Comment by kosigz | Hacker News Reader

Comment by kosigz | Hacker News Reader

Lyft engineer here.

I agree that this is an unfortunate turn of events — and I would be sad to be in your position.

To add a bit more context:

• we just parted ways with 23% of our staff (layoff + furlough) this week.

• remaining team members are taking a 3 month 10% cut in base salary.

• unlike many companies, we're still conducting our internship program — so it's good that you at least have the option to continue with your internship, unlike many others whose internships were canceled.

At $9600 per month, Lyft had one of the highest salaries for an internship; $4800 per month is still a decent chunk of change, particularly as you don't have to be in Seattle, NYC, or San Francisco anymore.

If you have other options, I think everyone would understand if you chose to pursue those instead. If not or if you choose to join us anyway, having an internship at Lyft can lead to a full-time offer and/or make you more competitive when applying for full-time jobs in the future.

The real value of an internship is more-so in giving you practical experience rather than the compensation.

9600 per month for an internship? Is that pure cash? Jesus Christ no wonder new companies are basing their development somewhere else.

After taxes, rent, bills and food that's 3000. And 4800 turns into 500. That's like a coffee budget.

some places give additional housing stipend or corporate housing.

And a lot of these companies have free food.

let's not pretend it is merely a coffee budget. many people survive in Bay Area on less.

Also, internship is probably gonna be remote.

Companies that cut half of the pay are unlikely to offer corporate housing or free food.

Even remote interns need to live somewhere and rent isn't cheap. On the other hand, interns might be ok with sharing a 2bd apt with 3 roommates and paying only 600 for rent and bills. That would leave them almost 2000 a month. Not bad for a 20 yo seeking independence, but humiliating for a 25 yo and a complete failure for a 30 yo.

If Lyft is open to hiring interns from abroad (unlikely) and pay them the same 4800 (very unlikely), then just 500 would get them a very decent 2bd apt. In countries like India, they would be borderline rich with this kind of money.

They will surely not be borderline rich in India. I think you should correct your facts and not be so proud about your country.

> Not bad for a 20 yo seeking independence, but humiliating for a 25 yo and a complete failure for a 30 yo.

I was truly taken aback by how out of touch this comment is. A 50% cut to a $9600 monthly salary is $4800, or $57,600 annually. This is above median US household income, and close to double median personal income. It's not "humiliating" or "a complete failure" by any stretch of the imagination.

US salaries are really high. For context, in Southern Europe, most developers don't even earn $3000/month BEFORE taxes and expenses.

Sounds like Americans should live in Europe then.

Is this facetious? 3000 extra per month does not seem crazy to you? Wow.

Wow amazing, $9600 per month is even more than I am getting a senior developer. My internship stipend when I was studying was $600 per month and that was when I was studying abroad (NZ).

Personally, nothing to complain about, you get practical experience and getting paid amazingly well.

I live in Spain and have never heard of any salaried employee that makes $9600 per month. Not even those with 10+ years of experience.

If you're talking about software jobs, 9600 for an internship is way above average and now that its 4800 its below average so that's not a good chunk of change.

The gal of some people. How many places do you think are even running internships right now let alone paying interns over 30/hr.

Its about more than the raw numbers too. If you make 9600 a month as an intern and you get offered a job you are certainly going to be offered more than you made as an intern. However, if you make 4800 as an intern there probably isn't a large company in the world that wouldn't use that as leverage to offer you full time employment at a salary far below 9600.

I don't want to defend a gig economy company, but you're failing to account for the fact that the "average" changed dramatically over the last two months - as the post you're replying to noted:

> unlike many others whose internships were canceled

4800 is indeed a good chunk of change compared to 0

Very well written post.

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