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The Machine Fired Me

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Re: The Machine Fired Me

#11

Post by drewg123 »

I had a somewhat similar, but much less serious experience at Google. I resigned just after I had gotten a promotion, but before the date when the promo was effective. Much to my surprise, the resignation (slated to be effective after the promo) somehow cancelled the promo via some automated system.

However, a promo at Google is a huge deal. I really wanted the promotion to go through, so that I would have that level if I decided to re-join Google (or even so that go/epitaphs would match my resume). My manager and HRBP managed to get it sorted out, but it was a pain.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#13

Post by davidbanham »

394549 wrote: post #2

This the problem with automated business processes. It seems easy, until you think about all the exception paths. Human organizations can adapt and handle them organically, but a system needs them all specified up front. Either you spend a massive amount of work to get it right or you have a broken system. And once you have it right, it's hard to change and adapt.

A technique I often use in this is to leave a "human in the loop". Have control points where the system takes no further action until an administrator requests it. Instead of coding that automated cleanup routine, send a notification to an admin and let them take care of it manually.

As the system matures and the edge cases become better understood it can become more automated. At first, though, leave it loose and human-powered wherever you can.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#14

Post by TaylorAlexander »

bb88 wrote: post #4
biggc wrote: post #3

3 year contract where you need to come in to the office alongside full time employees every day? How is that not considered full-time?

Because a contract is not employment. A contractor has less protections than an employee. It's both good and bad, but typically a contractor gets a higher rate than an employee since health insurance, etc is not provided.

People always say this but I am a contractor and I have health insurance.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#15

Post by azernik »

394549 wrote: post #2

This the problem with automated business processes. It seems easy, until you think about all the exception paths. Human organizations can adapt and handle them organically, but a system needs them all specified up front. Either you spend a massive amount of work to get it right or you have a broken system. And once you have it right, it's hard to change and adapt.

Or, you don't think about all the exception paths, and just add a mechanism for humans to override the system's decisions. Which clearly no one managed to do in a timely fashion in this case.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#16

Post by sigfubar »

drewg123 wrote: post #11

I had a somewhat similar, but much less serious experience at Google. I resigned just after I had gotten a promotion, but before the date when the promo was effective. Much to my surprise, the resignation (slated to be effective after the promo) somehow cancelled the promo via some automated system. However, a promo at Google is a huge deal. I really wanted the promotion to go through, so that I would have that level…

What made you think that you were entitled to something that you were supposed to receive on a date which was later than the date on which you resigned?

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#17

Post by smadge »

“The Machine” used to be a metaphor for the mindless beaucracy of the State and the mindless profit seeking of Capital. They both operate algorithmically, although their “hardware” were still humans. Now we are cutting out the human entirely from The Machine, hooking control of the economy directly into trading algorithms, and the control of humans directly into automated bureaucracies.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#18

Post by terlisimo »

I had a sort-of related experience with PayPal where the machine said "No."

I've been using it for at least 10 years at that point.

What I did was try to pay for some cheap VPS hosting in Italy. The transaction was denied. I thought there was some problem with my CC, so I immediately tried to do a $1 transaction with some other company and it went without a hitch.

So I contacted PayPal support about it and the next day I actually get a phone call from one of their support staff.

He says my transaction was flagged as "suspicious" by the fraud prevention system. So I asked, okay... but now a Human has looked at it, can you manually approve the transaction? The answer was "No, I am not allowed to tell you why".

I was incredulous, so I asked "Wait... you acknowledge that I'm not a scammer or a terrorist (since my PP account still worked and does to this day), and the party I'm trying to purchase from is obviously not either since they're still accepting PP, but The Machine thinks there is something fishy about us two specifically and there is no way for someone to manually approve this transaction?"

And he said something to the tune of "Yes. I'm sorry, but there is nothing I or anyone at PP can do about it, and for security reasons we're unable to offer further details."

So yeah. This was just a minor nuisance for me, I purchased similar services elsewhere. But the whole thing was a real eye-opener. That was the day I realized that there is no pleading or reasoning with The Machine.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#19

Post by realo »

drewg123 wrote: post #11

I had a somewhat similar, but much less serious experience at Google. I resigned just after I had gotten a promotion, but before the date when the promo was effective. Much to my surprise, the resignation (slated to be effective after the promo) somehow cancelled the promo via some automated system. However, a promo at Google is a huge deal. I really wanted the promotion to go through, so that I would have that level…

This is interesting.

On the one hand, you have been promoted to a new role, so you have reached a compatible level of expertise. You can put that role on your resume and sell yourself.

On the other hand, you never, ever actually performed in that role, with the new responsibilities. How can you list that on your resume !

I am not sure what is the right answer here... but as your new employer I would take your last promotion with a big grain of salt. A resume is not a score sheet of levels accomplished in a game, it is a list of things your have actually done.

Re: The Machine Fired Me

#20

Post by drewg123 »

sigfubar wrote: post #16
drewg123 wrote: post #11

I had a somewhat similar, but much less serious experience at Google. I resigned just after I had gotten a promotion, but before the date when the promo was effective. Much to my surprise, the resignation (slated to be effective after the promo) somehow cancelled the promo via some automated system. However, a promo at Google is a huge deal. I really wanted the promotion to go through, so that I would have that level…

What made you think that you were entitled to something that you were supposed to receive on a date which was later than the date on which you resigned?

I resigned effective the 2nd of a month, and the promo was effective the 1st of the month. See above "resignation (slated to be effective after the promo)". So the resignation was scheduled for the day after the promo.

I actually stayed an extra week to receive the promo.

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