Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#1

Post by hellohihello135 » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:10 PM UTC

I have been with my employer for almost a decade. It’s my first job out of college. I’m wfh in a medium cost of living area. My salary is 140k and work life balance is great. I’m very risk averse and feel very comfortable in my position but I’m starting to be concerned that I’m not growing as an engineer.

I’m wondering if anyone here was in this position and wants to share their experience.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#2

Post by lifeinthevoid » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:29 PM UTC

Sounds like you’re in the perfect place, changing will almost certainly put you in a worse position. Don’t worry, enjoy life and try to grow as an engineer outside of your work if that is what you desire.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#3

Post by sebastianconcpt » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:29 PM UTC

What about grow as an engineer with a hobby and you're golden?

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#4

Post by dijit » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:30 PM UTC

Yes, but because it was a toxic work environment.

If I was in your position I would not be concerned, I would be happy.

"Not growing" is subjective, the things I "grew into" 10 years ago are not relevant today.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#5

Post by itg » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:31 PM UTC

Yes, promises of promotion that never happened despite taking on more and more responsibility and delivering. It was my first job out of school and in my naivety, I believed my results would speak for itself and office politics didn't matter. I probably stayed about 2 years too long until I finally started applying to other jobs out of frustration and got a substantial pay raise.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#6

Post by jaymzcampbell » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:31 PM UTC

I was in the exact same experience (and I'm also very risk averse), and I would say yes and no. Like most things it's complicated. But to keep it short I most certainly grew the most in my career – meaning in engineering, people, presenting, everything – by taking the plunge with a new role and the challenges it brings. You're forced to learn and adapt and taken out of your comfort zone.

I think even in a great company you are going to hit a ceiling that is hard to grow past even if the opportunity is there – there's politics, there's other priorities, there's always something that will get in the way. I found swapping job was the only way to "push reset" on that side of things enough to have that rapid burst of growth.

What I've very slowly learned is things tend to work out. If you've got some savings built up and not too much in the way of hard responsibility, I'd explore the option.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#7

Post by laweijfmvo » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:32 PM UTC

  > Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

Almost always

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#8

Post by why5s » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:33 PM UTC

I don't regret staying at my last role for 5 years but I do regret not spending more time looking and getting a better understanding of my value on the market while I was employed there. I wasn't underpaid but I certainly could've been positioned better to leave when I finally decided to. This is all recency bias of course but relearning how to interview was a difficult and humbling experience.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#9

Post by KptMarchewa » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:34 PM UTC

Decade? I regret staying in my first job for two years instead of one.

Re: Ask HN: Did you regret staying at a job for too long?

#10

Post by sebastianconcpt » Wed, Aug 28, 2024, 1:34 PM UTC

sebastianconcpt wrote: post #3

What about grow as an engineer with a hobby and you're golden?

PS: careful with the FAFO factor, your appetite for adventure might force your aversion to risk into a humiliating submission. A tip for satisfying that appetite is to invest some of the time of that great work/life balance into more work by having a side project you can monetize alone or with business partners. If it fails you're safe and if it works, then you're golden.