Wow, Vic Gundotra leaves Microsoft for Google
Interesting, Vic Gundotra leaves Microsoft, Business 2.0 says, to take a year off and then head to Google.
Vic is the guy who hired me into Microsoft and is one of the people who made me believe. I will never forget his pitch to me to join Microsoft: “this might be good for your career.”
Thanks Vic for everything and good luck in your future career.
+++++
Brain drain at Microsoft?
Is there a brain drain going on at Microsoft? It sure looks that way but keep in mind that Vic and I didn’t write code. We didn’t make the products.
Those of us who — whether deserved or not — become public faces of companies can wildly change the perceptions of those companies.
There are 60,000+ people working at Microsoft. Not two or three. Or even 15.
What’s ironic is I met quite a few employees at Microsoft who used to work at Google. No one talks about them.
On the other hand, this is a win for Google and a loss for Microsoft. They got a good guy.
By the way, I tried to call Vic for several hours tonight to get his comment and he didn’t return my calls. I didn’t know either Vic was going to leave before today, either, although when we talked recently about my own career I could tell he was considering life changes as well.
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June 28th, 2006 at 11:36 pm
Well people move on from time to time. But too many people moving at the same time is no good ;)
June 28th, 2006 at 11:48 pm
As a former employee, I always thought of him as a slimy snake; not surprised to see him switch sides for pure financial gain; it sure is a loss to MS thoug.
June 29th, 2006 at 12:11 am
It’s the salary I guess.
June 29th, 2006 at 12:37 am
Public Faces Don’t Matter (that much)
Every few years, the disgustingly public faces of most democratic countries reluctantly budge and make way for others. Yet, this causes no great loss of confidence that those same countries will survive, or even thrive. When people like Robert Scoble o…
June 29th, 2006 at 12:48 am
@Tejas: People have been moving in and out MS for 20-something years. The visibility of the people involved doesn’t really make a huge difference, except perhaps in recruiting. 2-3 people in a company of tens of thousands quit, and it turns into a big deal ? Only in the blogosphere.
@Hasan: Yeah, it must be that. Because, MS obviously doesn’t have the cash.
@Scoble: Yes, and I (sometimes) meet Salesforce people who turned down jobs at Google. Weird? Maybe. But no one talks about them either. I won’t say it’s a Google conspiracy, but the blogosphere is quite enchanted by them.
June 29th, 2006 at 2:03 am
I can’t wait to hear about Steve Jobs throwing chairs trying to convince him not to leave.
June 29th, 2006 at 2:56 am
I would like to think that people moving out of Microsoft is a very very small percentage which in turn is probably way above better than industry standards. Just a hunch…
June 29th, 2006 at 3:39 am
I agree with Hasan that most probably the financial benefit is the key reason. Microsoft should take this matter seriously. Losing an experienced employee is never a good thing for any company.
June 29th, 2006 at 4:06 am
Microsoft still has Rory…
June 29th, 2006 at 4:09 am
@Kingsley
it can become a big deal. As I now respect companies like Microsoft and Google, not only for their brilliant software developers but for the people who represent the company as a human voice on the blogosphere.
June 29th, 2006 at 4:34 am
So, Robert, how’s it feel to be a “Disgustingly public face”?
Perhaps there are one or two, even more “disgustingly public”, faces, that you could suggest, as being still incumbent at Microsoft, that might actually benefit the company by “making way for others”?
On, wait! It’s Mini’s job, to make those suggetions, isn’t it?
June 29th, 2006 at 5:33 am
How can we blame him! Even the boss left after hearing you where departing. ;-)
June 29th, 2006 at 6:47 am
Also keep in mind that we would never hear about a developer leaving MS, or a hundred.
June 29th, 2006 at 7:17 am
Are you sure MS still has 60,000? Check mini’s blog
June 29th, 2006 at 7:31 am
An interesting cross-post on a few joined MSFT recently:-)
http://blogs.msdn.com/jobsblog/archive/2006/06/28/650332.aspx
we have quite the same flows of people at SAP and Oracle moving both directions. every bigwig’s move begets a loud discussion on a “crisis”. I believe it’s all natural as soon as there is no flood on any direction
June 29th, 2006 at 7:54 am
I think the real question is what is the overall turnover rate? and how much is voluntary? And how does it compare with the industry?
June 29th, 2006 at 9:19 am
OK, that “disgustingly public face” referred to the politicians who represent us. I think it’s obvious when you read the post, but maybe it doesn’t come through as well on the trackback.
Tejas, do tell me who represents Google in the blogosphere, especially someone who’s leaving would make them look bad?
June 29th, 2006 at 10:07 am
Scoble, you do realize you don’t work for MS anymore, Right?
June 29th, 2006 at 10:21 am
Another Microsoft Exec Jumps Ship
Another battle lost by Microsoft. In the latest defection, Vic Gundotra, has jumped ship to Google, he will apparently take a year off, to make sure he clears the non compete agreement and then go to work for the search engine giant.
