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Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

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Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#71

Post by eastbowl »

phphphphp wrote: post #18

The thing you want, low stakes low effort programming, doesn’t really exist. The reason Google can survive building everything themselves — and thus giving you and many others endless code to write — is because they have exceptionally deep pockets and army’s of people. Outside of Google-type companies, people write code to serve a direct business need which means the impressive software engineers are not the people w…

First post on HN after probably 10+ years of lurking. I'm not in the software space (corporate lawyer of 20+ years).

This post by phphphphp nails it so much in every area I've been exposed to, which is most areas of every company I've worked with (mostly as in-house counsel for 14 years), that I just had to chime in with support for the message.

Solving problems is the most valuable skill you can contribute. If you use it, you will be valued.

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#72

Post by water554 »

ctvo wrote: post #32

Where do you live now? If I had to do this I'd do the following: - Move to 2nd tier, lower cost of living city. My hidden gem: Chicago. Public transit, plenty of housing, culture, arts, #1 food city in the US, international airport with flights everywhere, half the housing cost and 3/4th other expenses as NYC and SF. 2nd option is Philadelphia for the same reasons and proximity to NYC for the weekend trips or to go i…

Oh Chicago! They love white folk in Chicago :D

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#73

Post by wombatpm »

karmakurtisaani wrote: post #39
programmarchy wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TattleGPT might be reading this thread. Problem is that it can rhyme now.

What's the problem with that though?

One does not want to be caught telling tales out of school when the boss is compiling lists of people to lay off. Do we really think all the bloodletting is done? I expect it to be a quarterly event to keep making the numbers for the stock market gods.

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#74

Post by yablak »

Find a chill manager on a team that works with or maintains open source software. You can easily find a good position where you are without losing the comp. But stay away from cloud PA.

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#75

Post by cosmodisk »

ctvo wrote: post #32

Where do you live now? If I had to do this I'd do the following: - Move to 2nd tier, lower cost of living city. My hidden gem: Chicago. Public transit, plenty of housing, culture, arts, #1 food city in the US, international airport with flights everywhere, half the housing cost and 3/4th other expenses as NYC and SF. 2nd option is Philadelphia for the same reasons and proximity to NYC for the weekend trips or to go i…

I had a look at some properties in Chicago. Obviously no idea how good or bad the areas are,but the housing prices made me jealous when I compared to what we could buy for the same money in Lithuania.

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#76

Post by shmde »

Living in a third world country I surely do want problems like these in my life.

Also a controversial opinion. I feel in life where you don't have to worry about the base of Maslows hierarchy ( food, rent, clothing) people start making up non-existent problems out of thin air just to feel human again.

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#77

Post by highhedgehog »

cosmodisk wrote: post #75
ctvo wrote: post #32

Where do you live now? If I had to do this I'd do the following: - Move to 2nd tier, lower cost of living city. My hidden gem: Chicago. Public transit, plenty of housing, culture, arts, #1 food city in the US, international airport with flights everywhere, half the housing cost and 3/4th other expenses as NYC and SF. 2nd option is Philadelphia for the same reasons and proximity to NYC for the weekend trips or to go i…

I had a look at some properties in Chicago. Obviously no idea how good or bad the areas are,but the housing prices made me jealous when I compared to what we could buy for the same money in Lithuania.

meaning lithuania is more expensive than Chicago?

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#78

Post by karmakurtisaani »

wombatpm wrote: post #73
karmakurtisaani wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the problem with that though?

One does not want to be caught telling tales out of school when the boss is compiling lists of people to lay off. Do we really think all the bloodletting is done? I expect it to be a quarterly event to keep making the numbers for the stock market gods.

Ah, just good old paranoia. Got it, thanks!

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#79

Post by cosmodisk »

highhedgehog wrote: post #77
cosmodisk wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a look at some properties in Chicago. Obviously no idea how good or bad the areas are,but the housing prices made me jealous when I compared to what we could buy for the same money in Lithuania.

meaning lithuania is more expensive than Chicago?

For instance: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1312-W-87th-St-Chicago-IL...

And then:

https://m.en.aruodas.lt/namai-kaune-romainiuose-pakarkles-g-...

Re: Ask HN: How to Exit FAANG?

#80

Post by hacliff »

slibhb wrote: post #44

> I have absolutely no interest in leading a team, but senior members in my org keep trying to groom me into a TL. I like being an IC and building what I'm told to build; I have no idea how to decide what it is we should be building and don't want to deal with customer demands. Have you considered telling this to these "senior members"? I.e "I want to remain an IC. I don't want to be a TL".

@OP, I'm an EM at "frugal", ldap is hcliff if you want to chat.

I'm assuming OP is L5, which does require "people influencing", although no formal leadership and or TL role is required. You can stay at this level indefinitely.

OP, is your manager ok with your current performance? Is your EM trying to grow you for promo or into the full level reqs? You should seek clarity here and if the former set boundaries/expectations as per the parent comment.

> But now I'm struggling to find motivation to do my work Is this recent? I'm seeing this quite a bit with the current job insecurity and turmoil at the company. As other comments have advocated: therapy and consider extended leave or a team switch. FWIW I don't think lower stakes work is going to fix your motivation, something you care about may.

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