Kendrick, 36, who was new to the tech industry when she started as a project manager for Network a year ago, now understands the tumultuous dot-com environment. In fact, Kendrick is dismayed at the way in which she and her colleagues were laid off. Apparently, it's a new management style: Don't tell your employees they're fired, and ignore them until they go away.
Tell us a little bit about what it's like to work at a dot-com these days.
It's so competitive and fast-paced. I think that's why a lot of the dot-coms are failing. They really don't take the time to do it right. They just want to whip out a product, do it on the fly, and if it's not perfect they'll fix it later. My first boss quit due to health problems, because he was way too stressed out--he couldn't deal. [Kendrick had three different bosses in six months.]
Okay, what happened with the layoffs?
Well, in the first round of layoffs [68 people were fired in October], Network said because they had been acquiring so many other dot-coms, there were a lot of redundant positions that needed to be eliminated. It was totally out of the blue; nobody suspected anything. In fact, some people were actually working at their computers, and [information technology staffers] came and started taking away computers before the employees even knew they were laid off. They were like, "Sorry, we're here for your computer, you're going to have to move."
Did you worry that you were next?
I was just happy I survived it, but I started to realize management was capable of doing things without caring. For example, I was in L.A. two weeks ago attending a seminar for the company, and some gals from the office called to tip me off that another 85 people just got laid off. They said the managers went around to everyone's desk and gave them this letter that in effect said, "You're being laid off, please let your manager escort you to the conference room." So then, they herded everyone to the conference room where all the executives were looking very solemn and regretful, and they told everybody they were being laid off because the company needed to reach profitability faster. You know, like that was supposed to make people feel better or something. [Despite 2000 revenues of $114.4 million, Network has yet to make a profit.]
So what happened to you?
Well, after I heard about the layoffs I noticed that my company cell phone wasn't working. So I'm thinking, this is weird, but maybe it's just a mistake. Then, when I got home on Sunday from L.A., I tried to log on to the company network, and the computer just kept saying "access denied."
No one called you from the company?
Nope. Then on Monday, I went into work and couldn't get in because my key card wouldn't work. I finally got up to the office and started packing up my stuff, and I found out they were having an executive meeting about the layoffs. So I decided to go to the meeting, and I walked in and my manager saw me and got totally flustered. He got up and was like, "Uh, uh, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" And I said out loud in front of everybody, "Oh, are you finally going to tell me I'm fired, or what?" Then he had the nerve to ask me how I learned I was laid off. He wanted me to tell him who leaked the information.
So what are you going to do now?
I think I have enough money to last till February. I'm not sure if I'll work at a dot-com ever again. I think I'm going to work somewhere more tangible next, like at a construction company or something.
If you'd like to do a Stranger Exit Interview, contact josh@thestranger.com or call 323-7101.
