The post-firing life of technology professionals in Brazil

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Accustomed to changing jobs by choice, the wave of more than 1,300 cuts in Brazilian startups this year made many professionals in the technology sector find themselves, for the first time, in the position of being fired.

The personal challenge reflects a new moment in the area in Brazil and in the world. While during the pandemic there was a technology business boom, with a consequent increase in the demand for skilled labor in the area, the scenario is now more pessimistic.

“That never happened to me. I always ended up moving on to another opportunity that came up that was more suited to my reality,” says information security specialist Céu Balzano, 33.

According to data from the Caged job survey, relating to the formal market, the number of jobs in information and communication has grown by 23.9% since 2020 —the category has the fourth largest proportional generation of jobs, among 19 others.

However, in December 2022, the balance of vacancies in the sector decreased for the first time since the beginning of the historical series, in 2020. In the month, there was a loss of 3,630 jobs, in a stock of 1.13 million.

Until this recent wave of dismissals, the news was that Brazil did not have enough professionals for the area. A Sheet spoke with some technology professionals who, for the first time, found themselves unemployed.

Céu Balzano, data security specialist

Information security coordinator Céu Balzano received the news of Nubank’s dismissal on January 12. In addition to managing his area, he —a trans man— presented videos from the SOS Nu series, published on the fintech channel, with tips to avoid fraud and scams on the internet.

“I got hung up on a phone call with my manager that lasted five minutes,” says the security expert. “There was no feedback on what I produced over two years or any chance to reconsider the company’s decision.”

Balzano was not abandoned, as he has a company that provides information security services. He produced, for example, an awareness campaign for a social network.

The engineer’s biggest concern after his resignation is to have health insurance again, as he underwent bariatric surgery in 2022 and is the father of a visually impaired child. Nubank extended the former employee’s medical coverage for a month beyond the day of termination.

Sought, the digital bank replied that it does not comment on specific cases out of respect for the confidentiality of its employees. “Eventual layoffs do not interfere with our hiring rhythm, reiterating that the company continues to hire at the appropriate pace for its business plans in 2023”, he said in a note.

This Tuesday (31), Nubank announced the dismissal of 40 employees. At the time, he said that he increased his staff from 6,000 to 8,000 people in 2022 – the cuts would be adjustments according to the needs of the business and its customers.

Although he says that he did not receive the humane dismissal he expected, Balzano claims that he was welcomed by colleagues at the institution, who helped him with recommendations.

The information security specialist also published a report on the end of the bond on LinkedIn, viewed half a million times.

The recognition of his work on social networks led to seven selection processes for Balzano, including in traditional companies. He said that the experience of the shutdown made him value more the stability of a more consolidated business.

The engineer’s only restriction for new jobs concerns transphobic environments. Balzano recognizes that at Nubank he was able to assume a male identity and is proud of his work at the startup, which he still considers disruptive. “My account concerns only the shutdown.”

The new post came this week: he was hired by a Uruguayan firm, for which he will work remotely.

Nicholas Baraldi, shut down in global court

Rappi dismissed, on January 10, the five members of the team of data analysts focused on management that it maintained in Brazil. The layoffs were all communicated via videoconference, as the team operated in remote work.

In all, the cut reached 84 people, in the Brazilian operation of 1,779 employees, according to LinkedIn data. Those dismissed managed to scale the reduction of posts, as the company sent the dismissal email without hiding the recipients in copy. One of them was Nicholas Baraldi, 26, off for the first time.

The email list allowed former Rappi employees to organize a bank of talents dismissed by the startup, with name, title, length of experience at the company, LinkedIn profile and portfolio.

Contacted by email and telephone, Rappi did not respond to questions from Sheet.

Like Balzano, Baraldi has managed to advance in selection processes. Graduated in mechatronics engineering, he cites several skills on his resume and tries to find a job as a data engineer, since, on average, he pays better than his old position.

According to the engineer, Rappi itself did not help its professionals to relocate. He says he has received offers on LinkedIn, where the previous job proposal came from, and has already participated in three selection processes. “One had a higher salary, the other paid more or less as much as I received as an analyst to be a data engineer”.

Baraldi hopes to find a job as a CLT player. He doesn’t care about the company being known or Rappi’s size, he just wants to continue working with technology. “I migrated to this area because I liked what I studied in graduation, but I lacked identification with the service on the factory floor”.

Felipe Linhares, dismissed during exchange

Passing through technology companies and startups can also boost the curriculum, as it was for digital marketing specialist Felipe Linhares, 36.

He ended up at Pier digital insurance company, after experiences in social media for bands such as Skank, and producer at BH FM, Grupo Globo’s Minas Gerais radio station.

At the insurance company, Linhares started managing social networks, but was subsequently moved to the public relations area. “Working at a startup I discovered new skills”, he reports.

The communicator, however, says he was surprised by the dismissal, since he is on an exchange program in the US state of Missouri. “I had planned myself around this job, and the company knew my situation.”

According to Linhares, Pier has guaranteed all labor rights, extended the health plan for another two months and offered career progression guidance to professionals who left – there were 111, about 39% of the insurance company’s payroll.

Sought after, Pier stated that the reorganization of its staff is essential for a new phase of company growth, to ensure high profitability and reduce expenses. It added that it also extended access to the emotional health platform Zenklub and Gympass for two months.

With the indication of Pier and former colleagues, Linhares participates in selection processes and even received a job offer. The problem was the face-to-face model of work at an advertising agency in São Paulo. “My priority now is to complete the course in Saint Louis”.

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