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Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

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Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#11

Post by RNCTX »

perl4ever wrote: post #8
macmcleod wrote: post #5

I moved 600 miles and started a Ph.D. in January of 2020. On paper it was a great decision as: I had worked with my boss (a great boss) for several years prior, I was comfortable with and excited about the subject matter, and I knew I would keep a remote internship through my graduate degree. What an ambitious 22 year-old me didn't see was that: long distance relationships are hard, not every university works the sam…

I always imagined a Ph.D. was about having a good idea and demonstrating your ability to develop it, defend it, and publish. What does a 14 hour day accomplish over 8? You're not pumping out widgets, right? > the older I get, the less often I can push that further. I wake up every day wondering who I will disappoint and for too long have put myself and my health last. Of course it's not practical to quit, nor is it p…

> What does a 14 hour day accomplish over 8? You're not pumping out widgets, right?

6 hours of teaching the courses your advisor doesn't teach, + conditioning to work for free for a predatory academic publisher.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#12

Post by grepfru_it »

crate_barre wrote: post #4

All these hiring threads today make it feel like a sports off-season. Everyone is good just not on the right team/role, and it almost feels like ‘trading’ workers or signing as a free-agent is the shakeup people are seeking.

Was looking at dusty bakers stats the other night and he played professionally for 30 years, took 7 years off and started coaching. 15 years of coaching later and he’s in the World Series.

I looked at my profession like that and I realize I’m on the cusp of retirement, but only from the physical tool that my body can’t handle anymore. I see all the new kids around me with no purpose, no way and I think about what an effective leader could do for them. Someone that could hone their skills into excellence. I realized that my time as an engineer is nearing an end and I need to get some coaching skills under my belt and then lead a team to the promised land.

Like 50 said, get rich or die trying

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#13

Post by GauntletWizard »

mysecretaccount wrote: post #9

Here is a related question: has anyone ever been fired from a FAANG company? I am a high performer at one and am so stressed out I often dream of being fired, and assume there is some sort of severance.

I have been. AMA.

Yes, there was a severance of sorts - They gave me about a month "off" at the end where I was technically employed but no longer there. I took this as an option instead of going on a PIP, after my boss had literally given me nothing to do for a quarter. Before that, things had been great - Exceeds expectations or better on every review until my team was dissolved under me and I had to find a new team on short notice.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#14

Post by toast0 »

mysecretaccount wrote: post #9

Here is a related question: has anyone ever been fired from a FAANG company? I am a high performer at one and am so stressed out I often dream of being fired, and assume there is some sort of severance.

Unless you're getting laid off or fired for some sort of abuse, from my understanding of big companies, you're likely to get a bad review or two before you get put on an performance improvement plan, and only then get fired.

I don't have any real knowledge about severances, but there's usually something for the first round of layoffs, and you might have an option of taking your PIP timeframe without being in the office, like the sibling poster mentioned.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#15

Post by mysecretaccount »

GauntletWizard wrote: post #13
mysecretaccount wrote: post #9

Here is a related question: has anyone ever been fired from a FAANG company? I am a high performer at one and am so stressed out I often dream of being fired, and assume there is some sort of severance.

I have been. AMA. Yes, there was a severance of sorts - They gave me about a month "off" at the end where I was technically employed but no longer there. I took this as an option instead of going on a PIP, after my boss had literally given me nothing to do for a quarter. Before that, things had been great - Exceeds expectations or better on every review until my team was dissolved under me and I had to find a new tea…

Interesting. The option to go on a PIP or leave the company for pseudo-severance is something I had heard of before, but a month sounds short.

You only ever had positive reviews in the formal cycle? That is a real shame.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#16

Post by underatree »

GauntletWizard wrote: post #13
mysecretaccount wrote: post #9

Here is a related question: has anyone ever been fired from a FAANG company? I am a high performer at one and am so stressed out I often dream of being fired, and assume there is some sort of severance.

I have been. AMA. Yes, there was a severance of sorts - They gave me about a month "off" at the end where I was technically employed but no longer there. I took this as an option instead of going on a PIP, after my boss had literally given me nothing to do for a quarter. Before that, things had been great - Exceeds expectations or better on every review until my team was dissolved under me and I had to find a new tea…

Did they expect you to find another team during the quarter of no work?

Was finding another team ever offered as an option (other than on a PIP)?

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#17

Post by GauntletWizard »

mysecretaccount wrote: post #15
GauntletWizard wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been. AMA. Yes, there was a severance of sorts - They gave me about a month "off" at the end where I was technically employed but no longer there. I took this as an option instead of going on a PIP, after my boss had literally given me nothing to do for a quarter. Before that, things had been great - Exceeds expectations or better on every review until my team was dissolved under me and I had to find a new tea…

Interesting. The option to go on a PIP or leave the company for pseudo-severance is something I had heard of before, but a month sounds short. You only ever had positive reviews in the formal cycle? That is a real shame.

I think I had a quarter of "meets expectations" as the last review cycle I completed - As my team was dissolving. It was ~ the start of next review cycle when I was asked to leave.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#18

Post by throwaway2848 »

mysecretaccount wrote: post #9

Here is a related question: has anyone ever been fired from a FAANG company? I am a high performer at one and am so stressed out I often dream of being fired, and assume there is some sort of severance.

Suffered from severe depression, performance tanked, went on a pip at Google, failed it (deservedly) and was given a few months paid notice. I don't blame them, it was a long time where I wasn't performing. Found a new job, started exercising, thrived since.

Re: Ask HN: Who Wants to Be Fired?

#20

Post by GauntletWizard »

underatree wrote: post #16
GauntletWizard wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been. AMA. Yes, there was a severance of sorts - They gave me about a month "off" at the end where I was technically employed but no longer there. I took this as an option instead of going on a PIP, after my boss had literally given me nothing to do for a quarter. Before that, things had been great - Exceeds expectations or better on every review until my team was dissolved under me and I had to find a new tea…

Did they expect you to find another team during the quarter of no work? Was finding another team ever offered as an option (other than on a PIP)?

No, in fact - Transferring to another team was discouraged, because I was "under-preforming".
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