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Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

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Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#11

Post by mindcrime »

panic wrote: post #7
mindcrime wrote: post #2

My advice (which I'm sure some others will disagree with) is this: Don't look to your job for any kind of fulfillment or satisfaction, unless your job is your own company and you're doing something you're passionate about. Otherwise, be a complete mercenary and treat your job as nothing more than a way to keep the rent paid, the lights on, and food on the table. Then find ways to achieve fulfillment or whatever it is…

I think you're right, but I also think it's a shame. Large companies produce most of the things making up our modern world. I'd rather these things be built with passion than as a side-effect of people trying to make money.

Agreed. I wish things were different, but this is my cynical / pragmatic approach to things, gained over many years working in Corporate America. And to be fair, I'm sure there are exceptions where you can work for a big company and find that kind of fulfillment. But I wouldn't go in expecting it.

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#12

Post by thatwebdude »

mindcrime wrote: post #2

My advice (which I'm sure some others will disagree with) is this: Don't look to your job for any kind of fulfillment or satisfaction, unless your job is your own company and you're doing something you're passionate about. Otherwise, be a complete mercenary and treat your job as nothing more than a way to keep the rent paid, the lights on, and food on the table. Then find ways to achieve fulfillment or whatever it is…

This is good advice I think, being as programming wasn't really a passion of mine; just something I got into when I had to grow up quick, and it worked out well.

Once I started and got past the imposter part of it all I went to startups, where they drained all my energy from myself and my family, just as you suggest.

Now I'm somewhere that requires very little of me technically, where I can work pretty much JUST 40 hours and get by and make everyone happy.

I still struggle with trying to make more out of it than I really need to.

I still struggle with wanting to do something totally different, way outside of computers. I feel like I've "conquered" this already. (I know, that's really shallow).

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#13

Post by thatwebdude »

taway_1212 wrote: post #5

I agree about your assesment of programming jobs. We are mostly replaceable cogs and means to an end. We're only getting paid so much because this job is so unpleasant and most people would rather make 2-3x less than learn to program and spend most of their life sitting in front of a screen going through code bases. My personal answer to that was to start learning to draw. Getting from zero art skills to professional…

I agree with the replaceable cog thing.

I really don't think that has to do with pay though.

It pays so well because everyone needs a technologist, in every industry, in every department, in every building. It's "in".

Now, if it's truly unpleasant - there's a major problem there. Usually somewhere else, another way, perhaps another industry (same line of work) can solve that problem.

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#14

Post by taway_1212 »

panic wrote: post #7
mindcrime wrote: post #2

My advice (which I'm sure some others will disagree with) is this: Don't look to your job for any kind of fulfillment or satisfaction, unless your job is your own company and you're doing something you're passionate about. Otherwise, be a complete mercenary and treat your job as nothing more than a way to keep the rent paid, the lights on, and food on the table. Then find ways to achieve fulfillment or whatever it is…

I think you're right, but I also think it's a shame. Large companies produce most of the things making up our modern world. I'd rather these things be built with passion than as a side-effect of people trying to make money.

I think it's a pure fantasy that most people can be passionate about their jobs.

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#15

Post by JSeymourATL »

> any guidance on how to design my career and work life...

You might find of interest this recent book on Designing Your Life by two Stanford professors-

Here's a podcast interview with the authors, to give you a flavor of what it's about > http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-10-03/using-design-th...

Also, NY Times review > https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/fashion/design-thinking-s...

And - Goodreads reviews here > http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26046333-designing-your-l...

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#16

Post by rajeshmr »

JSeymourATL wrote: post #15

> any guidance on how to design my career and work life... You might find of interest this recent book on Designing Your Life by two Stanford professors- Here's a podcast interview with the authors, to give you a flavor of what it's about > http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-10-03/using-design-th... Also, NY Times review > https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/fashion/design-thinking-s... And - Goodreads reviews her…

Thanks for sharing the book.. Looks interesting.. shall check it out..:)

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#17

Post by rajeshmr »

taway_1212 wrote: post #14
panic wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're right, but I also think it's a shame. Large companies produce most of the things making up our modern world. I'd rather these things be built with passion than as a side-effect of people trying to make money.

I think it's a pure fantasy that most people can be passionate about their jobs.

True, passion may not be everything - there are aspects of work which are the boring and mundane. But mastery is another goal. In our tech industry, before you hit mastery the next big thing catches on..and before you know it everyone is running after it.

I really like the approach of some companies which evaluate their tech stack and only transition to other technologies in a phased manner.

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#18

Post by rajeshmr »

dbrunton wrote: post #9

Do something completely different, and start immediately. Maybe it's working in a coffee shop, maybe it's laboring on a farm, maybe it's teaching a pottery class or bagging groceries. But it's something that provides some amount of income, and it provides you a needed break from development. I promise you'll think more clearly about it once you've done this. Don't plan your next step after this second one (the first…

well said, i too wanna take it one step at a time.Hope the universe takes care of me.

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#19

Post by rajeshmr »

taway_1212 wrote: post #5

I agree about your assesment of programming jobs. We are mostly replaceable cogs and means to an end. We're only getting paid so much because this job is so unpleasant and most people would rather make 2-3x less than learn to program and spend most of their life sitting in front of a screen going through code bases. My personal answer to that was to start learning to draw. Getting from zero art skills to professional…

Very true - we are treated like a replaceable cog. We all have a craving to feel important. But i think i personally dislike the language in the industry - resource. I am a human being for god's sake not a 'resource'. I have feelings and emotions and i wanna feel like a human,not a number. Also, i noticed non-tech people seem to be into management - they simply dont understand software. This causes part of the frustration. They seem to think, you can replace one person with another and the machinery would work fine - it wont. on top of it, they are the one planning unreasonable timelines too.

Re: Ask HN: I quit my job. Need advice

#20

Post by rajeshmr »

sharemywin wrote: post #4

get into some online class now that you have the time. start putting your resume out as soon as you can. start finding a away to cut expenses and build more runway next time. maybe look into something closer and/or a startup which is more fires and chaos at 75% of the pay but has an easier line of sight to "changing the world"

> start putting your resume out as soon as you can

i feel the interview process is broken too. this causes me pain just to think about it. but then we all face the same situation so i ll put up with it and as you suggested gotta take classes and make myself more relevant.

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