Microsoft 'looking for big staff cuts'

By Bill Condie
Updated: 06:41 EST, 15 January 2009

Software giant Microsoft is said to be looking for big staff cuts across all divisions but may fall short of the 15,000 cuts rumoured to be planned.

Plans for the cutbacks have not been finalised, insiders told the Wall Street Journal and Microsoft is seeking alternatives to control costs.

Microsoft is due to report quarterly earnings next week when it could unveil its jobs cut plans.

Jobs to go: Microsoft is cutting back

Google has said it will sack 100 full-time recruiters. Laszlo Bock, Google's personnel chief, said it now needs fewer people focused on hiring.

Bock said Google had started by terminating contracts with external recruiters, but the worsening economy had necessitated the laying off of full-time workers.

The job cuts come after a series of cost-cutting moves by Google including less spending on its usually extravagant Christmas parties.

There was one good piece of news from the technology sector. IBM unveiled plans to open a computer support centre in Iowa, creating up to 1300 new jobs.