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What is the writing on the wall, specifically, for Tesla though? They're ramping up two new factories and have a massive product lineup outlook. Electric is the

What is the writing on the wall, specifically, for Tesla though? They're ramping up two new factories and have a massive product lineup outlook. Electric is the future and, while this recession will last a couple years, will be the winning strategy long term. It's hard not to be long Tesla and take this financial turbulence as that, turbulence.

lapcat 4y ago
> It's hard not to be long Tesla and take this financial turbulence as that, turbulence. This is an investor perspective though, not an employee perspective. When it comes to jobs, "just sit and wait" is not necessarily the best strategy.
michaelt 4y ago
Well, it depends on the details. Sometimes large layoffs mean absolutely nothing - for example, if a company lays off a loss-making division that's nothing to do with your work. If you work on advertising for Facebook and they lay off the entire VR headset division, your job might remain entirely secure. Sometimes layoffs mean the company is short of money - that products aren't bringing in enough revenue to cover costs, and investors aren't looking to pump in more cash. This might mean there will be further rounds of layoffs in the near future; subsequent layoffs might be less generous; and there might be a freeze on raises or promotions, no matter how well you perform. On the other hand, I've known people get big promotions at failing companies, as their superiors leave for greener pastures. So your employer being in decline doesn't always mean freezes on promotions! Some layoffs mean the bosses think bad hires have been made - that the company has too many indolent employees putting in just enough effort to not get fired. Maybe that colleague everybody knows is useless will finally get fired. On the other hand, if the bosses think people like you are dead weight, that might not bode well for your career. Sometimes layoffs mean the company has changed strategy and areas that were seen as money-makers (like adding new features to the product) are now seen as cost centers. This may indicate there will be less work developing new greenfield code and worrying about chasing the cutting edge. If you're near the end of your career that might be fine; if you're early in your career, it might mean this isn't the place to keep your skills up-to-date.
tmyenzi 4y ago
The long term issue I see with Tesla is that, while I agree that electric is the future, multiple manufacturers are now starting to enter the space Tesla currently occupies. Up until recently, you didn't have much choice aside from Tesla for premium electric vehicles. By 2024, however, it seems like most of the current major automobile manufacturers will be offering electric options, and a few additional startups are attempting to squeeze into this space as well. Tesla has some solid engineering to their credit, but they also have a reputation for poor quality control (in fit and finish in particular). It would be one thing if Elon Musk showed some initiative in addressing these QC issues. The recent Twitter diversion however along with other erratic behavior by Musk seems to indicate a lack of focus, at a time where a strong focus at Tesla is sorely needed. Tesla can no longer coast in the EV market, they will be far from the only player in the future.

lapcat 4y ago

> It's hard not to be long Tesla and take this financial turbulence as that, turbulence. This is an investor perspective though, not an employee perspective. When it comes to jobs, "just sit and wait" is not necessarily the best strategy.

michaelt 4y ago

Well, it depends on the details. Sometimes large layoffs mean absolutely nothing - for example, if a company lays off a loss-making division that's nothing to do with your work. If you work on advertising for Facebook and they lay off the entire VR headset division, your job might remain entirely secure. Sometimes layoffs mean the company is short of money - that products aren't bringing in enough revenue to cover costs, and investors aren't looking to pump in more cash. This might mean there will be further rounds of layoffs in the near future; subsequent layoffs might be less generous; and there might be a freeze on raises or promotions, no matter how well you perform. On the other hand, I've known people get big promotions at failing companies, as their superiors leave for greener pastures. So your employer being in decline doesn't always mean freezes on promotions! Some layoffs mean the bosses think bad hires have been made - that the company has too many indolent employees putting in just enough effort to not get fired. Maybe that colleague everybody knows is useless will finally get fired. On the other hand, if the bosses think people like you are dead weight, that might not bode well for your career. Sometimes layoffs mean the company has changed strategy and areas that were seen as money-makers (like adding new features to the product) are now seen as cost centers. This may indicate there will be less work developing new greenfield code and worrying about chasing the cutting edge. If you're near the end of your career that might be fine; if you're early in your career, it might mean this isn't the place to keep your skills up-to-date.

tmyenzi 4y ago

The long term issue I see with Tesla is that, while I agree that electric is the future, multiple manufacturers are now starting to enter the space Tesla currently occupies. Up until recently, you didn't have much choice aside from Tesla for premium electric vehicles. By 2024, however, it seems like most of the current major automobile manufacturers will be offering electric options, and a few additional startups are attempting to squeeze into this space as well. Tesla has some solid engineering to their credit, but they also have a reputation for poor quality control (in fit and finish in particular). It would be one thing if Elon Musk showed some initiative in addressing these QC issues. The recent Twitter diversion however along with other erratic behavior by Musk seems to indicate a lack of focus, at a time where a strong focus at Tesla is sorely needed. Tesla can no longer coast in the EV market, they will be far from the only player in the future.