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Surviving Layoffs: Five Lessons from the Trenches
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Surviving Layoffs: Five Lessons from the Trenches
in a desert also life exists
As tough as this has been, there is a great deal that I`ve learned from each path traveled. And while some of these paths were voluntarily taken, the majority weren`t. Considering the average stay at a company in our field is approximately 18 months, there are a lot of us that have been forced in another career direction within the past few years [see also: Job Seekers: Get Ready for the `Character` Interview]. If I had a dollar for every time a recruiter or human resource person asked about my "sketchy" job history, I`d be a very rich man [see also: 10 Dos and Don`ts for Security Job Interviews]. By the same token, I know of very few people who have been fortunate enough to have lasted five or more years in a strictly information security-related function at one company. There are many times I`ve thought about getting out of security altogether, but opening a dollar store and raising alpacas seemed like more trouble than it`s worth.
Having said this, each career change has brought about a unique learning opportunity. These are experiences that you won`t find in any book nor learn at any business school. Sometimes the school of hard knocks can be the best teacher.
Lesson 1: Look before you leap
The grass isn`t always greener on the other side. This is a common phrase that we hear from time to time and one that definitely had more than a ring of truth to it in the late 1990s. I had left the relatively safe pastures of Microsoft to pursue an opportunity as CISO at a startup company for twice the salary, stock options and other associated dotcom perks of the era.
While I managed to ask all the typical geek questions in interviews, such as about the technology, personnel and relevant strategies, it didn`t occur to me at the time to ask the tougher questions such as capital run and burn rate, attrition, company finances, etc. Had I known the incredible burn rate on capital before and predicted the dry-up in venture capital funds that year, I never would have left Microsoft. And, as I found out much later in an interview, once you leave Microsoft you can never go back. Learn to ask the hard questions and know what you don`t know. Lesson: Do the math. Consult a mentor, financial consultant or career coach if you are unsure of how to ask about a company`s long-term viability.
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http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9135535/Surviving_Layoffs_Five_Lessons_fr