2022년 11월 13일 일요일 – Mountain View 생활 57주차

Layoff

In recent weeks, many big tech companies like Meta and Amazon announced the massive layoff. The timeline of linked-in was filled with posts from the people affected by the layoff. That is the situation I hadn’t expected, even in the dream.

Nobody knows what will happen next. Rumors are spreading out on Blind. Someone posted Meta’s layoff a week ago, and it happened.

A layoff is more critical to me since it affects my VISA status. Since my company is supporting VISA, I have no choice but to go back to South Korea. I should stay here until the end of next year to get a green card.

Transfer

After I got back from parental leave, I applied to several internal openings and got a new role in Ads. I hope to develop communication skill and leadership skills in the new team.

After I accepted the offer, I told my manager to notify the transfer. Since getting a new headcount is hard, they wanted me to stay on the team. I heard rumors that Nooglers or new team members are more likely to be affected by the layoff. I hesitated but decided to move forward.

In this process, I realized how privileged I was in Police Organization. There were thousands of alumni, and I could ask anything before I started moving forward. It’s never allowed for others outside the group.

I feel the same in the company. Even though I can’t find any cartel in this company, I have no one to ask for information. All valuable information is only offline. When to know is the most crucial thing in the information war.

Plan B

In case of being fired, I started applying to some Korean companies. My strategy is simple. After passing the interviews, I’ll keep offers as long as possible. If I’m affected by the layoff, I can move back to Korea with less concern.

However, many things would be different after I lost my job. Compensation would be less than a third of the current income. I can’t image how hostile the job market will be to me.

Saving

I realized why people in BayArea live frugally compared to their income level. Job security in the US is weaker than in South Korea, where the firing is unusual. Therefore, people save money to sustain their life for at least a year after losing their job.

Family

One impressive post on Blind says I should put my family first. He was fired in the first month of parental leave during the pandemic. I should keep in mind that a positive attitude in a bad situation is the most helpful.