52 with 22 yrs...Got the sev offer too...Whaddya think? I have no idea what they're up to here. Network job. Kept up outside schooling and training. Recent degree and college certs in field. Love the job and coworkers but conflicted...Arggghhhh
11 replies (most recent on top)
“they would be compelled to give the same severance, just as they did for those that were RIFd prior to the offer. In that scenario ...”
I thought that but they routinely have said if you get riffed and didn’t volunteer you get the standard package. Only if you volunteer and don’t get picked and get riffed before June do you get the VSP.
What they’ll really do is anyone’s guess and may vary based on a lot of factors.
Just an opinion here ... but I doubt that the company would RIF soon after this offer .. even if their numbers are not met. Being so close to the Offer ... they would be compelled to give the same severance, just as they did for those that were RIFd prior to the offer. In that scenario ...
the line between volunteer and non-volunteer begins to blur.
The company will also need time to recover, reorganize and assess.
I struggled with this decision for the past two weeks, and after creating a detailed spreadsheet with various long-term scenarios (either taking the package or staying with Verizon), the numbers clearly indicate that from a purely financial perspective I would be better off staying two years with Verizon than taking the package.
That being said, this decision can't be viewed strictly from a financial basis - there are other things to consider such as what guarantees are there that I would be able to stay two years or more with the company even if I wanted to, what will working for Verizon be like after this (and potentially more) layoffs take place, how will staying with the company impact my health (you know you will be 'asked' to cover the workload of those who left - someone has to...), and what potential opportunities outside of Verizon may I miss out on if I stay?
I will be 57 years old shortly, and although I would rather have had this happen a year from now so that I could have had more time to prepare for the exit, after discussing this with my wife and kids (thankfully they are all grown and on their own) I decided my health and quality of life matter more than just money, so I pushed the green button on Friday.
I plan to go back to school and work toward a Certified Financial Planner certification and take my life in a new direction - you're never too old to learn, and change can be a good motivator to get people out of the ruts that they find themselves in.
I will definitely miss the exceptional people that I have had the privilege to work with over the past 12 years that I've been with Verizon, but I won't shed a tear for the company as I walk out the door.
I'm going to ride it out, I'm a Network Assurance Engineer, here is my day
log in to computer to look busy around 7, take kids to school, go back home, leave around 11am drive around pretending to be busy, home to pick up the kids by 2:30 then phone it in the rest of the day.
If on the fence wait for the earnings call. It’s more information. This is probably not as dire as folks think. While they want to shed higher salaries I don’t think this is malicious. If you stay you’ll probably make it until this time next year. If they get 10K takers that will be good and also very disruptive. Expect big reorg before Thanksgiving.
being rebadged (with VSP offer now) has turned out to be the best thing that has happened to a bunch of us. We have an easier choice than those retained. I will use Infosys for the resume among other things.
Arggghhhh, best of luck in whatever you choose.
OP here....Thanks for the input folks! I've been thinking all of those things and more. It seems over the last year or so that they've been centralizing jobs, so I'm still not sure. With virtualization and other changes, I think the work is being siphoned off to side groups. Would make it so much easier if they would just flat out say what they're going to do and then let us choose
I would stay. You are as secure here as in any other new job out there.
I sympathize, it’s a tough call. Only you know the details of the offer and your own financials.
I would say that whatever your first impression was, if it felt like good news, then go with it, if it gave you a sick feeling to leave then go with that feeling and stay.
I would say to take it. Chances are good that after this offer is over and if the numbers were not met, then there will be RIFs and no offer made with the RIF. A simple tap on the shoulder and escorted off the property.
The company wants folks gone. Get out now while there are still jobs in the market and in the places you would like to live.