Relocating an Entire Software Engineering Team? 44
An anonymous reader asks: "I was recently laid off, along with the entire Vancouver Development Centre, from a large network security company. The software engineering team at our office has performed well and is highly cohesive. I was wondering if anyone at Slashdot has been in a similar situation and the probability/prospects of being able to start a new venture with the existing team. I'm sure most understand the importance of a good team, and the time it takes to grow one. Is it worthwhile for the core team to pursue a new venture or should we all just disband and go our separate ways? Where might we find someone with the entrepreneurial mindset to take advantage of this great resource?"
sounds a lot like my company... (Score:3, Insightful)
the only advice i can offer is make sure you're careful about the non-competes and ndas. other than that, it can end up working out well (as it has for folks in my company).
You can start new. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:You can start new. (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:You can start new. (Score:1)
Re:You can start new. (Score:1)
Well, I gotta tell you: I'd be very, very careful who you talk to about that, because the person who wrote that... is dangerous, and this Slashdot poster, Oxford-cloth psycho might just snap, and then stalk from office to office with an Armalite AR-10 carbine gas-powered semi-automatic weapon, pumping round after round into colleagues and co-workers. This might be someone you've known for years. Someone very, very close t
Try yourself (Score:5, Interesting)
However, I would suggest that if they've been saving a bit and aren't living paycheck to paycheck, starting a consulting company and chipping in to hire a sales/marketing person might be a viable alternative. Especially if the team has contacts with customers that could be persuaded to stay with the people they know, instead of your old company.
As always, consult a lawyer before doing anything, and if you signed away your soul in your employment agreement, be careful...
Dont DISBAND (Score:5, Funny)
Disband only if youre in a Democracy and the unit is weighing you down, or if its a very old unit.
Re:Dont DISBAND (Score:1)
You're pretty damn new around here, aren't you?
Re:Dont DISBAND (Score:2)
When it's my turn, I hope other people do make jokes to lighten up the situation. Note that the post you replied to wasn't making the team's situation the *subject* of the joke -- an important distinction.
As for growing up, how about you realize that not everyone online shares your particular sensitivities and shouldn't be required to change their behavior just because you find it offensive. Imagine what the world would be like if
Wow... (Score:2)
I was laid off back in 2002 in the wake of 9/11 along with a lot of other airline IT folks, and it took a while, but most of us are finally back in the workforce again. A layoff sucks quite a bit, but sometimes the end result is better than where you were.
Again, good luck...
Re:Wow... (Score:2)
I rejoined the Airline IT industry last summer, but it ain't going to last forever and a lot of stuff has already been outsourced to India.
Is there a non-compete? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Is there a non-compete? (Score:2, Interesting)
The Company is (Score:4, Informative)
A friend of mine works there. They have closed their downtown Vancouver branch and are moving operations to to HQ an India.
He seems to be taking it pretty well, but I feel bad for him since he just started working there a couple of months ago, I think 6 months ago.. and he just graduated last year.
Re:The Company is (Score:2)
Sure, its a US company, technically speaking, but 99% of it is outsourced and offshore.
Anyway, I was let go and suffered through 7 months of unemployment, lost 90% of what I owned and still have debt being paid off. Best of luck to ANYONE thats la
Re:The Company is (Score:2)
But it seems the luster of an office job in N.America is going away. Now its all about the unions and trade jobs.
Re:The Company is (Score:2)
Re:The Company is (Score:2)
They did a study on costs for all departments. They found out that a phone call cost them about $14, a Live Chat Session cost $9 and an email cost $4 (These are approx figures that I'm remembering). They figured that for the cost of email, they could field phone calls.
MindSpring tried outsourcing, but started backing away from it when they had quality issues. They had only used outsourcing as an overflow option.
When Earthlink merged in, upper management changed that idea. After losing money due to va
Re:The Company is (Score:2)
I've been in this same situation (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I've been in this same situation (Score:1)
Re:I've been in this same situation (Score:2)
Re:I've been in this same situation (Score:2)
Which Vancouver? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Which Vancouver? (Score:2, Informative)
the company that laid them off is RSA
really? (Score:1, Insightful)
Are you sure there's no dead weight on your team (maybe even yourself)?
Some pointers from someone who's been there... (Score:5, Informative)
I will tell you this - several companies I've been involved with, including my current employer, have hired entire teams with skillsets we needed. I've seen displaced teams hired, and I've seen current teams recruited. Here are the important points in selling your team (in my opinion):
Most importantly, though, don't get your hopes up. Finding a job for one person can be difficult enough - placing a whole team is a huge challenge. Consider contacting a few recruiting firms for advice, but don't expect too much. Finally, get your own resumé together, get it out there, and if something really good comes along - take it. Don't hold out forever hoping to place the whole group and pass up opportunities to put food on your table.
Please feel free to e-mail me if you'd like any further advice on this, or if you'd someone to review the "team resumé" I mentioned above. As a senior leader at Fortune 50 company, I have *some* hiring experience (wink!), and I've been on a team that was hired in together before. So, keep some hope - it does happen, rare though it might be.
I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor.
Re:Some pointers from someone who's been there... (Score:2)
I am a lone coder, stuck in the middle of europe looking for a telecommuting job, can you help? I can c0de like no tomorrow. I away your reply!
Seriously though, its nice to see someone in any company offering advice like this. I would have never thought about a team resume, I would have stapled all of them together. Pretty bad for someone thats attempting a startup...
Do you need money? (Score:1, Interesting)
http://ycombinator.com/ [ycombinator.com]
I know they usually go with fresh graduated students but it never hurts to ask. I think they are better than a normal VC.
Doable. (Score:2)
However, you need someone who understands business, sales, accounting, human resource management, etc.
So unless you plan on donating your time to open-source projects, start shopping for an Entrepreneur, and bring a viable Killer App idea with you.
Decide What You're Selling Later... (Score:1)
You could all live on unemployment and separation packages for two months, then pool your resources, and rent a booth.
Known Dev Openings in Vancouver (Score:1)
http://businessobjects.com/company/careers/job_op
Anyone else got any leads?
AJAX (Score:4, Funny)
[ot] in need of moderation (Score:1)
Re:AJAX (Score:1)
Mod parent up--this advice worked for me!
Headhunter (Score:1)
Assuming you're in Canada... (Score:3, Interesting)
My team has thought about doing it. At least, back when our company was in the rough and it looked possible that layoffs were coming.
Remember Glenayre? (Score:2)
I wish you luck.
I survived Glenayre's implosion and mass layoffs in Vancouver in 2001, and now work for a company that we set up ourselves, initially to support one of Glenayre's old product lines, but also to grow the business in new directions. We're doing well, but not well enough (yet... :-) to hire anybody new.
Certainly not an entire team.
I know of one team who were able to move en masse, but they were very specialized, and still took a while (and several employers) to land on their feet. Others w