Thread regarding Oracle Corp. layoffs

Same story different month/year.

Hi! I worked for Oracle years ago was laid off, seen all of this before. Been there done that.

Oracle does mass culls and purges very regularly, sometimes more frequently or aggressive than others, but it's the way they have always run the business. They also tend to cut aggressively when they do cut.

As for how to deal with it. If you've just been laid off, don't look back. Let go. It's gone. Focus on you and the future and think very broadly about what your skills are. Oracle likely had you fixated on some small things which really narrows your perspective over time. Don't think about going back unless you become desperate for money and just use it as an interim step. Never try to make sense of what they are doing, why they are doing or what just happened to you. You will go crazy.

For the people who are there, unless you're VERY senior, look outside the company. There are a lot of interesting things going on, and certainly better paid.

I was laid off years ago. I didn't want to go. I was "happy" but a better word was complacent bordering on lazy. In reality I was being underpaid, not appreciated and wasn't enjoying it. It's now worked out a LOT better for me, but make no mistake, it was unnerving, uncomfortable and unsettling at the time. I look back and wish I'd left years earlier. Other people had this same advice but I couldn't bring myself to leave.

Oracle treat employees like abused animals because they can. They know there is no shortage. Their business model allows them to do this financially and the law allows them to. The only way not to be exploited is not to play their game.

Good luck. I hope you all make it through this mentally unscathed or traumatised.


by
| 3057 views | | 7 replies (last ) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1k325e2wb

7 replies (most recent on top)

ORCL Stock is cratering. Mr. Market doesn't believe Safra's big promises.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @d3+1k325e2wb

I was working at Oracle many years, always trying to do my best. The longer I was the more anxiety I felt, it was very frustrating for me to work feeling each day micromanaging and mng focusing mostly on performance tables each of us in the team (i.g. why did you spend 3h in X task, it can be done in no more than 1h). I too late discover that in reality they treat employee like „to keep in dark and feed with sh*t” - pressure, old internal tools (the longer I stayed, the more far away from IT I felt I was). I finished with them, I started psychotherapy to regain what Oracle had su-ked out of me. Now it’s fine, the only thing I regret I hadn’t changed my job earlier.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @bg+1k325e2wb

@az O will need to show revenue growth to impress Wall St., in particular AI revenue growth. Firing people won't accomplish that. Plus the current firings won't help Q1 earnings when it's reported in September. I think they really believe they are "cutting fat". Anyway, lots of eggs in the AI basket.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @bd+1k325e2wb

Oracle has made extremely aggressive promises to Wall Street and in order to meet those commitments, as well as fund all the AI investments they're committed to, they will need to gut their workforce by a lot more than this minor trimming. If you're not absolutely indispensable to the OCI part of the business (and you'd know it if you were), then spruce up your resume and jump before you're pushed. Trust me, layoffs and major reorgs are going to be standard operating procedure for the next 5 years or more. It's the only way for Safra to deliver on her outlandish earnings commitments, even with monster deals like the OpenAI deal, which won't contribute revenue for many years to come (if ever). Look it up; that revenue is NOT a guarantee..

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @az+1k325e2wb

I was in the class of Sept 1, 2017. IC4, 58 years old. At first I was angry, but gradually just got to business. Ended up getting hired as a contractor at a higher hourly rate than Oracle Salary + Benefits after only 2 months out of a 8 month total severance + accrued vacation. After a year, I converted to FTE and took a management slot. It can be done. Stick with it. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @ab+1k325e2wb

Similar experience. I was an IC5 on a management track. Doing great work.

Then it was over in April 2023 with a bunch of other unsuspecting people.

It’s su-ked for a bit, then got better. Took a few months off and reinvigorated some old skills.

Got back in the game at a different big tech company. Much better work environment and higher pay.

Some friends caught up in the same layoff retired or started their own gig. All are happier, myself included.

If you were impacted, give it some time. And use the time wisely. You’ll be happier too.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a4+1k325e2wb

@OP nice of you to take the time to post this positive post. It’s quite true in my experience with Oracle that most employees are stuck on proprietary software and get complacent… which is fine if you are at the end of your career.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a3+1k325e2wb

Post a reply

: