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Career advice for people with bad luck

chiefofstuff.substack.com

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Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#2
> The company is not your family. Some of the people in the company are your friends in the current context. It’s like your dorm in college. Hopefully some of them will still be your friends after. But don’t stay because you’re comfortable.

This one hit hard. It’s amazing how many of the close work friends I had over the years were only close because of the shitty circumstances we endured together. Once that was gone, we actually had very few things in common.

Not that I don’t have any former colleagues I’m close with, but the ratio of kept/lost has to be in the 1/10 range or lower.

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#3

> The company is not your family. Some of the people in the company are your friends in the current context. It’s like your dorm in college. Hopefully some of them will still be your friends after. But don’t stay because you’re comfortable. This one hit hard. It’s amazing how many of the close work friends I had over the years were only close because of the shitty circumstances we endured together. Once that was gone…

It doesn't have to be a bad thing. Thinking of how close I became to someone for no reason other than empathy makes me feel pretty good.

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#5

> The company is not your family. Some of the people in the company are your friends in the current context. It’s like your dorm in college. Hopefully some of them will still be your friends after. But don’t stay because you’re comfortable. This one hit hard. It’s amazing how many of the close work friends I had over the years were only close because of the shitty circumstances we endured together. Once that was gone…

I retain an average of less than two friends from each previous job - that's how many people with values that I share I can find in any given company.

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#6
Having worked for a dying tech startup at one point in the early 2000s - I spent time agonizing over the fact that if I quit, the company would become unviable - I was one of the key technical people and was the only person with a good understanding of our entire product. After much dithering, I did ultimately leave and the company did fold shortly thereafter. I did feel bad at the time but in retrospect, I have come to realize that it was inevitable and I should have left even sooner.

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#7
post #5

> The company is not your family. Some of the people in the company are your friends in the current context. It’s like your dorm in college. Hopefully some of them will still be your friends after. But don’t stay because you’re comfortable. This one hit hard. It’s amazing how many of the close work friends I had over the years were only close because of the shitty circumstances we endured together. Once that was gone…

I retain an average of less than two friends from each previous job - that's how many people with values that I share I can find in any given company.

You have to share values with someone to be their friend?

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#8

> The company is not your family. Some of the people in the company are your friends in the current context. It’s like your dorm in college. Hopefully some of them will still be your friends after. But don’t stay because you’re comfortable. This one hit hard. It’s amazing how many of the close work friends I had over the years were only close because of the shitty circumstances we endured together. Once that was gone…

Been working 3 months at my first job and this realization hit me. I enjoy spending time with my coworkers but is it all in vain?

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#9
post #6

Having worked for a dying tech startup at one point in the early 2000s - I spent time agonizing over the fact that if I quit, the company would become unviable - I was one of the key technical people and was the only person with a good understanding of our entire product. After much dithering, I did ultimately leave and the company did fold shortly thereafter. I did feel bad at the time but in retrospect, I have come…

Yep. It’s a really rough call. I really dislike getting into the key employee role, but it’s happened a couple of times.

Re: Career advice for people with bad luck

#10
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I retain an average of less than two friends from each previous job - that's how many people with values that I share I can find in any given company.

You have to share values with someone to be their friend?

To form a long-lasting friendship, you need at least some common ground to touch on.
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