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Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
21–30 of 265 posts
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#22Hi, I'm the same age as you, born in the UK but have been working in USA for a few years now. I am also feeling burned out by my job, spend a lot of time fantasizing about retiring early.
This is a shot in the dark but I feel like a lot of my mental state has been caused by covid, missing regularly seeing my friends, family and the alienating nature of interacting with my colleagues only via screen. Because of this I have resolved to not make any large decisions until covid is completely over, since it's hard for me to assess how much differently I will feel once things get back to normal. Till then I save as much as possible to give myself more options.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#23With a phD in CS, the likelihood is you could probably find something outside of Quant finance at a big tech company. Try and connect with some recruiters at Google etc and see what they have going on. A better job can make a big difference, perhaps one that will allow you to spend more time visiting home (remote work supported).
Just because it's Google doesn't mean I'll be interested. A job is a job, as I see it. Why would working on ads be any more meaningful than my current job, even if it's using ML? Although if it were 100% remote, that definitely trumps my current job.
>Why would working on ads be any more meaningful than my current job, even if it's using ML?
We can't answer this for you and really nobody should try since you didn't provide any areas of your life that you find meaning in or industries you'd be interested to work in.
Most jobs out there aren't going to have any meaning and the ones that do wont don't pay as much as you want since you've indicated in other comments that pay is important to you.
Heres what I'll tell you. Accept the fact that most jobs you have and most jobs everyone have are meaningless, put your 30,40,50 hours a week in at your current job and find meaning outside of work and just realize that work is a means to an end.
Or, quit your current job, find something remote realize that you'll probably take a pay cut but with that you might be able to get a reduction in hours that you can spend more time doing what you want and be back in your home town with your family.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#24Golden Handcuffs can be a real bitch. I feel for you. How long have you been working at this job? You might just be burned out for the specific company and colleagues.
Less than 2 years. My previous gig was 2.5 years. Before that was 2.5 years. It's obvious I never last long anywhere! If I could switch companies easily I would. But you need to be insanely good at math/statistics to pass the interviews, which I'm not, and you need to show enthusiasm for the role, which is difficult.
I think you give yourself too little credit. You graduated with a PhD in CS, you must be well above average.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#25Find a small company to work for. There are a lot around and many are hiring. You may take a pay cut (or maybe not), but the QOL is so much higher at well-run small company than any big company could achieve. The work impact feels much higher when you're not just one tiny cog in an enormous machine.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#26I dealt with a lot of the same issues around meaninglessness vs. golden handcuffs (at Google incidentally) and recently took a job at a smaller company, albeit without a pay cut. I specifically resisted switching jobs for several years for the same reason: having to grind Leetcode only to end up with the same alienation and cynicism. Turns out all that salary isn't just for hard work. Anyway, honestly, having now finally taken that step, I'll say that Leetcode isn't really a huge cost (you do it and then you're done for a while) and that simply working on new stuff does get you over one hump, namely the boredom. Not sure how long the new-stuff momentum will carry me past the possible onset of meaninglessness, but I'm trying to just adopt the "one must imagine sisyphus happy" mindset. Not a strategy but maybe at least a tactic? Happy to discuss further
Edit: I'm aware this is a very privileged situation to be in, honestly that doesn't help much with coping though and everyone wants to be happy. I seriously had just decided I never would be. Even that (temporary?) feeling is mind-blowing
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#27Find a small company to work for. There are a lot around and many are hiring. You may take a pay cut (or maybe not), but the QOL is so much higher at well-run small company than any big company could achieve. The work impact feels much higher when you're not just one tiny cog in an enormous machine.
I'm working in a small company as it is. Quant finance is meaningless by its very nature, big company or small.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#28Is your work time demanding?
Why not try spending 25% of your work day on a business project you love? Make it profitable and do it full time.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#29If you want I can offer a fairly straightforward path from where you are that leads to more money.
Housing and location can be solved by switching to remote and moving somewhere more rural if you're up for that.
But it sounds like you've already come to the conclusion both of those things would lead you back to where you are now.
For you friend I prescribe reading Sidartha.
Re: Ask HN: I feel trapped in my job and city
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Less than 2 years. My previous gig was 2.5 years. Before that was 2.5 years. It's obvious I never last long anywhere! If I could switch companies easily I would. But you need to be insanely good at math/statistics to pass the interviews, which I'm not, and you need to show enthusiasm for the role, which is difficult.
I think you give yourself too little credit. You graduated with a PhD in CS, you must be well above average.
Well, I certainly have the ability to pass hard interviews with a lot of preparation, but there comes a point where you wonder if it's at all worth the effort.