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Comment on Netflix wants managers to ask whether they would rehire their employees

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1. Go to https://jobs.netflix.com/culture

2. Search for "keeper test"

It says:

“if X wanted to leave, would I fight to keep them?”
Or “knowing everything I know today, would I hire X again?”
If the answer is no, we believe it’s fairer to everyone to part ways quickly.

This is better than the "stacked ranking" methodology.

If you want managers to fire marginal employees you have to make it so doing so doesn’t screw them over. That means always backfilling (quickly) and meanwhile adjusting output expectations.

"Jane, we're trying to backfill that position. Look, we even have it posted!"

the posting:

https://qz.com/companies-posting-fake-job-listings-resume-bu...

I've never been the negative type, but things feel really really broken.

I've never worked at Netflix but the above reflects my understanding of the culture there, with this addition:

Unlike the approach of being required to stack rank and fire the bottom x%, managers aren't required to fire anyone but are supported if they decide someone is no longer adding value.

I think the fact I know this means they are pretty transparent about it.

Obviously, that could be applied unfairly.

Given the transparency, you need to decide:

1. Does the hiring manager seem like a reasonable person?

2. What is the hiring manager's / company's definition of reasonable expectations?

3. Am I willing and able to sustain the kind of efforts that those expectations entail?

4. Am I willing and able to deal with the ego, financial, and hassle ramifications of being wrong about any of the previous questions?

I think it's a reasonable way to run a business.

It's not a way I want to participate in, so I hope it doesn't become the only way.

(edited for formatting)

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