In the latest turn of events, Google, having let go of over 1,000 employees at the start of 2024, is gearing up for another round of layoffs, particularly in its advertising sales team. Business Insider got wind of this first and spilled the beans.
The Verge got in touch with Google, and a spokesperson spilled more tea, confirming that they’re trimming “a few hundred roles globally” as part of a restructuring move. Interestingly, the spokesperson also pointed out that those affected can throw their hats in the ring for other gigs within Google.
The initial scoop on Google’s potential layoffs leaked through Business Insider, who somehow got their hands on an internal memo from Google’s big shot, Philipp Schindler, the senior vice president. The memo dropped a hint that the axe would likely fall on the Large Customer Sales (LCS) unit, the team handling ads for the big players in business.
Switching gears, the Google Customer Solutions team (GCS), in charge of ads for the smaller fish, is set to take the lead as the main ad sales crew. We got wind of job cuts in the LCS team back in October last year. What’s crucial to note is that the tech giant from California has been handing out pink slips in other squads too, like Pixel, Nest products, and engineering.
So, here’s the twist: Microsoft has just outranked Apple as the world’s top-dog company, shaking up the usual Google-Apple comparisons. Meanwhile, Google’s throwing some new tools into the ring, like Bard and Gemini, taking on competitors like Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Plus, with the Pixel 9 series on the horizon, it looks like Google’s all set to solidify its position. That said, the recent shakeups in the company might be about getting the team in sync with the ever-changing business landscape.
The tech job scene has been rough for a while now. Layoffs.fyi, the site keeping tabs on tech job cuts, spilled the beans that a whopping 260,000 tech folks worldwide got the boot in 2023 alone. Fast forward to 2024, and the struggle continues, with more than 7,500 already facing the chopping block. Tough times in the tech world.