It hasn’t …
June 29th, 2006 at 10:24 am
Why are Microsofties jumping ship?…
First Kai-Fu Lee, then Marc Lucovesky, then Robert Scoble, then Martin Taylor, and now Vic Gundotra have announced that they’re leaving Microsoft. All except for Scoble are going to Google. This exodus has set the blogosphere abuzz about the reasons…
June 29th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
“What’s ironic is I met quite a few employees at Microsoft who used to work at Google. No one talks about them.”
Say it louder. I think nobody noticed…
(just adding to the irony)
June 29th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
In other news, Lenn Pryor is going to eBay.
June 29th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
@20. They cryptic way in which the Taylor’s departure was reported makes me wonder if he wasn’t pushed rather than “left”
June 29th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
June 29th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Hmm. I wonder why my pingback came through as “Anonymous”?
June 29th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
I would be surprised if the reason if purely financial. Microsoft are the old boys of the technology circle, good is new. Even apple do a better job of attracting talent….
June 29th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
In related news, Ballmer orders a new chair.
June 29th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
Scoble’s Recruiter Quits Microsoft
The guy who recruited Scoble, Vic Gundotra, quits Microsoft for Google.
In related news, Steve Ballmer orders a new chair.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:05 am
“Tejas, do tell me who represents Google in the blogosphere, especially someone who’s leaving would make them look bad?”
Mark Jen. Do a search on Google, Kingsley (or do you use MSN, as a matter of principle ;))
June 30th, 2006 at 5:21 am
Are you going to join GOOG after a year, just like Vic? :)
Vic can afford to take a one year break, not many of us can.
June 30th, 2006 at 6:59 am
mahesh,
Nice catch. Robert has anounced this long time ago at http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/04/01/announcement-im-going-to-google/
June 30th, 2006 at 11:20 am
TAG,
That’s a very clever move from Robert :) Made it look like a joke.
Anyway Robert, I wish you the best for your job at podtech. I am not a big fan of Pods, but it’s good to know that you will continue to blog.
Cheers
June 30th, 2006 at 3:24 pm
Sure, there are 60,000 people still left at MS. But the fact that so many “high profile” execs have been/are leaving is of course going to raise eyebrows. And not just in the blogosphere either.
June 30th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
We can not blame him. He did the right thing it seems
July 1st, 2006 at 6:39 am
The fact that there are 60,000 people still left at MS mean nothing.
According to article - http://news.com.com/Microsoft+boosts+salaries+to+keep+talent+in+hot+job+market/2100-1001_3-237605.html
There >=7,5% who will leave MS this year. 7,5% from 60000 is 4500. About 12 per day !
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:07 pm
[...] On a blog trivia note, ex-Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble posted that Gundotra hired him into Microsoft, and told Scoble “this might be good for your career.” [...]
July 4th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
[...] On a blog trivia note, ex-Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble posted that Gundotra hired him into Microsoft, and told Scoble “this might be good for your career.” [...]
July 11th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
[...] 우선, 웹 서비스를 하는 업체에서 기술 전도사란 직함이 생소하기는 합니다만 최근에 동향을 보면 그렇지도 않은 것 같습니다. Apple Evangelist로 처음 활동을 했던 Guy Kawasaki를 비롯해서 초기의 기술 전도사들은 주로 하드웨어 및 소프트웨어 업체에서 그들이 가지고 있던 플랫폼 기술을 전파하고 외부 개발자를 지원하는 일을 주로 해왔습니다. 특히, 얼마 전 구글로 이직한 Robert Scoble이 만든 Microsoft Evangelist 사이트은 Channel 9이나 Java 기술 전도사들은 우리에게 익숙합니다. 이들의 첫번째 고객은 외부 개발자나 파트너사이고 내부 개발 조직과 게이트 웨이 역할을 하면서 정보를 공유하는 역할을 합니다. Sun, IBM, Oracle 및 Microsoft 등의 플랫폼 벤더에는 흔한 직업입니다. 이들은 외부에 블로그 같은 열린 채널을 통해 글도 쓰고, 강연도 하고, 신기술을 자신이 다니는 회사에 전파하거나 거꾸로 사내의 기술을 외부로 알리기도 합니다. [...]
October 14th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
hm, could be just a salary thing…
January 1st, 2007 at 6:34 am
[...] This is not an individual case. I’ve read about many developers, consultants or technical evangelists leaving Microsoft to join one of the new companies, be it Vic Gundotra and Jon Beda, who both went to Google, or be it Richard Scoble, joining PodTech.net. And there are many more. [...]
January 10th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Sounds interesting
January 10th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Even I am looking for change ;-)
October 11th, 2007 at 8:59 am
[...] very happy that you have taken the time to review my application to Google. As a former Microsoft employee, I really appreciate what you are doing over there in Mountain [...]