Thread regarding Avaya layoffs

This is ridiculous

Prospective future employers may question the judgement of someone who hangs on at Avaya through this period. If there is the possibility of a large severance package at the end, then you may be able to explain why you stuck around. But if you are in a jurisdiction where severance is not being paid and probably never will be paid (USA?) you have to wonder whether someone stayed there just because they could not find employment elsewhere.

As someone who is doing the interviewing to fill positions at our company, sticking around too long when a company is clearly going under is something that would be questioned - but depending on the answer it could have no impact on the hiring decision.

This is mildly put ridiculous. People who are staying at Avaya are excellent engineers who are still well compensated and have no reason to jump ship just yet. There is no need to look for something new if the current position provides all I need at the moment, despite the issues the company has. Why in the world would you consider that a detriment in an interview, is beyond me. And as somebody already said, I would not want to work for an employer who used this as a negative in hiring process.

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| 2141 views | | 4 replies (last August 3, 2017) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+OzObTiV

4 replies (most recent on top)

Agreed, ridiculous!

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Post ID: @1zrw+OzObTiV

There's some truth to the idea that sticking with a doomed company selling horrible products (H175 video phones, anyone?) in bankruptcy taints you. But in an interview you have the opportunity to discuss your reasons for staying and they may make sense. Maybe think twice about staying so you could lose sleep over keeping rickety systems running.

Or there's always the possibility that the company will come out of bankruptcy and prosper. Look at all the examples where this has happened!

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Post ID: @eou+OzObTiV

Good answer. Your hired.

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Post ID: @prd+OzObTiV

As someone still here I agree with you. It's morning now, after a sleepless night spent thinking about how to keep my little team onboard another week, month, and quarter. Why? I'll tell you: partly beacause they are still here too and honorable hard working people. And partly because they are keeping the lights on, resuscitating the rickety systems day to day to make sure customers are getting support from our engineers for the products covered by their maintenance contracts.

Do I have job opportunities elsewhere? I sure do. And someday if I am in an interview elsewhere then I'll be pleased to tell them why I stayed through this awful time. And if the prospective employer thinks that was stupid then it's someone I wouldn't want to work for anyway.

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Post ID: @dxz+OzObTiV

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