I guess I was one of the "lucky" ones who didn't get LR'ed last week. Lucky because I can still pay for my home and feed my family. However, despite my luck, I have not been comfortable at Cisco this past week at all.
First and foremost, many of my friends, people who gave years to this company, were LR'ed. I know for a fact that these people were hard working as hell and the fact that they were LR'ed is beyond me. There are some who were not LR'ed, perhaps I'm in this group, who definitely deserved to be LR'ed. People who never come in to work or do JUST enough to survive. But like past posters have written, LR isn't about being fair. It's about cutting the fat and leaving the good parts on. The parts that management like. It's probably best to have friends in high places. I've definitely had credit stolen from me before and no matter how much I tried to reason with my manager, the credit was awarded to the person who could kiss the hardest.
I honestly can't say I like working at Cisco anymore. Who can give their all when layoffs are an annual exercise? Why work your a-- off if you're just going to get LR'ed when the higher ups decide to cut fat again? I just don't see the appeal. Maybe it's time I just walk. I wanted to stay at Cisco for as long as I could because of the name but who's going to blame me for wanting to leave? Potential hiring managers? They'd probably agree with me.
Every little thing at work has me paranoid nowadays. Did I screw up? Did I say the wrong thing? Will I get LR'ed next round? This is not good for my mental or physical health.