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My Time at Snap

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Re: My Time at Snap

#241

Post by Jare »

croh wrote: post #225
thiscatis wrote: post #100

On the one hand I recognise a lot of the teams and work issues this developer had. But reading between the lines it seems like this dev wanted it all, equity without commitment, weeks of remote work without formal agreement, a quick cash out over adding value to the company...Seems very entitled to me. It looks very one-sided as well. Everything had to come from the company and its management, nothing from his side.

I don't see any entitlement here. Author perform all his duties but he didn't get what promised. He joined company after very serious considerations. This trade-off might not be big for you but it was for him. Author might be at fault few times, but remote work was his explicit condition. In whole process, it is author who lost everything and nothing happened to organization/HR. This is completely careless attitude.…

> He joined company after very serious considerations

He joined the company despite being aware of many red flags, just because he hoped to endure the shit until he could cash out. These are considerations, but not really what I'd call "serious" in a professional context.

I'm pretty sure there may have been lots of broken pieces at Snap (the stuff about condos as offices can't just be made up, and is insane), but what I can read between the lines is that he brought a few new ones along himself.

The remote work thing is something you either get signed by the company, or is a personal agreement with another person (and nobody else is bound by it). It's fine to be naive and make that mistake at the time, but to then insist on it in a post like this? That's not naivete, that's a massive disconnect, and you can expect other parts of his story to be similarly out of sync with reality, either by omission or by distortion.

Re: My Time at Snap

#242

Post by rodrigods »

I see how the issues could be a "no deal" for the post writer. However, I have the impression that software engineers forgot that we are exchanging labor for money and it is normal to put our heads down sometimes. Let's stop with the "drama" when every single of our requests are not attended.

Re: My Time at Snap

#243

Post by privateSFacct »

throwaway713 wrote: post #191
privateSFacct wrote: post #180

‘Foundational promise’ I love these as a new mgr - new guy shows up, I know nothing of their unique ‘foundational promise’, I have no idea if they can contribute or work well with team, I put some effort in to get them going, then they start sending long (they are always WAY too long) emails about being special cased over 20 people who I’ve known longer and have worked harder for me. I check with HR and a hard pass.…

> even though they are “working“ it takes them hours to respond to slack. Interesting, I feel the opposite. The longer it takes me to respond to someone’s messages, the more real work I am actually getting done because I’m deeply focused. The days where I quickly reply to everyone are usually the most unproductive.

I agree - but my own experience is remote workers working at home etc -> can have very high productivity.

Remote workers on vacation / traveling / visiting family -> low productivity.

That said, overall situation -> totally reasonable to bail out for the employee, clearly not a good fit overall. But for the last, new manager - they may not have had a good impression of employee given employee was themselves not treated properly by company before and the expectations they brought were out of the blue for new person.

Re: My Time at Snap

#244

Post by paulie_a »

paxys wrote: post #47

We have all worked for a "John" in the industry. The big systematic problem is that after being fired from Snap (probably after already collecting massive paychecks and a hefty chunk of equity), he will go to another big tech company and impress them with his resume and bullshitting skills. They will hire him and deal with his antics for a few years, while he ruins more people's careers, then he will move on. Rinse a…

That is why my personal rule is to never take options. I'll take the pay and invest it on my own.

Re: My Time at Snap

#245

Post by toomuchtodo »

thothamon wrote: post #220
KKKKkkkk1 wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's easier, because: a) It's hard to identify a good manager ahead of time. b) People change; circumstances change. c) Your team and manager will change sooner than you expect, especially if they are a good team or manager.

d) Constantly changing jobs every time some jerk floats into your circle doesn’t speak well of your character or look good on your resume.

“The growth opportunities communicated to me when my tenure began never materialized.”

Who stays anywhere more than 2-3 years now anyway?

Re: My Time at Snap

#246

Post by fcsp »

isoskeles wrote: post #238
mellosouls wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please, just consider what I actually said, these excessive scorched earth situations are kind of bizarre. The reason you would require the functioning facility to be closed is to make it clear to the business and all others there are consequences for this incompetence and lack of care.

Sure, I still think the consequence qualifies as cutting the nose to spite the face. Although I don't get why you think you're entitled to come up with a hypothetical scenario but balk at entertaining any questions clarifying it or related hypotheticals. But anyway, agree to disagree.

In contrast to opinions of employers or employees, laws are the result of the democratic process. The process itself might lead to imperfect results due to populist election campaigns, lobbying parties, and lawmakers funding the next golf party by making the actual legal text a bit complicated, but it's the closest approximation of general consensus we currently have.

That being said, once it's law you have one thing to do and two options:

- you have to follow the law

Besides that, you should embrace what your fellow humans might have thought when bringing in this legislation, enabling you to either:

- Help you understand and embrace it - Vote differently in the next election (or, sadly but truly bring in your net worth to lobby towards your opinion to greater effect)

Re: My Time at Snap

#247

Post by qzx_pierri »

I read quite a bit of the article, and a lot of it seems like ungrateful whining. It seems like the author found something negative about everything. It must be difficult living such a comfortable life.

Re: My Time at Snap

#248

Post by mellosouls »

isoskeles wrote: post #238
mellosouls wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please, just consider what I actually said, these excessive scorched earth situations are kind of bizarre. The reason you would require the functioning facility to be closed is to make it clear to the business and all others there are consequences for this incompetence and lack of care.

Sure, I still think the consequence qualifies as cutting the nose to spite the face. Although I don't get why you think you're entitled to come up with a hypothetical scenario but balk at entertaining any questions clarifying it or related hypotheticals. But anyway, agree to disagree.

Well I think my hypothetical was a parallel the OP might have more empathy with, rather than your extreme extrapolation.

To be clear though: I think directing the booths be rebuilt to standards was acceptable; burning the building down would be excessive.

Re: My Time at Snap

#249

Post by ram_rar »

There are enough threads comparing the OP and john mentioned in the article. I'll not get into details on that. OPs experience does echo a few of my colleagues, who kinda got screwed in the end. A few things I have learnt from other peoples mishaps is that

1. Always be Coding. Keep solving interview / LeetCode problems if you want to pursue SE role. You never know, when shit hits the fan and you're asked to leave. Not being prepared to give interview in a short notice will hurt a lot in the future.

2. Spend the first 90 days understanding team dynamics, culture, execution. I rather observer the first few days and play dumb as apposed to show off my skills, even though I know I could do a hell of a better job that the other guy.

3. If I dont like things going smoothly in first 90 days you should gtfo. I was in teams before, where there were soo many gaming types folks (I personally dont play video games that much) and barely a culture of reading or discussing tech papers. I pretty much realized its not my place and I need to gtfo.

Re: My Time at Snap

#250

Post by somishere »

ajnin wrote: post #219
somishere wrote: post #130

Wow, nothing like a massive whinge to start the day! Don't take a lot of pleasure in saying it, but am highly suspicious of the author's role in all this. While there's no doubt John plagued our friend's life (as are Johns' wont); how said friend played everything else, the relationship handling, the motivation (!) ... culminating in this ego-driven, embittered rant. I mean, the situation definitely sucks. But my big…

So, if you're not a "Tetris piece" that stacks well (i.e. bends the whims of your superiors at the expense of your private life and mental health), then you're a "shit hire" ? Yes, that situation sucks, but not for the reasons you imply.

Not to poke the emotional strawman, but tetris is an hr game. I think the point was more about motivations, desperation and loud, unproductive whinges. Also worth noting that your shit hires (imo. this includes the author and his manager) could be my unicorns ...
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