Thread regarding Intel Corp. layoffs

There have been some good anecdotes here - I can say that finding a position outside is very challenging. BK and co. cut short many deserving careers that had given a lot to Intel. Another poster noted the possibility of a class-action suit - perhaps that is the only way to make BK and co. realize the pain and suffering they have caused and ensure restitution. The background to this is Intel's medium-term prospects - again created by BK and co.

AWESOME @2hzd!! That's amazing! I always knew stress was bad for you. That's why I wanted out so badly. I didn't know if something was brewing inside and hadn't reared its ugly head. I am so glad to be out of there. Sounds like you are too. :)

~1vsk

1vsk: My wellness blood tests came with best results after many years. That is why I said health improved. Data driven!

Actually, I think the biggest cause of stress these days is all the downsizing on the horizon and the "Am I safe?" feelings everyone is not only having now, but will have for years to come.

~2ouy

Yeah, no sh*t, huh @2oly? I HATED doing them. I just wanted to work and be left alone about that. I am SO glad all that is behind me now. (I ERPed as per the plan) :)

~2ouy

@2ouy and 2ctz: The IDP is the biggest cause of stress at Intel. What bullshit

At least I had a very understanding manager. I told him I wasn't looking to go up the ladder, I was satisfied where I was at and any planning for my future is all about early retirement (by approximaterly a decade), not about moving up the ladder. he quit bothering me about it, thank goodness. And in all honesty... our of the dozen or so managers I had, none really bothered me about it much for my entire almost 20 yr career.

I got lucky. I just wanted to do what I wanted to do (hence my desire to retire early), and not anything more than that. Luckily I did my job very well so there was no pushing on their part. Had I not done it very well I'm sure they would have demanded a career path from me. Sometimes it's best not to rock the boat when you have a good employee not willing to play the games. lol

I was very very very lucky and I realize that,

I had a real bozo for a manager who was almost as old as me and kept asking me for a career plan. Of course I told him I would not do one and he went after me at focal for not bowing to his ar. I took the ERP and very gIad I did. If nothing else to to give the horn to the moron...

I got ISP but qualified for ERP and took that with all them benefits, does it qualify to comment.

Been meeting with some old friends still stuck on the gerbil treadmill, they do seem a bit frustrated and indecisive about what to do, they do know the situation is dire, conditions crazy, fun all gone. But what to do, it ain't like they can leave and find a job good job locally, sometimes the hard push and then you swim to a new shore and you realize there is paradise actually out there while others are stuck on a sinking island full of cannibals. I likely would have stayed and went down with the ship, and be stuck like the thousands will soon be with no life jacket or life vest scrambling like what will surely be thousands others all trying to climb on the one or two lifeboats, good luck...

I took the ERP - no regrets, no stress, life is good. I went to lunch with a current Intel person this week and could see the stress on his face.

Glad to hear that, @1kua. :) Hard to believe people can notice differences in their health in such a short time but that's REALLY good news. :)

~kmn & ~aja

Health has improved significantly, since no R&R and no mid year bullshit. Financially had reached retirement goals but found job right away elsewhere. Really Happy! oh BTW, keep working hard, and make the stock go higher. I still own quite a bit

OMG @ jtz!!!! (Re: the team I was on lost excellent people to VSP and ERP. Read: Older, stable, productive but not career ladder climbing. Yet the one person who had an IR anywhere in the rear view mirror, and who was universally a head-scratching 'why is she still here?' wonderment to her team mates--survived ACT! Why? She'd been passed around by multiple managers each year. So, technically, she was not "stale.")

You know, I am SO not surprised to hear that. I'm really not. I had my list of "Just ask me who needs to go and I'll give you my list". We all have them and your "wonderment" would be on a LOT of people's list.

You know, knowing what I know, and now hearing from others with different insights due to be in different orgs... it's going to be a wonder if this company survives long term. They keep lazy dumb*sses (those traits aren't necessarily found in the same person, but sometimes they are! lol), yet get rid of some REALLY good people because they fit some kind of criteria dreamed up that they apparently didn't test to see if it would work without losing the good ones!

I am SO glad I ERPed. I waited for a package once I became eligible, but trust me, I was this close to leaving without one. lol

~Kmn & ~aja

@~aja. Ironically, the team I was on lost excellent people to VSP and ERP. Read: Older, stable, productive but not career ladder climbing. Yet the one person who had an IR anywhere in the rear view mirror, and who was universally a head-scratching 'why is she still here?' wonderment to her team mates--survived ACT! Why? She'd been passed around by multiple managers each year. So, technically, she was not "stale."

Ohhhhh @ The unspoken criterium was 'in role too long.'

Interesting. I'm thinking I'd have gotten both ERP & VSP if I hadn't gotten a promo the year before or I'd have been "in the role too long". Very interesting. I knew I was missing a piece of the data.

