After being laid off from Amazon in early 2023, I transitioned to an IC role at a small company with fewer than three employees. I don't even want to say a start-up as the company has existed for many years and not really trying to disrupt anything. The layoff itself didn't upset me. What upset me was the way it was handled. Even if the reason is questionable: refocus on on-site employees only (I was remote and traveling once every month or 2)? Upon returning from vacation and starting my work day early, after a couple of hours, I found all my accounts blocked one by one. My weekly 1:1 meeting was suddenly moved. Right after the Zoom call, my laptop was remotely shut down. Ten minutes later, a courier was collecting all my equipment. I didn't expect such an experience from a small company, but evidently, I was mistaken. It was so brutal. I thought I had good relationship with the CEO, so I don't understand why not reaching out to me so we could discuss the matter. Why not planning for a smooth transition? What you guys think the real reasons of this layoff could be? Is it considered as the default way to let go employee? Amazon TC 480k Previous TC 200k + company shares Now: 0
People are too obsessed with remote but in this job market it’s better to be in person or hybrid. Employers have the upper hand and there are thousands of new grads available on the market and the pipeline is full of CS grads
I am not obsessed with the remote working, but the best I found one year ago. At this time the CEO was pretty happy to find someone even if remote and willing to accept a much lower TC. But I guess it was still too high TC compared to juniors or new grads. That being said, juniors are juniors they lack some experience and this is something you see in their daily contributions.
I am sorry for you... That sucks. And you said it had fewer than 3 employees?
Including myself...
There was a new hire 2 weeks ago. A senior engineer which de facto will take over.
My guess: they didn't like your work style or what you were delivering, and thought it would be easier to just find a replacement versus having a hard conversation with you and potentially starting performance management. I'm not saying this to bag on you at all. It's just mystifying why they would be so cold about laying you off unless they were taking the coward's way out of a bigger conversation.
Maybe, but I already had some "hard" conversation in the past with the CEO. There was thing I didn't like about the management style and things I was communicating poorly. It was an old story. One of the thing mentioned during the zoom call was it's not about performance and I will recommend you....
No one cares these days anymore tbh.
You are not alone in this experience. (most of ) America is only focused on profits. The BS thats tought in MBAs and schools on how to run business is just jokes.
People have low EQ and no consideration for others. It would have been emotionally uncomfortable for the CEO to talk to you and he didn’t see the benefit so he didn’t. Says more about him than you. People with high EQ understand that your experience is important, that the relationship doesn’t have to end even if they do need to eliminate the position. They could have helped you find a job and introduced you to people they knew were hiring. With a recommendation from a CEO you could have been employed and everything would have been fine all around. Most people don’t do the second. It’s the same people on Blind who are stingy with their money and complain about their wife. Scarcity, stingy mindset with low EQ. Good luck to you OP. Feel free to DM for referral to Samsara if you need
Just to clarify, the CEO is willing to recommend me ...
Recommend you for what? They all say that. 🤡
You’re taking it too personally. The rough experience you had is not because anyone dislikes you it’s just protocols set by legal, security, etc….
In a startup of three there is no “protocol”. There isn’t even a legal or security employee, let alone entire teams. Way to completely invalidate OP with your stupid comment that isn’t even accurate 👍🏻
The point is that there are legal reasons why you want to terminate people immediately and typically there isn’t a heartwarming send off. Not having those teams probably makes the CEO bias harder toward caution. OP is taking it too personally. No need to be aggressive.
I feel sorry for you. Please take care of your mental health. 🤗
This is the new norm.
I got laid off while on vacation last go around 🤷🏻♂️. Yet they wonder why there isn't company loyalty anymore. Always keep your resume up to date and always be looking for better opportunities
Learned that same lesson. I won't make the same mistake again. How do you generally keep up with opportunities? You talking to recruiters and applying consistently or just when you see something good?