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Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

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Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#561

Post by code-the-stars »

Leherenn wrote: post #420
dav1app wrote: post #403

On my last job, a new manager called me for a meeting on Friday 4PM. I spent the whole month on an extremely stressful project. The meeting was about an app that integrates credit card payments, billets and bank account on a terminal that is going to be available to the general public. The deadline? 11PM of the same day. Final version. From 0 to 100% in 6 hours. I said that it was impossible. He said that I was incap…

Happy for you it turned out well, but the whole story is quite weird. It's obviously impossible and the timing is awful, so it has to be voluntary and there's something behind it. Did he need a reason to fire you? But that seems like a really bad reason that could backfire in a court.

Court? You must not live in the US. We got rid of any wisp of legal protection from job termination years ago... It has a catchy name invented by the lobbyists that wrote the laws... “Right to Work”

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#562

Post by jacquesm »

RealityNow wrote: post #472
virgilp wrote: post #440

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a sad story; but PIP is really the pink slip; you take it as an advance notice that you're going to be fired, and start looking for jobs. I've heard stories of people completing PIP programs successfully, but quite honestly, I don't get it. Once you got to that point, you're not a good fit to the team and/or they don't appreciate you. Makes no sense to stay. I could understand staying with the company & switchin…

PIP isn't a pink slip at all companies. I once got a PIP when working at a mid-sized corporation. Fortunately my performance wasn't an issue, they just didn't like that I was frequently late to the daily morning standup (which upper management refused to allow us to reschedule to later in the day despite my insistence), didn't appear attentive in meetings, and was working from home too much. I started coming in to wo…

Companies want to look 'Agile' so they will treat it as though it is a religion. The daily stand-up bullshit gets taken to such an extreme that it becomes counter productive. If you work at such a place, simply get out. There is nothing that spells long term disaster more than rigid adherence to voodoo process.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#564

Post by xerox13ster »

bloopernova wrote: post #218
rjplatte wrote: post #100

I'm the sole developer working on my current project, which is overhauling a massive DOS era application, as well as overhauling an early 2000s era CRM/business management tool, that almost all of our work happens through. Did I mention that the DOS application is a HIPAA billing application that must meet all HIPAA guidelines as well as write EDI X12 billing files? I'm very junior, been coding for ~5 years, 3 profes…

You do know that HIPAA violations can land you in jail, right? Run. Don't walk. Vacate immediately. Leave. I'm finding myself hoping that this is a fake, because I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone at all.

This was my first exposure to a professional development job, but for medical transcription (we had a billing dept too). I wasn't even hired to do it (I was hired as help desk staff), but the application neeeeded updating and the 2013 HIPAA omnibus had just dropped so we were on the line to get in compliance and no one else was stepping up. I had to learn as I went. decade old, undocumented code written in old .NET and (some) Java 6.

No version control, running on Win2000/XP, ancient beige box hardware (some with turbo buttons).

I was 19 and making $9 an hour. I got fired for automating my help desk tasks so I could bring us up to date.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#565

Post by jacquesm »

noir_lord wrote: post #433
loxs wrote: post #413

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of my goals in life is to never be susceptible to this kind of situation (been there some years ago). So far I manage to have as big a financial buffer as needed to be able to quit instantly in that situation without batting an eye. Indeed I never hide my ability to do so and I try to make very clear the things "I won't do" at any gig I take. Either before I start or very early in the process. At my current job i…

You don’t to me, I spent the last 4 months saving every penny to so that I had 7mths runway in the bank as I was approaching the inevitable “fuck this point”. I accepted an offer for a new job yesterday and so I won’t need that buffer but I’m keeping it, ISA’s and pensions are all good but I didn’t leave myself enough readily accessible cash to just say fuck it and walk if I needed to.

Smart person. Now don't stop saving and increase your runway even further. The difference between having a few years worth in the bank and not is incredible.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#566

Post by jacquesm »

rjplatte wrote: post #100

I'm the sole developer working on my current project, which is overhauling a massive DOS era application, as well as overhauling an early 2000s era CRM/business management tool, that almost all of our work happens through. Did I mention that the DOS application is a HIPAA billing application that must meet all HIPAA guidelines as well as write EDI X12 billing files? I'm very junior, been coding for ~5 years, 3 profes…

If they require that you don't use version control but at the same time want it to be HIPAA compliant you need to walk right now if you have options, ASAP if you don't. You're being set up to be blamed if anything goes wrong.

Change management is part and parcel of anything in the medical software domain, and VC is an obvious part of that.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#567

Post by hluska »

rjplatte wrote: post #100

I'm the sole developer working on my current project, which is overhauling a massive DOS era application, as well as overhauling an early 2000s era CRM/business management tool, that almost all of our work happens through. Did I mention that the DOS application is a HIPAA billing application that must meet all HIPAA guidelines as well as write EDI X12 billing files? I'm very junior, been coding for ~5 years, 3 profes…

Three things:

1. I’m impressed that you’ve made it this far.

2. This situation has ‘get the fuck out’ written all over it. It’s time to dust off your resume and get out of there.

3. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble. You seem like a good writer and I bet you’d be a good developer to work with.

Best of luck bud. I wish I had a concrete way to help you.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#568

Post by jitbit »

throwaway58129 wrote: post #64

I didn't know this format was a thing and am so very excited to discover it. I hope you folks enjoy reading horror stories. I got a job as a Software Engineer in my current company 4.5 years ago; friend-of-a-friend sort of thing. The company had an apparently disastrous piece of software that was their main LOB. They had gone through pretty much every local consulting agency - at least once, on a few occasions they h…

I wish I could upvote this more than once.

Let me just add that people like you are BEST OF THE BEST to hire.

That's what I want to hear during an interview, not the "bubble sort on a whiteboard".

If a person has been through THIS - gosh, I want you to work for our company.

PS. no, not because my company is a mess too, don't go that way :)

PPS. I do see this is a thoraway profile, but if by any chance you're checking back to read the replies - let us know if you're available for hire (remote). Contact us (see profile). Long shot, I know...

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#569

Post by jacquesm »

MFLoon wrote: post #151
throwaway58129 wrote: post #64

I didn't know this format was a thing and am so very excited to discover it. I hope you folks enjoy reading horror stories. I got a job as a Software Engineer in my current company 4.5 years ago; friend-of-a-friend sort of thing. The company had an apparently disastrous piece of software that was their main LOB. They had gone through pretty much every local consulting agency - at least once, on a few occasions they h…

I lost it at "What the fuck is HIPPA". Who the fuck buys a healthcare company and doesn't know what the fuck HIPPA is? Great read.

> Who the fuck buys a healthcare company and doesn't know what the fuck HIPPA is?

That could have been you, apparently.

https://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/HIPAA

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#570

Post by rolltiide »

d--b wrote: post #458
dav1app wrote: post #403

On my last job, a new manager called me for a meeting on Friday 4PM. I spent the whole month on an extremely stressful project. The meeting was about an app that integrates credit card payments, billets and bank account on a terminal that is going to be available to the general public. The deadline? 11PM of the same day. Final version. From 0 to 100% in 6 hours. I said that it was impossible. He said that I was incap…

Next time this happens to you, write down minutes of the meeting and send the doc to the guy asking to confirm that this is what they ask. When they fire you on Monday, sue.

sucks you can't take the severance though. its usually a don't sue us card
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