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Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

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Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#21

I just evaluated a candidate and flagged it as “no” because they had too many position changes in the last 5 years. Switching jobs is fine, but if you overdo it, you risk looking like a bad investment.

How do you feel about the opposite end; a candidate who's been with a single company for a decade?

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#22
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work with this guy who’s sort of an “automation” guy. He’s responsible for automating or at least partially automatic really complex processes. I’ve seen the guy automate away whole departments. Generally speaking my point is that he delivers huge value for the company. And a few months ago his supervisor emailed me asking if I could send in recommendation for him as he was up for a promotion, so I created quite a…

Wow. Haven’t seen this articulated in writing recently (maybe ever) but it is real because I hear it from senior mgmt. at my firm - “you can’t rotate to this position or try this other thing because you are very valuable where you are. Happens to many employees.

It's something I really can't get into my head. Why build a structure where promotion only means upwards in responsibility/into management. Just pay good people more to extend their tenure.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#23
When you change jobs, assuming you are not going to work for a company in the same industry as the previous, you are throwing away domain knowledge. That's a big opportunity cost! The reasons to switch may be valid but you should keep domain knowledge in mind as well. Otherwise, after a few jumps, you will flatline no matter what where you go.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#24

I just evaluated a candidate and flagged it as “no” because they had too many position changes in the last 5 years. Switching jobs is fine, but if you overdo it, you risk looking like a bad investment.

Did you ask them why they've switched jobs?

I've been asked that a couple of times and I guess the answers have been satisfactory enough because I've gotten an offer afterwards.

As an interviewer, I've only encountered a couple of incidents where change frequency was enough to concern us. I directly asked both about that. One, I was satisfied with the answers, and he turned out to be a great dev and stuck with us to the bitter end. The other, his answers were "meh" enough that warranted more digging. Sure enough, we discovered there were other positions that were not included in his resume. We passed on him.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#25
post #19

180k USD as a grad? Seriously what am I doing with my life. I need to get to the US and start earning real money.

You won’t get those kind of jobs without a green card though. H1Bs are paid near slave labor wages in general.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#26

If this is not a troll, I dunno what a troll is. Makes $200k "out of college" and suavely asks "shall I hop"? It's like saying out loud in a crowded bus "I GOT A 12 INCH PENIS, should I take enlargement pills". Makes me vomit.

Why wouldn’t someone doing better than average still need advice?

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#27

I just evaluated a candidate and flagged it as “no” because they had too many position changes in the last 5 years. Switching jobs is fine, but if you overdo it, you risk looking like a bad investment.

> flagged it as “no” because they had too many position changes

This is wrong and misleading in many ways, you should ask people why they left, you should give a chance to those who have good skillset, not based on number of jobs they had. I know a lot of people who worked on contracts, so they had to change employers frequently, and I know a lot of people who were looking for a place, as juniors, to learn from good mentors. It is really hard to find mentors in Startups, and not everybody can make it to big companies. If companies don't invest on their employees, they leave.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#28

If this is not a troll, I dunno what a troll is. Makes $200k "out of college" and suavely asks "shall I hop"? It's like saying out loud in a crowded bus "I GOT A 12 INCH PENIS, should I take enlargement pills". Makes me vomit.

180k could mean total compensation which is pretty typical for a new grad in the SV market. Usually the breakdown is base, stock, and bonus.

So for example: 120k base 45k stock/yr and 15k bonus ~ 180k a year.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#29
post #9

This is separate from your question, but never trust someone who says “you’ll get promoted in X time” unless that person is directly responsible for making that happen. Promotions in large companies are done by committee, and you can be denied a promotion for a variety of reasons. When applying for a new job, the hiring manager has much more discretion over the leveling of your new job, so it’s almost always easier t…

I work with this guy who’s sort of an “automation” guy. He’s responsible for automating or at least partially automatic really complex processes. I’ve seen the guy automate away whole departments. Generally speaking my point is that he delivers huge value for the company. And a few months ago his supervisor emailed me asking if I could send in recommendation for him as he was up for a promotion, so I created quite a…

"My theory is that he’s too valuable where he is, and that they don’t want to move him elsewhere."

Assuming the "they are too valuable here to be promoted elsewhere" hypothesis is true, and it may be true in some cases (and not true in the majority of cases), there is always an increase in compensation in the form of increased base salary, bonus, or equity, depending on the company, available. A promotion is both a reward and a belief that the person would have a greater impact in another position. More money is also a reward.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still worth it to switch companies every few year?

#30
post #22
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow. Haven’t seen this articulated in writing recently (maybe ever) but it is real because I hear it from senior mgmt. at my firm - “you can’t rotate to this position or try this other thing because you are very valuable where you are. Happens to many employees.

It's something I really can't get into my head. Why build a structure where promotion only means upwards in responsibility/into management. Just pay good people more to extend their tenure.

You’re supposed to automate your job away. That or develop enough material for someone else to take it over.
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