broadband news

Broadband search engine Google slashes 100 jobs

The popular broadband search engine, Google, has made its first permanent job cuts.

The move comes as the technology sector attempts to cushion itself from the impact of the recession.

Google is widely regarded as one of the most solidly-performing broadband search engines. It announced it would dismiss 100 ‘recruiters’ from the broadband site worldwide, as it recognises the reduced need to employ new staff.

Writing in the company’s official broadband blog, as reported by The Times online, Laszlo Bock, vice-president for people operations, said: “Google is still hiring, but at a reduced rate. Given the state of the economy, we recognised that we needed fewer people focused on hiring.”

Signs of diminished profits and economic turbulence in the broadband technology sector have come to light over the last month or so.

In recent weeks, broadband site Google cut an unspecified number of contractors and temporary staff. It also re-evaluated its Christmas gift, ditching the $1,000 bonus and offering a new T-Mobile phone, which offers phone-based broadband, instead.

Although Google cut 300 of its broadband staff last year at Doubleclick, the internet advertising company it had acquired, this is the first time Google has laid off permanent staff it directly hired to support the broadband site.

Google and the broadband sector, however, are still relatively buoyant in comparison to other tech sectors. Mobile phone manufacturer Motorola, for example, recently said it would cut 4,000 jobs due to a slump in mobile phone sales during the economic turmoil.

16/01/2009
Author: CompareBroadbandUK staff writer

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