Or it can be a great. Severance packages can be quite lucrative.
The better advice I give people is "always be looking for job opportunities". The best job opportunities come when you least expect them, and the worst jobs are taken when you're desperate.
If I could suggest one thing for a young programmer to tattoo onto their inner arm, it would be that sentence right there.
That being said, I am always skeptical at things pointed out as job security.
Nothing is absolute, if our society collapses, then yeah, programmers might not have an easy time finding a decent job. Short of catastrophic problems, I think programmers are in good shape for a long time.
my friend got 6 months after talking to HR and agreeing to sign the doc. remember, no one asks you to sign something for your benefit :)
Did you think it was fair? Did you think you were ripped off? Angry? Sad? Depressed?
I've left a few jobs but always on my own accord, so I'd appreciate having a glimpse of the psyche in going through an involuntary departure.
Right now, I'm torn between looking for work immediately and asking for a delayed start, or going on vacation now and looking for work when I get back.
All I know is that Mars Bar (the local bar) will be busy tonight.
Oh, and thanks for sharing your perspective with us!
Good luck with your decision, I'm sure you'll land on your feet.
Or, you are going to be let go where you get a good severance. Take some time off, understand your mistake, and move on.
I appreciated his good natured humor :)
The other effect is whether you can handle the downturn in company morale. It is like smiling while the ship is sinking. It is not a good feeling.
You want to be the second to last to leave.
It'd seem like the company would have more resources to "pay out" for the earlier rounds, gradually decreasing as the rounds go on. Besides, you probably want to get out of a failing company, and provided that you are competent (though increased competence would in reality lessen the chances of your getting sacked in the first round) I'd think that you'd prefer to get your severance and get out asap.
The problem comes when you take a job because you're desperate and then stay because you're lazy.
That is, unless Mark Pincus decides to fuck them over. There's always that aspect. (see Tribe.net)
He didn't do anything all that shitty, but it was enough for me to recognize him as someone who doesn't care about the community-building aspect as much as the "making money" aspect. Because of that, when he does things like this, I don't feel all that surprised.
YMMV. I was part of a "10% workforce reduction", which included no severance packages. They gave us advanced notice, but I would have preferred the cash equivalent for that time instead.
I'm sure there's a rant about at will in there somewhere...