Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#141

Post by eatbitseveryday » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:20 PM UTC

xibalba wrote: post #105

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #9

My old boss Eric Carlsen used to say, nobody left because of money. They may get more money if they change jobs. But they start looking because they're unhappy. So when somebody asked for more money, he'd start by asking what was bothering them.

A former boss of mine said something similar: "People don't quit a company, they quit their manager."

True for me in one situation. Worked for a large corporation and could not find any lateral movement within, either. Had to leave the entire company because I was growing frustrated (after too long - 1.5 years) with my manager appeasing his bosses at the expense of focusing on the career growth (learning, responsibility, impact) of his direct reports.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#142

Post by ThrowAway5483 » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:20 PM UTC

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #9

My old boss Eric Carlsen used to say, nobody left because of money. They may get more money if they change jobs. But they start looking because they're unhappy. So when somebody asked for more money, he'd start by asking what was bothering them.

I just left my job at one FAANG for another FAANG. I felt like I was under-compensated and talked to my manager, they said "well, go get another offer and show you're worth more". I went and got an offer that was nearly 60% higher and at a higher ladder level. My manager and director tried to retain me, but upper management "did not want to play that game", which I guess is a nice way of saying I'm not worth that much to the company. I did get a nice raise and a big bonus and a big refresher but it wasn't anything near the other offer.

Now, I kinda liked my job and team - but TBH it wasn't the most amazing role ever - let's say it was 7.5/10. If all things were equal or the difference was insignificant I would have stayed probably. I wonder how much I would need to love my job to have stayed regardless of having such a higher offer.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#143

Post by throwaway-1137 » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:20 PM UTC

left my job the first fall of the pandemic, no new job in hand, because CTO and I had disagreements over tech and he did not trust my technical decisions for stupid reasons (I think he wanted control and could not handle giving it up, which you have to figure out how to do in a growing startup). Found a new job pretty quickly, been there for a year and change. Love the new job, but I might make a jump because I am being courted by a company that will maybe make possible a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - making the transition from coder to astronaut.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#144

Post by alex_anglin » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:20 PM UTC

xibalba wrote: post #101

daenz wrote: post #54

I'll be departing my job at the end of the month. I had too many roles, affecting too many pieces of engineering, and my title didn't reflect my work. I needed to go down to a 4 day work week and have my title reflect my roles, but my manager attempted to call my bluff and essentially said it's not going to happen. I hinted about what my decision would have to be if these accomodations couldn't be made, but he didn't…

Beautiful. I remember hearing it said that if you're not willing to walk away completely from a negotiation, you have zero actual leverage. Bravo!

Negotiating courses often refer to this as the BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). Considering what that scenario is and having it as your bottom line is the best piece of advice they impart.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#145

Post by ricardobayes » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:20 PM UTC

coldcode wrote: post #132

Rather than look for another job I retired at 63.5. My job was long hours, high stress, high visibility, continuous deadlines and changes that never ended at a large non FAANG company. Compensation was OK (not FAANG but OK for where I am). Everything I or my team shipped worked great; but lots of things with these challenges never shipped for political/idiotic reasons. So much budget was wasted on Exec whims and fant…

Any art you could share? I'm really interested.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#146

Post by WestCoastJustin » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:21 PM UTC

foobarian wrote: post #118

hkt wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The threshold where you have enough has been driven up by crazy rents and house prices. Personally, I want my house paid off before I'm 40, so I shoot for maximum earnings and remote work that lets me live in a cheaper place. That ratio makes my ambition very attainable. Related is the sustainability of work: I don't want to need high earnings past 40. I want to retire into a second career I'll find more fulfilling b…

Why would you pay off your house when you can keep the cash in an investment account making > 5% APR vs. the house loan which presumably is in the low 3s.

Canadian home prices have risen 70% or by $300,000 since 2015. There was almost a 30% jump just last year.

Source: https://www.straight.com/news/canadian-home-prices-have-rise...

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#147

Post by enricozb » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:21 PM UTC

miscoinceptions wrote: post #66

(Throwaway for obvious reasons) The market's been extremely hot the past 10 years. Anyone making a good tech salary and investing has done extremely well. I have enough to never work again. I didn't want to leave my team, but at some point your portfolio fluctuates every day by more than your salary and you have to ask yourself what's the point?

Assuming a salary of $100k, and 0.5% daily fluctuation, that's a portfolio of $20 million, which is a sizable amount.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#148

Post by notananthem » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:22 PM UTC

While I have gotten regular promotions I'm just vastly underleveled. I went to my skip asking for a level adjust and he laughed. I went to his boss who said yes, aboslutely, I'll inform your chain up to me. I went back to my boss, he said yes. I went to my skip, he said, absolutely not, provide me a ranked list of all employees and why you're better than all of them.

The problem is I'm underpaid, but the real problem is all the old garbage swirling around companies that don't respond to their management, but do expect those reporting to them to fall in line.

I could do incredible things if I wasn't treated like an underskilled know-nothing and given the authority to manage a lot more (finance, people, strategy etc). My skip just happens to be a company lifer who was coddled by previous executive leadership, so he thinks he doesn't need to change ever.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#149

Post by matheweis » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:22 PM UTC

foobarian wrote: post #118

hkt wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The threshold where you have enough has been driven up by crazy rents and house prices. Personally, I want my house paid off before I'm 40, so I shoot for maximum earnings and remote work that lets me live in a cheaper place. That ratio makes my ambition very attainable. Related is the sustainability of work: I don't want to need high earnings past 40. I want to retire into a second career I'll find more fulfilling b…

Why would you pay off your house when you can keep the cash in an investment account making > 5% APR vs. the house loan which presumably is in the low 3s.

What investment can reliably get > 5% APR with low risk?

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#150

Post by Clubber » Fri, Jan 14, 2022, 6:22 PM UTC

foobarian wrote: post #118

hkt wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The threshold where you have enough has been driven up by crazy rents and house prices. Personally, I want my house paid off before I'm 40, so I shoot for maximum earnings and remote work that lets me live in a cheaper place. That ratio makes my ambition very attainable. Related is the sustainability of work: I don't want to need high earnings past 40. I want to retire into a second career I'll find more fulfilling b…

Why would you pay off your house when you can keep the cash in an investment account making > 5% APR vs. the house loan which presumably is in the low 3s.

>keep the cash in an investment account making > 5% APR vs. the house loan which presumably is in the low 3s.

One is guaranteed, one is not. Markets are volatile. I lived through 2001 and 2008 as a working stiff, that shit can drop on a dime.

Right now, I have no debts. House and vehicle are paid off and I have an "oh shit" account that's pretty good. I can sit here as a hermit for at least a year or two, three if I really hunkered down and pinched pennies. It's a good feeling; one less thing to worry about.

Now if I put all that money into the market and shit hit the fan, not only would I not be willing to sell stocks due to their price plummeting, I would still have a mortgage and car payment. I'd be in this situation for 6 months to a year. Not a great situation.

Ensure your freedom / ability to live first, then invest heavily, IMO.