So much for enjoying what you do and not wanting to move up the ladder (which generally applies to older folks who only look forward to the day they leave so don't want a career plan. lol Speaking only for myself! LOL)

~aja

@aja. Yes you can get offered the VSP even with S and SL3 and even the occasional EE and DRA. No IR or BE or SL4/5 needed! The unspoken criterium was 'in role too long.' The VPs spoke about that at the QGSs. They called the VSPs 'stale'. That's why so many admins and senior support people got the VSP. I was one.

Glad your health is getting better @txc. And glad you could understand what i was saying with my typo. LOL I was having a WTH moment reading your post, then realized you were quoting me. hahaha

What I SHOULD have said: "Sometimes money isn't worth the stress and what stress can do to your health."

~kmn

"Sometimes money isn't work the stress and what stress can do to your health."

Exactly, I was ISPed in April and stayed at home since then. My health has improved a lot.

regarding: If you have one Resume and pumping it out to any potential job oppo. then forget it. The market has changed so much your resume and cover letter have to be so carefully worded for each job application.

That has ALWAYS been the case but it's an excellent reminder (or first time hearing it as the case may be for some).

Good luck landing your dream job. Sometimes money isn't work the stress and what stress can do to your health.

I was offered VSP, 20+ years at Intel, never below S or SL3. Took it, no regrets thought finding a new job harder now 50+ of course. Using LHH the outplacement co. Intel funds and have to say they have exceeded my expectations.

If you have one Resume and pumping it out to any potential job oppo. then forget it. The market has changed so much your resume and cover letter have to be so carefully worded for each job application.

They helped me get an interview today for a dream job, I really mean dream job. Fingers crosse I get to the second interview not getting excited though. However nothing is ever perfect money is fractional but can survive ok on it. Moral is put lots of thought into applying and use LHH if you get the oppo.

hmmmm.... I wonder why you were offered VSP if what you said is true @qwq. (never anything below a S/SSL3, multiple EE, promos and DRAs).

That doesn't make sense unless there are additional criteria I wasn't aware of.

15 years with Intel, straight out of college, never anything below a S/SSL3, multiple EE, promos and DRAs over the years in several departments. Got offered VSP (never been offered any pkg before), and happy to take it, since Intel as a company has taken a definite turn for the worse under BK. Also, felt that my current department and career development was going nowhere, at least for the past year or so (was already planning on backup/exit strategy for the ~6 months prior to the layoffs being announced). Some second guessing as is normal, and a little hard over the past month to leave good friends/co-workers behind, but already focusing on my next career move, after taking some time off for R&R.

happy to have been given the chance to leave with pay...a bit disturbed that it would be converted (and it sounds like it is being in groups?) to ISP if I didn't take it, but I have "wanted an out" for years after not taking the first option a few years ago. Never really second guess it given the options...but definitely get worried about things on occasion, would have been ideal if I was smart enough to have been applying a 6 months PRIOR to all this! :)

Waiting to get the actual payout now that it is past their "30 day" timeframe...that's a bit troublesome, but still no regrets.

I know of a couple of ISPs that got reversed on appeal. Don't know the details. If I were one of those folks I'd be looking for a new job pronto and praying they don't ISP me again. The folks who took the ERP are the luckiest of the bunch. I know of one ISP reversal where the person decided to not return but just wanted to clear the connotation of "performance problem" from the record.

I know two ERP people who declined. If they now get an ISP or a VSP, the same ERP package will not be available past the original June 2 acceptance deadline. Intel made that very clear both when they offered the ERP and when they sent the 'warning' letter to the VSPs who hadn't yet accepted. I know because I got both offers plus the warning letter, which was also btw reported in the Oregonian. And what is the new focal? I knew before I left something was coming but haven't heard any details. I can't imagine it is any better than the last, destructive and demoralizing method. HR, probably for legal reasons, will keep modifying the performance metrics algorithm to achieve layoffs as needed under the protection of "performance issues" not age or gender etc.

Oops. I spoke too soon re: I guess we'll find out soon enough once the VSPers are ISPed. Gotta be a few that were also ERP eligible in the bunch.

Looks like it happened @ https://www.thelayoff.com/t/IzT0isq They were warned but didn't heed the warning!!! You can't feel too terribly sorry for anyone that didn't heed the warning. That was a gamble in the house's favor. They should have folded their cards.

OK, that makes more sense @lcp . On the other hand...those who got both ERP & ISP were walked out but they got the ERP package (happened to a friend of mine). What I don't know is if those that got both ERP & VSP... and end up ISPed sometime in the future (due to that pesky VSP).... would they get the ERP like those that were ERP/ISPed? Or are they screwed?

I guess we'll find out soon enough once the VSPers are ISPed. Gotta be a few that were also ERP eligible in the bunch.

@dnw - Correction, I meant VSP. I was offered both so it was a mistype.

ERP here and happy happy happy. Of course, like another poster, I had sort of been planning on it so I was really happy when I saw the packages they offered this time around. I just can't see that ever happening again. And, as another poster mentioned I am indeed taking the summer off, so great having medical taken care of, etc etc.

I had some good times at Intel but definitely feel it is taking a turn for the worse, definitely more stressful I think, at least with the constant threat of layoffs. The ones I sort of feel sorry for are the ones who were asking a week after the deadline if it was too late, that's got to be the worst kind of second guessing....

