Ask HN: Started job 3 months ago...not going as planned • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Started job 3 months ago...not going as planned

#61

Post by justrudd » Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 12:00 AM UTC

dudul wrote: post #46

ericskiff wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an employer, I don't expect every potential employee to list all of their previous roles. Especially for more senior people, I expect that a resume is tailored to show me their best relevant experience. Leaving out a short stint somewhere wouldn't worry me.

I agree with your comment, I was just reacting to the recommendation to lie and just say that you took some time off. As a hiring manager, I would not care at all about a non-comprehensive list, but I would absolutely care about someone trying to hide past employment

Just curious, I've got 15+ years of experience I can put on there. If I simply listed the ones that I thought were most relevant to the position I was applying for, would you ask why there are gaps?

For example - during the 2008 downturn, I worked a job that was not terrible, but used tools and hard skills that were completely non-transferrable to any job I've had since then. So I no longer put it on my resume even though I was there for 2 years. Would that two year gap over a decade ago be a conversation? Assuming of course, that I even put anything prior to 2010 on an application anymore.

I guess for me - do you dig into every gap you see? Maybe they left under good circumstances and just don't want to list the job because they weren't proud of the work they did there.

Re: Ask HN: Started job 3 months ago...not going as planned

#62

Post by chrisgoman » Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 2:07 AM UTC

I would say that if you see a possibility of recognition 2-3 levels up then you should be the leader that they need. You mentioned "large" so this may be the unlikely option.

However, if you see a chance of leveling up your career faster than in a job you love (but slower advancement), then you should "take over" and put the "owner hat" on -- what decision would the owner (or the board or the shareholders) of this company do and do that. Even if you are 10% better than the next person, that should be evident to the people around you and if this will be visible to people that matter.

You are getting PAID to do a job so you can complain about the job not being right for YOU but a "professional" makes sure that you are doing the job to benefit the company first. Even if it is not with your current position, this attitude and outlook will reward you eventually.

Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: Started job 3 months ago...not going as planned

#63

Post by edgyquant » Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 3:37 AM UTC

pojzon wrote: post #45

BurningFrog wrote: post #19

I know one thing: It's not going to get better! At least unless you channel your inner Napoleon and start transforming the organization yourself. I don't have that in me, and most people don't, but I hear it can be done.

Im pretty much in the same situation as OP and I REALLY tried to be the Napoleon, but the more you try the bigger resistance you are met with. (You look like the „unfun” and „bad” guy who wants people to actually start doing what they are paid to do) You just get worn out over-time and give up.

Well being a Napoleon is not something most can do. You must have more skill than pretty much any of your superiors and co-workers but that is only the initial bit. You must then have the charisma to prove everyone wrong (and make them have confidence your plans are better) while making them like you for it.

Re: Ask HN: Started job 3 months ago...not going as planned

#64

Post by PopeDotNinja » Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 4:28 AM UTC

darioush wrote: post #59

PopeDotNinja wrote: post #12

I've been there. I had a job where after 3 months... There was a crapton of technical debt, we had a new PM that was useless, no one seemed to know anything, every user story was written for everyone except me, yada yada. I wanted to bash my head in daily. Then one day it got better. The hung on long enough to find a few people who had been around long enough to know a bit about what they were talking about, and then…

> A lot of it involved mastering how to tell people they needed to up their game in communication before I was gonna do work they asked me to do. Any pointers?

If you thinking stuff as input and output, think about what input to your work makes things so hard. For me, I hadn't worked with a PM that simply didn't get how to talk to an engineer. So I learned how to quantify what I needed before I could start working and then started saying "hey, I need A, B, and C, and they aren't in here."

Re: Ask HN: Started job 3 months ago...not going as planned

#65

Post by dudul » Thu, Jan 16, 2020, 2:03 PM UTC

justrudd wrote: post #61

dudul wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with your comment, I was just reacting to the recommendation to lie and just say that you took some time off. As a hiring manager, I would not care at all about a non-comprehensive list, but I would absolutely care about someone trying to hide past employment

Just curious, I've got 15+ years of experience I can put on there. If I simply listed the ones that I thought were most relevant to the position I was applying for, would you ask why there are gaps? For example - during the 2008 downturn, I worked a job that was not terrible, but used tools and hard skills that were completely non-transferrable to any job I've had since then. So I no longer put it on my resume even t…

I guess everyone may have different expectations. On my end, I would just want to see your current position, the one before that, and then a short list of a few past ones you find relevant. So it could be:

07-2019 - Present: ACME blbalbalablablablaba

05-2016 - 06-2019: Tesla blabalbalablablabalbalab

Other relevant experience: * Apple, blablaba * Facebook, blablabla