Blue Screen Of Death - Microsoft Layoffs

(Originally posted Jan 23, 2009)

Microsoft profit dropped 11% - thats quite huge.  And finally, the long-rumored layoffs are coming.  5,000 people in the next few months.  (1,400 have already been asked to leave) 

It isn't a huge number for a company of Microsoft's size (about 5%), but it is a little unprecedented.  This is the software behemoth's first-ever layoff (at least as far as I know.  I'm not counting layoffs from acquired companies, of course.

Microsoft has a process where under-performers are constantly weeded out, a la Intel.  This will probably continue, and might even get increased - so who knows the true employee turnover to come?

And another (not unexpected) wrinkle - Microsoft is still hiring.  I have a (really smart!) friend who has just joined their Search team.  This makes sense, of course, but doesn't make it easier for those laid off to swallow.