@lcp - are you sure ERPs will eventually be ISPs? I never heard that message (nor anyone else I spoke to) but that message was definitely loud and clear for the VSP folks. They are the ones that should be looking NOW for another job before that happens because I think it will.

ERP - June 24th, no regrets -Reason #1. Since I took the package I am in "Good Standing" as a reason I left Intel. (I can come back if I want to). If you missed the ERP/VSP, then you need to prepare for an eventual ISP. Sorry, it does not matter what group you are in...if you didn't take the offered package you will be forced out. Reason #2 for taking the package- Intel WAS a great place to work and feel like a team member. Now with the new focal, and Intel's confusing roadmap and product line up, Intel's long-term future is in serious jeopardy. More layoffs are definitely coming. Really, there is something fundamentally wrong with a company with tons of $$ that cannot re-invent itself. There are SOOO many opportunities out there...it boggles my mind. Any doubt as to what to do? Check out go-fund-me for ideas. People from all walks of life are innovating...Intel...still stuck in the mud!! sheesh!!

@eoj - Second guessing yourself is a normal human reaction. I don't look at it as throwing away a job, I look at it as freeing yourself from the mess Intel has become. The vibe just is bad there right now and honestly, I don't know if that's ever going to change for the better, unfortunately.

As for being brutal inside right now... the one thing you failed to list is the fact people are going to be looking over their shoulders on a quarterly basis solely from focal cuts. Add that to project cuts and cancellations, reorgs and duplicate roles, yada yada... that kind of stress can't be good for you.

Don't be so hard on yourself as per your not adding value comment. Sometimes it has nothing to do with whether or not you are adding value.... there are all KINDS of factors that go into deciding who gets what ratings, and not all are fair. Plus, they have to have X number below the line. What if everyone is great?? Doesn't matter, pick X number to be below the line. I've never liked Intel's focal system and was actually shocked when I first hired on when I found out how it worked. I didn't let the "fairness" of it (or lack thereof) bother or upset me. It wasn't in my control. I can only control how I react and feel about things.

Lastly about warmline.... are you Hispanic, black, American Indian, etc? Then you wouldn't get the offer is my guess. It has nothing to do with your ability.

(Hard love coming up so fair warning... lol) You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and know that you ARE good or you'd have been ISPed (although not everyone that was ISPed landed on that list fairly but that's a whole 'nuther discussion). It's really hard to do well in an interview if you're feeling down and sorry for yourself and from what I can tell, you're your own worst enemy right now.

So.... rethink things because I think you made the right choice to get out. Enjoy a nice long paid for vacation and find yourself a new job in the meantime. If it was me I'd enjoy summer off. :)

Good luck.

It is an honest and timely question. At first I was euphoric to be free, but then I started second guessing if I did the right thing, to throw away a job. I still get scared because I have no spouse or job lined up and the lump sum will run out and I am the sole breadwinner here. But it has to be brutal inside now. The team I was on has, over the two rounds of cuts, been cut down to a stub of a team. Since they don't contribute to the business bottomline, I'd be continually looking over my shoulder for the next cut or reorg or outright project cancellation. I'm not a technical person so worry where I could go next. On the other hand, I've heard the technical people are so Intel-specific that they might have trouble finding the next job too. My self-esteem took a hit too, as I apparently didn't add enough value avoid the VSP or the Warm Line help.

PERFECT timing of your question. I was JUST thinking to myself not but 5 minutes ago, while leisurely staring out the back window and enjoying the view, HOW GLAD I AM to not have to work.

I couldn't be happier. Then again, I'm not one that didn't have time to think long about it. This has been the plan for close to a decade to retire early. Once I became eligible last year I stuck around hoping for a package before I left without one. That helped me a lot since my mind was made up long ago. I know a few that didn't handle the short time to think it over very well (pacing, not holding down food or not eating as well as not sleeping). Having a plan works wonders. :)

How about you?

So, no regrets.... the regular paycheck is missed ( or will be once the lump sum dries up ).....on to explore other things for awhile......I hope Intel can somehow recover but with all things there is a lifecycle of new, growth and then a peak, followed by a decline...i cant think of anything that really can repeat this cycle, neither a corporation or an individual.....we made history as Intel employees and now off to be productive in other ways...( like people at IBM made history, Boeing, Fairchild, Texas Instruments, US Steel, General Electric etc etc )...Always some missed opportunities but nothing to have a breakdown about.... peace....

No, absolutely no second thoughts. That's for pussies.

I actually went into a little bit of a panic when I didn't get my severance pay and was told I could not activate my COBRA because I was still an active employee into July. For me that was confirmation that there were no regrets in leaving. Do I fear what lies next? Not really when I think about it...it's going to beat what lays behind.

I think not. Calling "HR troll" has been the same tired response every single time.

OP is Intel HR Troll.

Why second guess or even encourage second guessing? Once you're out you should care even less about the company.

Encourage sensible thinking and help others by doing so.