Google Confirms AdWords Layoffs

It’s official, Google’s not immune from the bad economy and shrinking ad budgets. Google is cutting 200 employees today, the company now confirms. Google executive Omid Kordestani, the company’s sales chief, wrote in the official Google blog that the layoffs are almost primarily in the sales and marketing operation, better known as AdWords. A tipster had told Gawker, the company had “overinvested” in areas where it had forecasted growth. Here is what the internal employee at Google said prior to the official announcement:

A friend of mine in the San Francisco office’s AdWords division (who wants to remain nameless) was laid off this morning. She also said there were 200 people total. They are still on payroll for two months and have the opportunity to apply for other jobs within the company. If they don’t have another job at the end of the 60 days they get a severance package.