Thread regarding VMware layoffs

As much as I love it here, I plan on leaving as soon as the right opportunity presents itself and am actively looking. I have a strong skillset and resume so shouldn't be difficult for me to be selective at this point in time and pick a situation I want to be in instead of one I am forced to settle for. That may not be true 6 months from now.
From a risk management perspective, this seems like the best option. Primary factors are

• Having one year of seniority here, any potential severance package isn't going to be that attractive.
• Having to deal with 6+ months of uncertainty, followed by further periods of uncertainly as the process continues to play out.
• Its still an employees market right now, but its showing signs of a downswing likely due to a
• Looming recession that will cause hiring to slow or stop, thus creating a
• Limited job pool available will be highly competitive and overcrowded due to a large number of laid off workers in my same skillset hitting market at same time.
• Unemployment benefits would cover a small fraction of lost wages in the event of a long period of unemployment. In my state, severance is divided by max benefits per month and will not be paid out until that period has expired. Given max benefits and my compensation, would be forced to live off savings for upwards of 10 months.

Even in the case of a major shakeup regarding this acquisition, the damage to VMwares culture, image and reputation is going to have long lasting consequences.

• If it gets called off for regulatory reasons, our employees and customers all know where we stand. The culture is shattered.
• If we get a new buyer, we still will be in a similar boat with anyone who has that much cash to lay down.

I’m spinning up a search now, and will leave ahead of the close date and any severance if I get the right opportunity. It’s rather foolish and short-sighted to try to time your exit to try to double-dip a severance package along with a new job, unless you have a decent financial cushion and/or are a long-tenured VMW employee that will generate a large severance payout. The job market is tightening, and there are going to be a flood of candidates hitting it as the summer goes on, and particularly after Labor Day. Best to get ahead of that curve. I view the pre-Memorial Day acquisition announcement as an opportunity to use the summer as my “early severance”, and find a job.

@anon - what kind of product is CDTO? never heard of it.

I started at VMWare in late 2021 in CDTO. I am actively looking as I believe we will be axed day 1 and my severance will be minimal due to low tenure.

I am also planning to leave if I get job. what's the use of getting severance (1week per year - will be given by vmware, not Broadcom) and then end up having no job for few months (This is the best case scenario). Latter is too late.

Even if you get offer from Bcom, its not like the stock is going to double. Covid infused growth is over. Checks levely.fyi. 0 benefits compared to other companies. Plus, you have to constantly worry about your job and be on toes. Otherwise fired.

I've been through this rodeo enough times to know when its time to bail. I made the decision to get the he-l out of here as soon as the acquisition was announced and I looked up the web sites of both Symantec and CA technologies: Neither of those companies....exist anymore other than a internal page on their web site.

I also made the decision based on what they have a history of doing to the companies they buy: They appear gut everything minus what appears to be the most senior engineering staff. As I am not one of those people, I am about 99% sure that as soon as the ink is dried on the deal I will be axed.

Lastly? After reading a bit more about their company, well I worked at another company that sounds very much like this one . I have no such interest in working for such a company like that again.

I'll be taking a few months to do some industry certifications...brush up my CV find a role then collect all my unvested RSUs as Broadcom shares then onto a new adventure

I'm at about 8 years of total VMware tenure, but only about 6 months since I returned here after working at a hyperscaler for a while. I doubt I'll get much severance pay based on current tenure and I think the market is about to tank, so if I find out there will be significant cuts in my BU I'll be out before the acquisition completes.

There's actually a third option and that is you stick around and are offered a new job but you don't want to work in the new VMware (or they make you come to the office and you don't want that). Sure you could look for a new job at that time, but now you've wasted six months to a year where you could have been looking and you aren't getting severance. You may have passed up good opportunities just to "wait and see".

If I'm laid off I'll be getting about three months worth of pay, which is great, but then I have a compressed timeline to find a job in that time. I want to find a better job that also pays more than what I have now, so what are the chances I'll be able to do that when I'm just desperate to have a job in the first place when laid off? Let's also not forget that tech is cooling down a bit and there could be a recession coming.

Op, how long have you been at vmware? I'm over a decade. Not leaving without severance if it's possible. Trying to spin that into a positive thing.

Why? only reason is that you expect NOT to be able to find a job within a few months. Reason? If they force you out you are getting free cash. Severance. Maybe your last bonus, RSUs, etc.

Now if you think the market will be in the tank in Dec/jan and you wont find a job, then look for one now and if they offer it atleast try to get a signing bonus or something.

I'm still undecided.