People start hating their jobs at 35 • Hacker News Board

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#71

Post by ntsplnkv2 » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:05 PM UTC

konart wrote: post #13

grecy wrote: post #4

I can't stress this enough - if you're not happy with life, and you feel like you aren't moving closer to your goals and dreams, make a change!!! I realized that sitting at my desk for 30 years to pay for a house was not what I wanted to do, so I quit my job and have been driving around Africa for 2 years[1]. I dreamed for years of being a travel writer and photographer, and I am making that dream come true! I now wr…

Sounds nice, but what about your family? Relatives that might need your attention? I love examples like this one, but unfortunatelly they can't be applied to a general guy. Though I have to agree that you have to go for a change one way or the other. Some people can do this almost right now, some will have to do some kind of preparations which can take quite some time too. PS: not to metion that economical\social con…

It's up to you to figure out how to make yourself happy.

Personally, I would rather spend time drawing and designing things - as opposed to driving throughout Africa.

Everyone's circumstances are different. Some people get dealt a more difficult hand, but most people, through just making better choices, can improve their lives.

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#72

Post by sonnyblarney » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:06 PM UTC

jasonkester wrote: post #43

This seems counter intuitive to me. All through your 20s, you're working your way up through the bottom of some crappy bigco, paying your dues and getting experience under your belt so that you can jump to better jobs later. By your mid 30s, at least in our industry, you can get to a position where you can choose a nice gig at a good company, and pretty much steer your destiny as you choose. So it's surprising that y…

"and pretty much steer your destiny as you choose"

Generally no - every rung up the ladder gets about 500% more competitive, and even worse, it's political competition.

Middle management is the worst kind of work beyond raw labour.

When you're young, usually you're learning, doing 'actual work' and you can make no mistakes really.

If you have a protected executive job, and can handle politics, there can be stability there.

Bug upper manager and Director ... my god - you still have to show hard results, and you're not always in position to do it. It's thankless. You don't even get to make the big decisions.

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#73

Post by m-i-l » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:06 PM UTC

albertgoeswoof wrote: post #29

vfc1 wrote: post #24

I think its because through experience people have figured out a lot of unspoken things about what its really like being an employee. They have figured out that its much more about connections and office politics than hard work. They have figured out that there is really no job security, and they could be one layoff wave away from unemployment. They have figured out that its much more about face time and spending lon…

> They have figured out that the majority of their work, to their surprise is not actually that important or necessary. I used to keep wondering when I was going to get found out for not contributing to the company's bottom line like the other thousands of employees around me seem to do every day. But then I realised that everyone else is probably doing exactly the same. And either a) none of us are doing anything va…

I used to (half) joke about another option: (d) it could be cost effective for a company to spend money hiring and wasting excellent talent if it prevents their competitors from doing something genuinely valuable with that talent.

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#74

Post by chrisper » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:07 PM UTC

EZ-E wrote: post #52

About work and happiness : the more I think about the reality of being a full time employee, the more I start to believe part-time is actually the right way to work and be happy. I see little reason to spend something like 70% of waking hours commuting and working for someone else's profits if you can afford to do less. I've become pragmatic and realized the company I'm I work in is just a tool I use to make money wh…

In Switzerland it's the norm that you can decide how much you want to work on an 80-100% scale (sometimes even 60%). Your vacation days etc. Adjust accordingly.

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#75

Post by k__ » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:09 PM UTC

woogiewonka wrote: post #62

k__ wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I found out that I don't work as well with "bosses" as I work with "customers" :D

Good for you! What kind of freelancing and how long? I know of many who burned out, and I'm borderline there myself since I hadn't developed a passive lead stream.

I only work about 6-8 months a year.

Mostly greenfield projects that take multiple months for startups. ("We need an MVP, but have no idea about technology, so do what you see fit")

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#76

Post by iamgopal » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:09 PM UTC

vfc1 wrote: post #24

I think its because through experience people have figured out a lot of unspoken things about what its really like being an employee. They have figured out that its much more about connections and office politics than hard work. They have figured out that there is really no job security, and they could be one layoff wave away from unemployment. They have figured out that its much more about face time and spending lon…

and to top it all, They have figured out that they themselves are not much worth anyway, have to settled for whatever is at hands, to survive with the family of four.

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#77

Post by robjan » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:10 PM UTC

mattbrewsbytes wrote: post #25

mrhappyunhappy wrote: post #7

35 is probably the age where you have accepted the fact that you are just a cog in the machine, and the output will benefit someone other than yourself. For years leading up to it you already know youre just trading your life's precious hours away for money - which seems to have less and less purchasing power by the year. Once you realize the job is just a means of keeping yourself going, the perpetual cycle dawns on…

We as software engineers make a damn good amount of money for literally sitting down all day and basically bossing computers around. It is not slavery. I enjoy what I do and am making decent money doing it. If I won the lottery with FU money, yeah, I'd be done working for others. I think around 35 is when you may see through any illusions employers have with buying into their grand mission statements or whatever to g…

Assumption: everyone here is a software engineer

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#78

Post by singularity2001 » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:10 PM UTC

vfc1 wrote: post #24

I think its because through experience people have figured out a lot of unspoken things about what its really like being an employee. They have figured out that its much more about connections and office politics than hard work. They have figured out that there is really no job security, and they could be one layoff wave away from unemployment. They have figured out that its much more about face time and spending lon…

They have figured out that …

cant you make them into bullet points for readability?

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#79

Post by Maven911 » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:11 PM UTC

I am nearing that age, but the displeasure started several years ago. I find myself a bit trapped with a a place where I am marrying 2 specialties that tend to go together, and that in theory should be an ideal job. But hte people, politics, and lack of genearl teamwork have left a sour taste. And it's not like I am ready to give up the money I save (I make a bit more because of the industry but still a lot less then others in this field). And since I am on an immigration visa, it's not as easy for me to hop around from place to place. A bit lost at what to do. Its not as if I am not following my heart because I think I am, I just do not like the environment, nor will it be any better at another unknown place.

Re: People start hating their jobs at 35

#80

Post by singularity2001 » Tue, Aug 14, 2018, 12:12 PM UTC

bonoboTP wrote: post #67

vfc1 wrote: post #24

I think its because through experience people have figured out a lot of unspoken things about what its really like being an employee. They have figured out that its much more about connections and office politics than hard work. They have figured out that there is really no job security, and they could be one layoff wave away from unemployment. They have figured out that its much more about face time and spending lon…

I feel these two are somewhat contradictory or inconsistent: > They have figured out that the majority of their work, to their surprise is not actually that important or necessary. > They have figured out that they are never going to get payed the true value of their work If their work is not that important or necessary, isn't its true value also not too high?

also in many companies >80% of profits(before payments) go into payments, so not that much exploitation there.