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Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

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571–580 of 773 posts

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#571
post #20

I had a job that I enjoyed and excelled at. I did great, got good bonuses so I didn't move for 10 years. Then I got laid off. It was really really hard to find work again as my background wasn't full of hot technology, and I had no experience of modern interviewing (like leetcode). I dont want to be in that position again, so I'm interviewing again after a few years already.

FWIW I have the active, recent interview and work experience and even after preparation and attempts for an entire year, I did not find a new job.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#572

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 think the saying has lost its meaning when it's misquoted.

Correct phrasing: "Nobody leaves because of their paycheck."

Money disparity among coworkers absolutely can lead to dissatisfaction with the employer. Bad culture of annual raises can lead to dissatisfaction. Money disparity with competitors can lead to dissatisfaction with the employer.

So, yes, people aren't leaving because they're getting a paycheck, but that's too pedantic, even for me, because it obfuscates the issue so much people misunderstand it and then misquote it.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#573

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same thing happened to me at my last company. I was over worked, wore too many hats, and was paid significantly less than my team mates who were more junior than I was (and had less responsibility). I had a handful of conversations that never amounted to anything. As soon as I put in my notice with a new offer in hand suddenly I was able to "set my price". I left for other reasons as well, but it really shone a light…

Too many roles / too many hats is far too common and why I find it hard to stay anywhere more than 4-5 years. As a senior IC in a super-flat & growing org.. I'm almost like a customer successs engineer, product manager, scrum master, senior developer and tech lead all rolled into one. Management administrivia I accumulate administrative things my manager doesn't want to do & pushes down I do unofficially own a part o…

I have 2 yoe and end up doing all of these. Startup life I guess haha

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#574
post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd recommend _Never Split The Difference_, by former Chief FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss. Very fun read and widely applicable. Spoiler: His advice is not to strong-arm, but to build trust with your counterpart.

Hostage negotiation is a game played once between parties. Most of daily life situations are repeated games, in which dynamics are different. I found that the author was biased by their experience in one-off games and their suggestions wouldn’t generalize well into repeated games. Unfortunately, there is no acknowledgement of this until the very end of the book. Still a good read though.

my wife and i actually read that as part learning to deal with my mentally unstable ex-wife. i thought it was good for repeated performances as well.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#575
A mix of a few things really:

- All the coworkers who I was more friendly with left the team/company and now I've been feeling completely detached from the team.

- the stock run-up has provided me with a (false?) sense of more financial independence.

- a handful of life crisis with a dash of imposter syndrome. Zero idea what I want to be doing with my life but being stuck as low level IC for a long time is hurting my already depleted ego - can't seem to avoid the pitfall of comparing myself to others.

All in all, just feels like I need a break and that it's probably time for some changes.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#576

One of the good things that I think happened from the pandemic is that more and more people are realizing that tying up your identity and sense of self-worth in your job is a bad thing, that's why I'm very glad to see compensation so high on this list. Sure, everyone wants to work in a good working environment, but I think the idea that "nobody left because of the money" is finally being put to bed. The fact is that…

I wish there were an "upvote this x 1000" button right now. Well said.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#577
post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"People don't leave companies, they leave managers."

That saying really isn’t true. I know plenty of people that liked their manager but still left companies. There are plenty of reasons people leave companies that have nothing to do with their manager.

i’d say it was at least half true —i’ve definitely left both companies and managers!

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#578

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same thing happened to me at my last company. I was over worked, wore too many hats, and was paid significantly less than my team mates who were more junior than I was (and had less responsibility). I had a handful of conversations that never amounted to anything. As soon as I put in my notice with a new offer in hand suddenly I was able to "set my price". I left for other reasons as well, but it really shone a light…

Too many roles / too many hats is far too common and why I find it hard to stay anywhere more than 4-5 years. As a senior IC in a super-flat & growing org.. I'm almost like a customer successs engineer, product manager, scrum master, senior developer and tech lead all rolled into one. Management administrivia I accumulate administrative things my manager doesn't want to do & pushes down I do unofficially own a part o…

My last title before I went on my own was CTO/Architect. And I was doing all the things you mentioned down to coding. I could not complain about compensation as it was very fair - $250K in 2000 (the last year). But I was becoming a wreck.

Now I have my own company and I still do all those things, LOL. Big difference being I choose what I do, how I do and obviously the size so I can chew it on my own or with my few trusty subcontractors. It is basically development of new products from scratch either for clients or for my own company and once in a while some very short hit and run type jobs. I now also leave plenty of time for myself to enjoy whatever activities make me tick.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#579
post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair to the managers, from my experience managers themselves have little to say and it is mostly HR that determines rules like compensation. In our case, insanely, salaries are frozen. Nothing that your direct manager can do about it. Except, leave, and get hired the next day.

There's an exception for every rule. As a manager I've fought HR to get pay rises during pay freezes. And won. Bad managers roll over when presented with obstacles, great ones fight for their team.

Pushy, bossy, extroverted, or "people person" managers do that. The whole thing is stacked against docile introverts, no matter how many reasoned and well thought out arguments they make.

Re: Poll: Why are people leaving their jobs?

#580
I quit my job, and am on garden leave although I don't tell people or recruiters because I feel that will diminish my chances to get another one.

The truth is, I have enough money in crypto to live off for a long time If I wanted to, but I do want a job where I can be effective and build another company up as I have done many times; though I am feeling increasingly like ageism is becoming my enemy (although I transitioned to management years ago, which I felt would protect me)

We'll see what happens, I definitely don't want to go back to an office like my former job was trying to force me to.

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