Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

two-shay.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 106 posts

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#81

Post by aaronblohowiak »

byoung2 wrote: post #50
simon_ wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then the commute is almost as big a problem as the job itself. If you moved close to your job, you'd save 4hrs/day to work on whatever you wanted.

If you moved close to your job At 30 miles away, I'm about as close as I can afford...I live in Los Angeles, the 2nd most expensive city in the US. Unfortunately, it also has the worst traffic in the US, and a complete lack of public transportation. It can take an hour to drive 10 miles sometimes. That 30 mile commute at 7am takes around 45+ minutes, and at 4pm, 1.5+ hours.

buy a motorcycle

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#82

Post by steveklabnik »

Oxryly wrote: post #73
steveklabnik wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's quite possible. I really hated school.

Not to pile on, but that sounds like more rationalization as well. Did the resistance to school increase the closer you got to graduation? I think the problem you're facing may be much closer to home.

It did increase, but that's because I was getting more and more annoyed with doing work that was completely irrelevant. When I take a Web Programming class, I don't expect to learn about Java Applets, for one example... especially while reading about Haskell in my free time. (not that Haskell is relevant to web apps. I'm trying to point out a disparity in the level of free time studies vs. classwork)

And after years of C and Perl, getting used to have to do all of my assignments in Java was extremely frustrating. Especially as I was picking up other languages in my free time.

(I just voted you back up to 1, by the way. Dunno why someone would downvote an honest question...)

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#83

Post by mannicken »

byoung2 wrote: post #50
simon_ wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then the commute is almost as big a problem as the job itself. If you moved close to your job, you'd save 4hrs/day to work on whatever you wanted.

If you moved close to your job At 30 miles away, I'm about as close as I can afford...I live in Los Angeles, the 2nd most expensive city in the US. Unfortunately, it also has the worst traffic in the US, and a complete lack of public transportation. It can take an hour to drive 10 miles sometimes. That 30 mile commute at 7am takes around 45+ minutes, and at 4pm, 1.5+ hours.

If I were you, I'd get a motorcycle. Riding between lanes is legal in California; in traffic you would be cruising between still cars and thus saving precious time :)

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#84

Post by staunch »

kscaldef wrote: post #52
philk wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Never underestimate the addictiveness of a good job and a regular paycheck. It's very easy to get busy and have years fly by before you know it.

You say it as if a "good job and a regular paycheck" is a bad thing, rather than something that most of the population would be happy to have.

Most of the world's population would be happy just to have food and clean water. That doesn't make me feel guilty about wanting to work hard to get more than I already have.

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#85

Post by presidentender »

steveklabnik wrote: post #82
Oxryly wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to pile on, but that sounds like more rationalization as well. Did the resistance to school increase the closer you got to graduation? I think the problem you're facing may be much closer to home.

It did increase, but that's because I was getting more and more annoyed with doing work that was completely irrelevant. When I take a Web Programming class, I don't expect to learn about Java Applets, for one example... especially while reading about Haskell in my free time. (not that Haskell is relevant to web apps. I'm trying to point out a disparity in the level of free time studies vs. classwork) And after years…

I wanted to quit school just about the entire time I was there. Some days, I still think I should have; my economic outlook at this point would be better if I'd gone to a union plumbing apprenticeship.

But to do it almost and not quite? I'm giving you advice based on my own rationale ("Hey, steve, do what I did!"), but you should go back. Finish it. It's 3 months, and it doesn't close any doors to you.

It sucks to jump through Java-shaped hoops when clearly Perlythonjureskell would be the best language, but unless you're in greenfield projects your whole life, it's one more harsh reality.

You might want to do greenfield projects, but a degree won't close those opportunities to you.

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#86

Post by steveklabnik »

presidentender wrote: post #85
steveklabnik wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It did increase, but that's because I was getting more and more annoyed with doing work that was completely irrelevant. When I take a Web Programming class, I don't expect to learn about Java Applets, for one example... especially while reading about Haskell in my free time. (not that Haskell is relevant to web apps. I'm trying to point out a disparity in the level of free time studies vs. classwork) And after years…

I wanted to quit school just about the entire time I was there. Some days, I still think I should have; my economic outlook at this point would be better if I'd gone to a union plumbing apprenticeship. But to do it almost and not quite? I'm giving you advice based on my own rationale ("Hey, steve, do what I did!"), but you should go back. Finish it. It's 3 months, and it doesn't close any doors to you. It sucks to ju…

I dunno. I see it in terms of the sunken cost fallacy: yes, it could be three months and a few thousand dollars... but if I don't need it, why throw more money and time down that pit?

> but unless you're in greenfield projects your whole life, it's one more harsh reality.

I'll go back to making pizza before I take a Java job. I don't need much money to be happy, and I'll hate my life a lot less. I can still enjoy programming in my free time.

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#87

Post by presidentender »

steveklabnik wrote: post #86
presidentender wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wanted to quit school just about the entire time I was there. Some days, I still think I should have; my economic outlook at this point would be better if I'd gone to a union plumbing apprenticeship. But to do it almost and not quite? I'm giving you advice based on my own rationale ("Hey, steve, do what I did!"), but you should go back. Finish it. It's 3 months, and it doesn't close any doors to you. It sucks to ju…

I dunno. I see it in terms of the sunken cost fallacy: yes, it could be three months and a few thousand dollars... but if I don't need it, why throw more money and time down that pit? > but unless you're in greenfield projects your whole life, it's one more harsh reality. I'll go back to making pizza before I take a Java job. I don't need much money to be happy, and I'll hate my life a lot less. I can still enjoy pro…

Oh no, going back isn't for sunk cost reasons, quite the opposite. I'd advise just about anyone against starting college.

But, ignoring the time already spent (which is already wasted), there's a 3 month period between you and the bump to employability that comes with a bachelor's degree. Nobody's making you take a Java job afterwards.

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#88

Post by steveklabnik »

presidentender wrote: post #87
steveklabnik wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno. I see it in terms of the sunken cost fallacy: yes, it could be three months and a few thousand dollars... but if I don't need it, why throw more money and time down that pit? > but unless you're in greenfield projects your whole life, it's one more harsh reality. I'll go back to making pizza before I take a Java job. I don't need much money to be happy, and I'll hate my life a lot less. I can still enjoy pro…

Oh no, going back isn't for sunk cost reasons, quite the opposite. I'd advise just about anyone against starting college. But, ignoring the time already spent (which is already wasted), there's a 3 month period between you and the bump to employability that comes with a bachelor's degree. Nobody's making you take a Java job afterwards.

See, I don't think there's an actual bump to employability to any job that I'd want to have. And also forget that we're talking worst-case; Ideally I'll be self-employed for the rest of my life. But if something terrible happens, my GitHub, reputation, and connections will do more than a piece of paper ever could.

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#89

Post by mkramlich »

I agree with many of the individual factors he cited, but I think that quitting a job, especially a 6-figure job, after only 6 months is neither wise nor mature nor ethical, at least under the conditions he cited. It's not like it was an abusive situation or there was any significant dysfunction there. So I suspect he's on the young side. Bright maybe, but young.

That said, I'm not knocking his aspirations or desires.

Re: Why I Quit A Six Figure Job

#90

Post by yummyfajitas »

davidbr02 wrote: post #65
astine wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of those people who are losing their houses are losing them because they treated money they had not yet earned as an asset. Unless your employment contract says you have tenure, you should act as if it does.

Then nobody would ever be able to buy a house with anything less than cash. Nobody has a guaranteed job for the next 30 years

If you don't have a guaranteed job, don't take out a mortgage under the assumption you'll never lose your job.
Post reply on HN