Thread regarding Qualcomm Inc. layoffs

To be honest groups like qchat and media flow use to really nice groups there use to be work life balance and people were treated well, it was because there was diversity in those groups I feel groups like mst majority of the people more than 85 percent are H1 b visa holders they are too scared to ask question and do what ever the stupid managers ask they end up working 75 hours in a week 75 to 80 hours is considered as normal working hours in mst I have over the years many smart people left mst once they get green card

if new offer gives new experience and good work then take it. otherwise negotiate for new work and/or promo.

At a normal company, that truly needs its existing employees because they are doing useful things, I would advise you to negotiate for a pay bump and/or promotion. But Qualcomm has an endless source of H1B slaves to grind up inside of QCT, and about 498 excess employees in Corp R&D, so I would advise you to negotiate with both Qualcomm and the outside company, and then jump ship. I speak from experience ...

Yes, promotion can take place off cycle, whenever there is a good justification, like an outside offer. But, the problem is that employees who look outside because of job satisfaction rarely could be saved; on the other hand, employees who use offer to get pay bump are not good to have around. So, whenever you see an off-cycle promotion, there is something smelly about it. Hey, it happened with Mollenkopf.

Can promotions be applied at any time, or just at reward cycle time?

That is a good question. You probably get paid more for perceived value. Why does QC offer way above market for a Ph.D. from big name universities, like Berkeley, Stanford, MIT, …? New comers are getting bigger offers because they have competing offers. They won’t do any more work than the one hired last year. Those who did not negotiate at hiring will never catch up to the new guys. Don’t take that BS from the HR rep.

Never assume that you're irreplaceable. Even if you ARE all that. A company the size of QC will get by with mediocre engineering talent for years. Why should they pay you MORE?

LOL

There are people QC wants to keep, and there are people QC wants to unload. You will find out which group you belong to when you negotiate.

I'd be surprised if you could negotiate given they are laying off.

It is true for most places that you are taken seriously one time, when you threaten to leave. However, those with guts tend to do it often, knowing they can get away with it, or else, they have the new offer to fall back on. So, if you are not the type to push pay issue, you are probably under paid. But, don’t worry, as you will eventually catch up like the HR rep promised.

Is it true that you can only get away with this tactic once?

What is better, working at a tech startup or working at Qualcomm?

If the money is better and the position is more interesting to you then make the move. Leave QCOM on good terms so you can come back if the other job does not work out. QCOM or any other company won't hesitate to lay you off based on their business needs so you shouldn't hesitate about quiting based on your career needs.

Here's the rub about using another offer to negotiate a better comp package in your current position.

What if simply your manager doesn't value your contributions as much, and/or doesn't give a shit whether you leave or not? Even if you do get your way in the short term and get a bump up in your comps, what's to say you aren't on your manager's/HR's shitlist for the next round of layoffs, long after your opportunity at the other company went to someone else because you didn't take it? In my opinion, the only thing you should be considering is whether the position at the other company offers you better opportunities that you would not get at your current position, whether the position compensates you better, and whether that new environment is something you can tolerate. Unless you are a high level employee, it's unlikely QC (or any other big company) will bump up your comp simply because you have an offer elsewhere, especially if there isn't a big voluntary turnover inside the company yet. Think about this from the company's perspective. You aren't important enough. If they make concessions for you, then pretty soon others similar to your position will want exactly the same thing and will try to use the exact same tactics you do. So they can't, and they won't (unless you are really that important). Instead, you should be focusing on negotiating with your new employer the best comp package as possible if you truly are interested in the new position. There is no other point in your job where you have the most bargaining power than the period right before you join a company AND still have employment at your existing company AND don't really need to quit. HR knows this. That's why often times when you go to another company, they first thing HR asks you is whether you are currently employed. Depending on how you answer that question, they treat you completely different. In my past, part of my negotiation has always been a 15-20% increase in comps at the new company while not being particularly motivated to leave my existing company. Furthermore, it was always for a better position with more responsibility. Once I decided, I never looked back, no matter what counteroffer my current employer offered me. My rationale is simple. If my current employer really valued my contributions, they would have already brought up my comp package to prevailing market price and tasked me with running the best projects/opportunities. If they don't, that's fine too. I'll take my chances with someone else that will. Over 10 years, I've taken on increasing responsibility simply by hopping around every 2-3 years, and have moved much faster up the chain than all those folks that stayed 10+years doing the same repetitive thing at the same employer that failed to give them new, cutting edge opportunities. HR hate people like me and try to discourage others from moving around, by arguing that people like me don't show a commitment and won't get hired as easily. That's bullshit. I'm fully committed to advancing my career, and at no point am I willing to sacrifice my marketability by staying "stuck" at an employer that doesn't give be the best opportunities. Furthermore, when I hire people, I care more if the person working the past 2-3 years has the latest and greatest know-how that can get what I need done right now versus someone that's been "loyal" to an employer for the past 10+years that has skills severely limited by the lack of opportunities he/she had. I'm not going to spend the time and energy training someone that's been "stuck" doing the same thing 10+years that I don't need. So you need to ask yourself, if are you moving for the right reasons. If you do decide to leave, I would recommend you leave on "good terms". Put on your nice happy face, and say "thank you for giving the opportunity to work here. I really liked it, but I've decided I want to pursue a more challenging opportunity elsewhere. Thank you (manager), thank you (director)" (regardless if you really like them or not). If you are asked by HR if there's any suggestions you'd like to make to improve the company, just shut up. Don't say anything. No matter how much you want to vent about how much your comp package sucks, how much your manager sucks, how lacking the opportunities you had, etc. Just shut up and don't say anything. Say "I'm leaving only because I'd like to pursue this better opportunity, thank you" and don't even bother telling them where you are going, if they ask. None of their business. The reason is simple. Especially in San Diego, the community is small. No need to burn your bridges without reason. And who knows what you say will piss off someone somewhere that you might end up having to cross paths with again (and yes, people are petty, especially the ones in HR). Save the times when you burn bridges when you really need to. I can't count how many times when I've interviewed people, and looked them up to see if I know anyone who knows them directly or indirectly to see what sort of baggage/dirt the person had. So you should care too, unless you're close to retirement and just don't give a shit who you piss off anymore because you have sufficient "f*** you" money (which is hopefully soon to be my case in 1 year)

OK, a HR rep. You have confirmed negotiation and comp adjustment are taking place. The trick is that they only take place when you are in the position to negotiate. Or else, you can leave it to the company to “eventually” catch up for you. What a crack.

Regardless of how underpaid you are, you'll eventually catch up because we track your market ratio relative to others of the same title. That's fairness. Not all companies do that.

It would be nice to know that your boss has got your back in terms of comp. It seems that if you push it, you always get a better package. So, look around and you are probably paid the least for the same rank. QC is well known in the industry for making generous offers, but the existing employees don’t seem to agree. The key is that QC values new skills more than old skills, regardless of the value to the products.

Fairness!

Use it to negotiate for a promo, and then go back to the other company for a better offer. Then, jump ship. QC makes all sorts of deals under the table at hiring and for retentions. I couldn’t believe how much leverage one has with a Ph.D. from Berkeley, tens of thousands. You don’t know how under paid you are, until you are in the position to negotiate. The point is not about the pay but about fairness.