Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#401

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:41 PM UTC

jxidjhdhdhdhfhf wrote: post #171

zikduruqe wrote: post #100

Just think. If your ability to get good quality health insurance/coverage wasn’t directly tied to having to be employed for those benefits, we all could pursue our passions and desires.

It isn't and hasn't been for a decade (since the ACA) Medicaid is free and of reasonable quality. Or if you can't get access to Medicaid because you live in a non-Medicaid-expanded state then a silver ACA plan with 94% cost sharing will be no more than 8.5% of your income (which means free if you have no income).

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#402

Post by dontreact » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:41 PM UTC

protonimitate wrote: post #380

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

I really disagree with this point of view. I don't think anyone should feel indebted to their circumstance/employer just because there are others out there without the same opportunities. Is it entitlement? Maybe. But isn't it also entitlement for companies to try to squeeze the maximum amount of productivity out of employees for the least amount of compensation? Why can't they see that there are less fortunate compa…

I think it's fine for one person to not uphold these values, but I remember coming to hackernews because I was excited about progress. Now it seems like self interest has taken over as the primary value.

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#403

Post by myth_buster » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:41 PM UTC

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

Leverage is great thing!

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#404

Post by cratermoon » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:42 PM UTC

protonimitate wrote: post #380

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

I really disagree with this point of view. I don't think anyone should feel indebted to their circumstance/employer just because there are others out there without the same opportunities. Is it entitlement? Maybe. But isn't it also entitlement for companies to try to squeeze the maximum amount of productivity out of employees for the least amount of compensation? Why can't they see that there are less fortunate compa…

> Some people just want to have a decent life and spend time thinking about things other than work.

A few years ago when the first rumblings of "everyone is an entrepreneur" and "be your own brand" and all that stuff with books I read a book called Life, Inc, by Douglas Rushkoff. It helped me realize that the people who thought that living your life like you are corporation comes from a particular worldview that deifies people like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and the like. It equates that view of life as the best, nay only, way to live and succeed.

Personally, I love programming, and I love other activities. I tolerate some corporatization of myself for programming because it pays the bills. I would never want to be an entrepreneur or run a company. I hate doing all the other stuff that running a business requires.

Not that love being a wage slave, but that I have better things to do with my life than sell my skills.

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#405

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:42 PM UTC

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#406

Post by smdz » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:42 PM UTC

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

> Is this not abuse of privilege?

Not really. It is part of the journey towards evolving efficient systems as a whole. If you go by the 80/20 principle about workplace/work (which is true in most cases) - will you fire away 70-80% of the staff as a manager/entrepreneur? or will you give 80% the privilege of not doing as much work or taking on responsibility as the 20%?

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#407

Post by mywittyname » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:42 PM UTC

beckingz wrote: post #289

adenozine wrote: post #170

This is the best Ask HN I've seen in a while. Fantastic. As for OP, I recommend you consider data analytics. That may seem counterintuitive, but the analytical work is a great place to escape into, mentally. I really, REALLY enjoy it, and I can generally use whatever tools I want for the hard stuff, and then just spew out some Python/R for a notebook deliverable, or whatever format they want. It's really liberating t…

This is a double edged sword: 1. Expectations are vague in analytics work so most people can't tell if you're doing well or not. 2. Expectations are vague in analytics so if you're not delivering magic people will think you're lazy.

I create a lot of reports and dashboards.

Sometimes I make magic, but magic can be difficult to explain/understand, so mostly it's reports and dashboards.

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#408

Post by amarant » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:42 PM UTC

jen20 wrote: post #370

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

> it doesn't feel good to take money from people for work you haven't done. I can think of entire ranges of organizations I would have no problem in extracting money from. Despite personally regularly working 60+ hour weeks (I actually like my job), your entire post feels like you’re pretty deep into the wage-slave kool-aid. A job is a means to an end, not a reason to exist, and companies do not care for you in the s…

If you feel that way, you should consider starting your own company. Freelance consulting is an easy business to run, if you don't have any more exciting ideas.

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#409

Post by kjjjjjjjjjjjjjj » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:42 PM UTC

codegeek wrote: post #324

gorpomon wrote: post #115

I love this question for its honesty. Frankly if I had a job I just needed technical competence on without much thought, I'd probably hire you. Our 1-on-1's would be brief and probably just be you demoing whatever hobby it is you alluded to. As long as you can crank out some decent code, I don't see a reason why a person who needs some quality work done shouldn't at least give your desired arrangement a chance. Unfor…

I may be naive but why would you hire someone who repeatedly says "I don't care". I have no problem hiring someone who just wants to get their shit done and get the f out and if that means, they only work 2 hours, so be it as long as expectations are clear BUT they still have to care when they are working those 2 hours. May be I am too simplistic but when someone tells me "I don't care", I generally won't hire them r…

If they do good work why do they need to give a shit about your product?

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#410

Post by nx7487 » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 2:43 PM UTC

tylerlarson wrote: post #339

I have no interest in telling you what to do as an individual but this thread and all of the people that seem on board with this is what drives me crazy about most of the places I've worked. I have the hardest time getting anything done because of the sea of people trying to find ways not to do any work. Is this not abuse of privilege? Do you all not hear the stories of people working multiple jobs and still not bein…

100% agree, people like this guy are despicable.