle.livejournal.com]

For NetWolves, two weeks' severance pay is reasonable. I was faintly surprised that I got any, given both the company's finances and their past practices in dealing with employees who were let go. Of course, I think nearly all previous times, they found excuses to treat terminations as being 'with cause'--this is the first time they've had layoffs that were really called that.

Three months' pay definitely sounds nice, but not something I can imagine given my relatively short tenure (17 months). If I recall right, Intermedia's severance package was something like a month for every full year of service.

[impytoes.livejournal.com]

*quiet hugs*