Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

Lost motivation as a ETW

When I first started at Nike, I was excited to be part of the technology team. I did whatever was asked, took extra duty. Now I'm feeling disillusioned. I have a shelf life coming up with no mention of a extension. literally watched another co-worker as a ETW get marched to the gallows and everyone pretends to care they're being laid off " oh, we'll miss you. You should come back when you!!" It's really sad and pathetic Nike treats people like this.

Most of my co-workers say they " don't feel well" or " have a headache" and disappear from Slack for hours on end. Our director is constantly absent. Team members equate this with being a " great boss! he doesn't micromanage you!" I feel like I'm on a derelict ship.

I hate to be negative. I don't feel like I'm recognized at all. I try to keep my head down and do what is asked of me. I try and banter or fit in with the team. I'm told I do " fit in" but another ETW had his contract extended for a year whereas mine isn't. He did kiss up to our director and saved his bacon I suppose.

It seems like hard work isn't appreciated at Nike, only personality and bantering. Even better if you can be nerdy with them! You can slack off and do minimal work and get by. What else am I missing??

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Post ID: @OP+1b35xYHB

6 replies (most recent on top)

The one rule at Nike "Never work as a ETW" 20 some years ago they let my entire project team go after the week prior telling us we are good for the next year.

I am a FTE now but only because for many years I turned down opportunity to be a ETW over and over again and waited until I could get a FTE direct hire position.

Remember never work as a Nike ETW it is not your foot in the door...most of the time you will be let down. It needs to become industry known to not work for Nike as an ETW. But as usual Nike treats people like cr-p because there is always a ton of people willing to sacrifice to work for the swoosh...even if as only a contractor.

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Post ID: @Xcjy+1b35xYHB

This is exactly why I quit as an ETW.
They valued my work. They said they needed me, but I got no recognition whatsoever. They ended up converting a fellow colleague to FTE (same role as me) who didn't check any of the requirements (tech job, I'm an engineer he's a business major, clueless about tech, very much the director's friend).
Not only that but they dumped all the work on me because I'm the only one who can do that. Ran away from there as fast I could swoosh!

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Post ID: @Xele+1b35xYHB

I'm an FTE and I completely agree with you @OP

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Post ID: @8crm+1b35xYHB

I see this constantly, good ETW's dropped like flies while incompetent FTEs come out of nowhere. Some not even conversions, just friends of mgmt.

The chance for unemployment will be a blessing in disguise. There are lots of great tech companies in Portland, and you will get full time to search instead of constantly being burdened by extra work while looking

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Post ID: @3cba+1b35xYHB

My experiences were basically the same. Honestly, you don't want to be an ETW for more than a year so don't feel so bad about your colleague who got extended. Believe it or not, being a long term ETW is a great way to ensure that you'll never get converted. It means that your team values the work you perform, but not you as a person. Other people see that and assume there's something wrong with you and are wary about letting you join their team.

Your best bet, if you still want to work for Nike, is to find a FTE role somewhere else in the company. Then you get to be the one complaining about how you have to find a way to look productive when you literally have nothing to do!

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Post ID: @1wup+1b35xYHB

I am ex flex and currently FTE. This is a huge weakness for Nike - even Directors can’t always make an FTE conversion happen, as I saw with a complete rescind of their ability to selectively extend people past 2080 during covid (hah, apply for your own job... that is bs too, but it’s just a game that we know the end result of)

I try to make it suck less in my role of limited leadership, but Nike's use of ETWs in tech that it fails to convert (talented people in particular) is a competitive disadvantage. The only allure is ETW can pay 30% over fte, in cash...

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Post ID: @grr+1b35xYHB

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