Yup! We were encouraged to take interviews at other companies for multiple reasons. One was to report back the offer as data for the HR team. They used that both in level setting new offers as well as making sure you got an appropriate raise.
It was also because Netflix understood that if you found a better job, it was better for both you and Netflix to leave and take that job, because it meant that you weren't truly happy at Netflix and may not be doing your best work.
It was truly an enlightened way to think about talent, and I've never seen anything as good since.
Sounds pretty ideal! But it also sounds like you're talking about all of this in the past tense... why did you end up leaving, if you don't mind me asking? :)
Had a baby and retired. :) Retirement didn't last though, now that both kids are in school I'm back at work. FWIW I would go back in a heartbeat if they had a role for me.
They were plenty friendly to families, but I was ready to go full time at home. We didn't really have anyone working part time, and at the time there was no remote work either.
It’s an awesome mentality, but I think it comes out of Netflix being a company that sells to consumers and not enterprises. I work at a big cloud company. We don’t have enough engineers to do the work our customers want us to do. Each piece of work comes from someone spending millions of dollars a year that has executive visibility. Letting someone go means some committed project goes unfunded and an unhappy customer.
It was also because Netflix understood that if you found a better job, it was better for both you and Netflix to leave and take that job, because it meant that you weren't truly happy at Netflix and may not be doing your best work.
It was truly an enlightened way to think about talent, and I've never seen anything as good since.