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MASSIVE JOB THREAD: Just over a month ago, I found out I lost my job at @EA. Since then, it’s been a wild, incredible job hunt. Here’s some of the stuff I’ve learned about getting laid off, recruiting, and the job hunt. /1
Getting laid off can feel embarrassing, but owning the fact that I was laid off, turned out to be the best thing I could have done. It all started with this tweet: https://twitter.com/wbm312/status/1110635282225721344 /2
I received an outpouring of support from various members of the privacy and security community. I am humbled by how many of you reached out to lift me up. Thank you so much to each and every one of you. /3
I proactively shared that I was laid off to interested companies, and I was always happy to answer followups: “EA laid off 4% of the company. I was affected. My job was eliminated. I’m now looking.” Don't feel ashamed you got laid off, it's not your fault. /4
Protip: You should never speak poorly of your previous employer, under *any* circumstance. This may ring hollow after that statement, but I honestly loved my time at EA and would still choose to do it all again knowing what I know now. /5
Over the past month I have talked to over 20 different companies, saying “yes” to opportunities as they appeared. I looked at this new unemployment as an opportunity to figure out the right next steps for me. I viewed this as an opportunity, not a burden. /6
I talked to companies that people would have been shocked to think I’d end up at: Yes, I spoke to Facebook multiple times. Their recruiting is quite good and probably to thank for their recent privacy hires (more on a good recruiting team later in the thread). /7
What I was unprepared for was how many opportunities I would generally love. It was hard to pick. It was hard to narrow down the interesting roles. Looking for a job and interviewing quickly became a full-time 50 hour/week commitment. /8
LinkedIn Jobs, reaching out to my network, and twitter were, by far, the most effective tools in finding a new job. But even if you want to find a job quickly, it takes time, and shouldn’t be rushed. Finding the right fit is a long process. /9
Recruiters ultimately set the pace for how quickly an initial application will go from submission to offer. Each job has pretty much the following process: recruiter screen, manager screen, onsite, potential 2nd onsite, and offer. /10
For some companies this took about 1 week. For others, the process took longer than 4 weeks, or was still ongoing when I finally signed an offer. I acknowledge, though, that I was in a very privileged position to take my time, and that not everyone can do that. /11
A recruiter sets the tone for how a candidate views a company: how much did they want me, how much did they communicate (transparency & updates), company culture, and company/team organization. /12
Lack of communication from a recruiter might signal: lack of interest in the candidate, lack of organization within the hiring team, urgency & need to find a good fit. /13
A candidate might love the company, but choose someone else because the recruiter never followed up, even if they were intending to move forward with you. Timing is very important, recruiters should constantly ask if your timeline has changed & set expectations accordingly. /14
That being said, always feel empowered to reach out to a recruiter for an update, but as with all professional communications: don’t be rude and assume positive intent. /15
They probably didn’t intentionally forget about you—they might have gone on vacation, hiring for 20 other roles, or simply thought they hit send on a previous email to you. /16
Finally, it’s ok to turn down an offer. It’s scary, especially when it’s with a great company & great team. But sometimes, the first offer isn’t the best one for you, not because the team isn’t a great fit, but because you’re just looking for something different to grow. /17
It's a great time to be in privacy & data security as a lawyer. There are TONS of great companies hiring for privacy counsel roles. Here are a bunch:
Lyft: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1261453810/ …
Atlassian: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1078220556/ …
Cruise: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1232395527/ …
/18
Lyft: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1261453810/ …
Atlassian: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1078220556/ …
Cruise: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1232395527/ …
/18
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1242350825/ …
Apple: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1215681695/ …
Eventbrite: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/993491548/ …
Dropbox: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1200977940/ …
Okta: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1200506347/ …
Snowflake: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1184788447/ …
/19
Apple: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1215681695/ …
Eventbrite: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/993491548/ …
Dropbox: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1200977940/ …
Okta: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1200506347/ …
Snowflake: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1184788447/ …
/19
Postmates: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1196446303/ …
Doordash: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1216859618/ …
Elastic: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1218200552/ …
Snap: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1192828390/ …
Spotify: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1225212622/ …
Google: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1166147019/ …
/20
Doordash: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1216859618/ …
Elastic: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1218200552/ …
Snap: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1192828390/ …
Spotify: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1225212622/ …
Google: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1166147019/ …
/20
Levi: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1200502949 …
PayPal: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1250405992 …
TikTok: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1205132250 …
Intuitive: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1258672677 …
Ubisoft: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1119937887 …
/21
PayPal: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1250405992 …
TikTok: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1205132250 …
Intuitive: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1258672677 …
Ubisoft: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/1119937887 …
/21
These are great companies hiring for various types of privacy counsel roles. There are tons of other product counsel roles that touch on privacy issues not mentioned. Also, this thread is not all inclusive of my experience, so please feel free to DM if you have questions! /22
Finally (really finally this time), thank you to everyone who supported me. This community never ceases to amaze and surprise me with their kindness and support. I will spend the rest of my life trying to pay it forward. /fin
Bonus tweet: I’m excited to start at @BrexHQ at the beginning of June. If you can, taking time off between jobs is good for your long term health and helps stop/fix burnout. https://twitter.com/wbm312/status/1123294389415993345?s=21
