Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#51

Post by NineStarPoint » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 2:55 PM UTC

I work for companies that create things I find valuable. Currently I work for a company that makes electric vehicle chargers. Previously, I worked for a company that was making software to help streamline medical approvals. Profit is a requirement for these companies to exist, but they are creating things that do good in the world.

That said, to me the purpose of life isn't in work. It's more that I want to feel that the amount of effort I put into work isn't going to negative outcomes. So I find jobs that i believe are a net positive for society, but still only put in my 40ish hours a week and go to find my meaning in my personal life.

I'd say that no matter where you wish to find purpose my advice will be the same. Find a company that you believe is a net good to the world, and then put in however much effort you wish to that company. It does limit the amount of companies you are able to work for, but there are so many openings available for good people in software that you'll probably find plenty of opportunities regardless.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#52

Post by JSeymourATL » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 2:55 PM UTC

> I don't really know what drives people.

WHO do you want serve? Think potential end-users or clients.

Is there a community or market niche that might best benefit from your experience and expertise?

The portfolio companies at Lowercarbon Capital are doing interesting mission-driven work. > https://lowercarboncapital.com/companies/

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#53

Post by cherrycherry98 » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 2:57 PM UTC

Business has purpose too. It's providing a good or service that someone is voluntarily engaging in because they derive some benefit out of it. That's exciting to be part of. If the business creates more value for people than it spends on creating that, it profits, and incentivizes the business to keep going. It's a win-win in that each party gets something they want, the good/service or money. A business that is losing money is either not creating something that society values, or is doing it at too high a cost and is being wasteful of resources. This is a signal that they should change strategy to become profitable (create a better product, or do it cheaper) or close down and allow those resources to be allocated elsewhere.

Yes, this is an idealized view and there are business that profit from shady or fraudulent practices or rent seeking behavior. Over time, businesses that treat customers or workers unfairly will fail as fewer and fewer will want to do business with them or work for them, assuming the existence of competition or the possibility of new competition which has yet to be created. By all means, if a company you join is doing something unethical you should follow your conscience and consider leaving.

Maybe I'm lucky to have never been part of a team that focuses solely on profit for profit's sake. Profit should be the reward for having a well run business. We always focused on creating products that were helpful to customers, controlling costs, and reducing risk. Profit naturally follows from that.

As others have stated, big companies can be slow moving and bureaucratic as well but even at that level it might be an improvement over government. It also varies a lot based on the company and the team.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#54

Post by natoliniak » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 2:59 PM UTC

claytongulick wrote: post #36

JSavageOne wrote: post #34

Does anyone working in software honestly feel like their work gives them a strong sense of purpose? Honestly I'd imagine the far majority don't, working on proprietary code for companies driven solely by profit, within agile factories where a developer's sole role is to churn out tickets on an assembly line, and have no real ownership or stake in the company's success. Hence the high rate of burnout despite the job b…

I work in healthcare technology. The software I wrote saved two people's life last week. So, yeah. Purpose.

Kudos, but is there a flip side of the coin, where the software you write can cost someone life (if you screw something up/introduce a bug)?

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#55

Post by fuckpeterthiel » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 3:00 PM UTC

No post body was provided.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#56

Post by garrickvanburen » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 3:01 PM UTC

NineStarPoint wrote: post #51

I work for companies that create things I find valuable. Currently I work for a company that makes electric vehicle chargers. Previously, I worked for a company that was making software to help streamline medical approvals. Profit is a requirement for these companies to exist, but they are creating things that do good in the world. That said, to me the purpose of life isn't in work. It's more that I want to feel that…

This ^

To me the question - independent of whether the organization is non-profit, for-profit, public, or private - is the organization itself mission-driven?

And if yes, do I deep-down want to that mission to be successful?

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#57

Post by jasonpeacock » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 3:01 PM UTC

In order of importance:

    1. Paycheck
    2. People
    3. Purpose

When you get lucky you have all 3. Most of use are pretty happy when we have the first 2. If you are paid enough then you may not care about the other two.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#58

Post by mikewarot » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 3:08 PM UTC

When I was a kid, I did pest control because Mom managed the office there. It's obvious that you're saving people's homes and trees.

When I was older, I wrote software that kept power plans safe by making sure that the fire protection equipment was inspected.

Then I ran an Internet Service, back in the days of dial up. I helped hundreds of people get on the internet back in the 1990s. I wrote the software the used to install WinSock.

At the same time with the internet, I also repaired industrial control electronics, which were used by industry in mighty rolling mills that stretched steel like taffy.

After that, I was the computer guy "Manager of IT" at a company that did marketing campaigns for large corporations at trade shows, like CES, etc. They would come to us way too late, and we would scramble like mad to make sure they were able to deliver their message to the world. My little part was to make sure that about 50 people could use their computers and the servers I managed, to get everything done, regardless of where they were in the world.

Then I worked in a job shop, where we made gears. If you have a Marvel 8" bandsaw made between 2015 and 2019, I ran the Gleason Bevel gear cutter that cut the teeth on the lower band wheel and the pinion that drives it. I also learned a boat load about the process of production, and the culture.

I've never worked for government, all of those jobs helped other people, directly, or indirectly. Made them safer, happier, more well informed, in some fashion.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#59

Post by pcmoney » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

capableweb wrote: post #43

aix1 wrote: post #27

> Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector? I work on improving the treatment of cancer through the application of deep learning. I am employed by a FAANG and work very closely with several leading nonprofit academic medical centres. Our primary driver is real-world patient impact (rather than, say, revenue or just academic publications). Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of downsides…

Ultimately, the company you are employed by is employing you to improve their bottom-line, as all of FAANG are for-profit companies. If your branch suddenly starts eating away profits (research proving something your company does is bad for example) or being too costly without improving the profits, there is a real risk they'll cut your branch/team. Is that not a fear for you? I'd like to understand the reasoning how…

Profit just means your produce more things of value than you consume. It is the first part of true sustainability. If it hurts the bigger org it might be cut but if it’s sustainable it wont need the support of the bigger org.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you find your sense of purpose working in the private sector?

#60

Post by bjt2n3904 » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 3:09 PM UTC

I work in the public sector -- and I enjoy my work, and it has meaning... But it's not my purpose.

I don't think I could ever do a meaningless job. (That is to say, I don't think I could ever write for Hollywood Tabloids -- utterly devoid of meaning!)

But meaningful is different to me than my purpose. I could engineer the signage for a fast food restaurant and be decently content. But my purpose in life is not to improve a company's bottom line, or engineer signage. My purpose in life is found outside employment. Mainly in things I volunteer at, but also as a husband.