Thread regarding VMware layoffs

Now that you are gone, the company is much better so I decided to stay a little longer!

Checks YTD on latest pay stub. Almost $300k

because they pay well, my colleagues are great, and I have work to do

The holiday brunch was pretty nice today in Palo Alto!

I recently got a gig in renewals, I'm a few months in. I want to get at least 12 months of experience before moving on. But even then, I think renewals is in a good position.. but obviously we won't know until we know, so basically just getting some experience down.. before looking around. I also have no kids or mortgage, so just paying down debt and saving up that $$

I'm paid a lot money, not micro managed and I'm responsible for major programs. My manager has always treated me fairly and I will stay until the end.

The work is fun and unique. Things have slowed down a bit so now there is more time to focus on projects that matter more to me.

There are very few positions doing this work in the rest of the industry. Those that are doing it are paying less money or having lower TC.

There is still a strong people-first culture at VMW that isn't found at many orgs.

Of course, all this varies per person. Generic code monkeys can find good jobs in many places, but those at the top of their game are getting more of an opportunity to ignore the cruft and focus on the good stuff.

@iiq+1kaRMHIt
I personally prefer to advance my skills by reading/watching courses/making side projects (in order to stay competitive on the market) and stay at vmware than take a pay cut and work something that will not help advancing my career. But I also don't have children, mortgages etc so my situation is a bit different

I can explain why to my spouse, mentor, career advisor, or close friend.

Way to go at improving your own situation, though.

Maybe all those 30% pay cuts are what the reality of the market is paying, and ultimately why VMware is being taken to the backyard for its Old Yeller demise. Have you considered a side hustle to make up the gap like being an Uber driver or picking out groceries for people too lazy to go to the store?

I work a pretty entry-level job. I have interviewed other places and they are nowhere near the pay I make now. That would be a 30k cut. No thanks. I'll stick around and collect until they cut me loose.

Wherever I interviewed, they offered me a pay cut. I'm pretty fine right now to do some slacking off and still get paid. Just stacking some cash right now and waiting for some RSU's to vest. Also my country has some nice laws that protect the workers from harsh layoffs like giving 4 gross salaries to anyone who they lay off.

Check your privilege

Give me a f'n break.

For some it may be:
Visas, need your new employer to transfer it and that takes time and money
Employment based green card, until you reach a certain point in that process if you change employers you have to start again and not every person has enough time left to do that
Healthcare, may have family that need on going care and the US is still in denial over disconnecting healthcare from employment

Those reasons may also be why some didn't leave Twitter.

Check your privilege.

When I was in the military, I served with a guy who claimed he was 5000 years old. Seriously 5000 years old. He told me he had been in armies, navies, all of those, all around the world, for centuries.

He said the best and safest place to be was in a large, chaotic institution. Lots of benefits, not a lot of risk. And because the organization is so bureaucratic and disorganized, a man can carve out his own little space and just get paid to really not do much; and can do so for years without the officers knowing.

A very smart man, he was.

It’s good that your own life has improved since leaving but entreating ‘all’ to leave to is perhaps just satisfying your own itch to see a company you maybe hold some bitterness towards burn. Maybe it’s worth considering your own motives for encouraging people to leave their employment.

Will there be a ‘culling’ once the acquisition happens? Of course! How deep the cuts will go only a very small number of people know the answer to that and certainly no one who posts here!

Will there by the usual January layoffs? Most likely, we’ve not really had a serious adjustment for a couple of years so one is due especially with current economic outlook.

Acquisition, Layoffs and redundancy are unfortunately part of the ‘life’ in the tech industry and it’s important to understand and accept that fact. You could jump ship and find yourself in exactly the same situation at another company, the FAANG companies haven’t exactly been safe havens the last few months have they?

Everyone staying is doing so for their own personal reasons, based on their own comfort level and assessment of risk, and they’re mostly making that decision based on the facts they know not on guesswork, emotion or knee jerk reactivity.

1. I like my job
2. VMware pays high, I’d be taking a paycut
3. There isn’t really much that interests me right now
4. I’d like to see what happens. I can get a new job later if needed
5. I have over a years salary in savings so I’ll be ok if it takes a couple of months.

Good to get others honest opinions, not much of that happening in VMware channels.

Maybe your questions come from the position “why doesn’t everyone think like I do?” - an obviously unreasonable position to hold, but you can try.

You are so happy that you still check the VMware layoffs site. Hmm. Strange.

Stupid comment. I have 15 years tenure. Does it make sense for me to leave now? Obviously not. Also I’m happy & confident in my skills and ability to find work should I be let go. This obviously impacted you a lot more than it does others. Leaving made you feel better and that’s fine but some people are less highly strung.

If you are so happy why do remain Anonymous?

there are many reasons that are highly individual. This is a very personal decision that only one can take for himself.