Yes, It is usually related to individuals tied to a particular city or industry. There are only a handful of companies you can work for. Our CEO even once joked about how the best way to get a raise is go work somewhere else and then come back. (Which of course is saddening it has to be that way.)
Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
11–20 of 48 posts
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#12Happened to me 4 times at separate companies. One company I almost went back to a third time. Note that all of these were contract positions and usually just let go due to seasonal work shortage. All of them were tech companies except one.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#13Depends on the business. In electronic design automation it's common, because it's a small world, only three major companies, sometimes people go off and do a startup and it's bought up by one of the big three.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#14A former co-worker of mine boomeranged at-least twice to the same company and team.
As other commenters have pointed out, its not uncommon, but my co-worker is an exception rather than the rule.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#15My last gig was about two years at a $1bn / 400 employee SaaS company. In my tenure, multiple people re-joined after leaving, and several people who left while I was there have since returned after I left. When I stepped down, I was basically given a standing offer to return whenever I'd like.
In my gig before that, at a blue chip tech company, in 7 years I never saw anyone return, but most of the departures were due to layoff/RIF so that somewhat makes sense.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#16It happened often enough at Amazon that people who did it were called Boomerangs.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#17I did it myself. Just two months and half back I joined back a company I left in 2018. I left the company to work on more machine learning related projects and now I joined back as a senior DS. I really feel good about this move and I am happy I did it.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#18I think it depends. I think in many companies it's unusual, but I've also worked for a company where it was not unusual for someone to leave, work somewhere else for a year or more, and then come back. But I think it was the only company where I've seen that happen.
I think it depends on why people leave. People who are fired because of the way they function are unlikely to get rehired, but people who are fired because the company is in financial trouble, might get rehired when the company is in calmer waters. Similarly, someone who leaves because they don't like it, are underpaid, hate the work environment, their manager, etc, are unlikely to return. But someone who likes it, but wants to try something else, might want to return.
The main risk that I see is that a company that knows you might see you as the person they used to know, and ignore any growth you may have had in the mean time. Rejoining a former employer requires open minds on both sides.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#19At my longest company, maybe 2/3rds of my group had left and come back at some point, including me. One was even was on his third time. After an acquisition, I was laid off with half my team and 2/3rds of them were back there within a year.
Re: Ask HN: How common is it for people to come back to a previous employer?
#20I have done so one time. I actually would go back again but at this point it would have to be a remote job and the company culture is not remote.