I thought there would be no downlevelling at Nike but it seems to be happening. On another thread here @bwk+17DWAnKb I see that some have been offered options to move to a lower position or take severance. I am very disappointed and I don’t know if I would agree to a lower position if it was offered to me. This would roughly mean prolonging the agony and would bring even more job insecurity and sleepless nights.
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You're still being laid off, so you can apply for unemployment after you get your final check from Nike (including any severance).
If you say you want severance will you also be able to receive unemployment? Or is it considered voluntary at that point?
There is no right or wrong answer here. It all depends on your circumstances and what feels right for you. Personally, I would take the severance package, put a smile on face, say thank you - I understand this business not personal (no need to burn bridges) and that is that. Enjoy the holiday then get serious about the next opportunity. I will not hunt for a job just on my own by applying for every suitable position; I will connect with my network including recruiters and do contracts for the rest if my working days if I have to.
I was de-banded the last round of lay offs. Felt grateful to have a job and stay at Nike. This time around I was let go, so received a lesser severance package than what I would have the first time around. Hind sight is always 20/20 and to be honest, I don’t know if I would have changed my decision if I could do it over again. Although hitting the job market right now doesn’t seem that promising. Good luck.
Things to consider if offered a down level or severance.
- How in need are your skills outside of the swoosh?
- Do recruiters reach out to you on LinkedIn?
- How is your network outside of Nike?
If you accept the down level, put a smile on your face and update your resume and LinkedIn .. get out as fast as you can!
@1ba pretty much nailed it. Taking a lower level job might not feel good, but does it feel better than being freshly unemployed during a pandemic?
The answer to that question will differ for different people. Some people will be easily able to find new employment and should probably take the severance. Others will struggle to land a new job and would do well to take the lower level Nike job. At least for the near term. If nothing else that buys you time to look for a new job on your own terms, rather than looking for a new job against what for many people would be a financial clock.
But really, it’s all a very individual circumstance. Some people have more marketable skills than others, and some people have more financial resources than others. Those two things, amongst several other things, all need to be taken into account. So the ‘correct’ answer will be different for different people.
the lower position can be used as stop gap until you find the next opportunity. However; when you resign, you won't get severance.
Look at the severance amount, consider the cost of COBRA then estimate how long to land the next gig.
All the best!