I once was the final step in an interview process. My flag to the team was that this person had been laid off something like four times in a row. I said, layoffs don’t cut the great people, so it says something about the applicant.

The team insisted this person had a big heart, a lot of passion, and they’d make a difference. We extended an offer and they accepted.

They ended up being unremarkable in every way. It was a drag on the company. We let them go a year later and set ourselves back on a topic our customers cared about.

Anyway, some people are great. Some are not. The idea that there’s this hidden special knowledge trapped inside teams, if only the executives would unleash it, is nonsense. I personally feel for anyone who loses their job, but companies will always pick the most productive and efficient path to a result.

Also so does the labor market. How many people, when given the option for more pay and benefits, decline out of loyalty to their employer? At least in tech, this is almost never the case.

I think we’re a bit lost. On one hand, certain people don’t trust these big employers and think they’re evil, and on the other hand really really want their job at said evil megacorp.