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I quit the tech industry (2015)

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Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#21

Post by [deleted] »

logical_ferry wrote: post #17
noufalibrahim wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I echo this sentiment. My "real life" has improved massively because of the fact that I work in technology. Money can't solve all your problems but there is a class of important problems that only money can solve effectively and tech. is a good way of making that money. I'm extremely grateful for this and wouldn't diss it. On a more general level, the stress of working on multiple projects, dealing with different kin…

Once you realize work is work and not some romantic endeavour, then things become easier. All I read from this guy's post is a lot of bitching about how the work he has to do is meaningless and hard and it is just getting in the way of his hobbies. I once read a good line: Be thankful for all the problems out there otherwise you would be out of a job. This guy is lucky he had the money to buy his way out of this situ…

[deleted]

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#23

Post by radiKal07 »

kaon123 wrote: post #16

I think the picture of how he describes life and life-with-a-full-time-job is fairly accurate. One solution is to work 80%. Or even 60%. You can still make plenty of money to support yourself, and you can be happy while doing it.

There are barely any 80% jobs and the 60% ones are almost inexistent

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#24

Post by thisNeeds2BeSad »

billllll wrote: post #14

I sympathize and did the same thing earlier this year: I quit my job to try and strike out on my own. For most tech companies, they sell you on this "mission" and tell you how valuable your work is. Then, you realize all you do is grease the wheels of bureaucracy. Any serious attempts of asking the question "how would anything be different if I didn't do my work" only leads to depressing answers. I've found the resul…

Its particularly bitter in the big ones. You develop something cool, they patent it and then put the patent "right on the office fridge, that way we get to see it every day" and there the innovation hangs and suffers and you realize not only did you work in vain, you made the life for true entrepaneurs harder for a long time and blocked innovation for years to come.

Then you get promoted and oversee the same procedure of poisoning humanitys well executed by a younger generation.

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#25

Post by haswell »

logical_ferry wrote: post #13

It's pays off to be rich. Not having to work is a luxury. I love money too much to simply take a year off, even if I could afford it. I would think about the opportunity cost the entire time. Maybe I just haven't had a proper burn out yet.

As someone who once couldn’t imagine burning the cash, I’m a month into a 6-12 month sabbatical after finally burning out pretty hard.

My advice to my former self would be to take extended time before it became a borderline personal crisis. The funny thing about that opportunity cost - I’m now spending time just building the energy to use this time away for things I find personally interesting.

Had I taken the time sooner, it probably could have been shorter, and I’d probably enjoy the first bit of it more.

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#26

Post by noufalibrahim »

logical_ferry wrote: post #17
noufalibrahim wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I echo this sentiment. My "real life" has improved massively because of the fact that I work in technology. Money can't solve all your problems but there is a class of important problems that only money can solve effectively and tech. is a good way of making that money. I'm extremely grateful for this and wouldn't diss it. On a more general level, the stress of working on multiple projects, dealing with different kin…

Once you realize work is work and not some romantic endeavour, then things become easier. All I read from this guy's post is a lot of bitching about how the work he has to do is meaningless and hard and it is just getting in the way of his hobbies. I once read a good line: Be thankful for all the problems out there otherwise you would be out of a job. This guy is lucky he had the money to buy his way out of this situ…

> I once read a good line: Be thankful for all the problems out there otherwise you would be out of a job.

I do consulting work these days. "a problem is an opportunity is disguise" is a mantra that has, on countless occasions, proven to be true. Increased billing, newer projects and opportunities. All of them first appear as problems. Over time, my reflexive anxiety at seeing a problem has been replaced by a joyful optimism. It just smells different now.

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#27

Post by ptato »

I can't afford to leave my job, I would only be able to sustain myself for ~1 year. I think I would be satisfied if I only had to work half as much: 4 hours a day, 20 a week. Now I just need to find that job...

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#28

Post by sunderw »

radiKal07 wrote: post #23
kaon123 wrote: post #16

I think the picture of how he describes life and life-with-a-full-time-job is fairly accurate. One solution is to work 80%. Or even 60%. You can still make plenty of money to support yourself, and you can be happy while doing it.

There are barely any 80% jobs and the 60% ones are almost inexistent

As someone working 50%, I can relate. I answered more than 100 messages last year on LinkedIn from companies/recruiters interested in my profile, and got to the end interview part twice (the answer was always 'working half time is not possible for us', sometimes after wasting a few hours of my time...)

But I also got contacted by a recruiter that did a fantastic job. He found a company that was a great fit for me, and that had no problem with part-time.

My advice would be : answer everyone telling you're looking for a part-time position. It's long, it's difficult and it's time consuming, but it's not impossible.

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#29

Post by j7ake »

Does this person have a family and kids?

I don’t see how anyone can do this unless they contribute nothing to their families or extended families.

Sounds to me like a very selfish view of life. Most people in the world have either ailing parents and/or spouse and kids to take care of.

Re: I quit the tech industry (2015)

#30

Post by Cthulhu_ »

billllll wrote: post #14

I sympathize and did the same thing earlier this year: I quit my job to try and strike out on my own. For most tech companies, they sell you on this "mission" and tell you how valuable your work is. Then, you realize all you do is grease the wheels of bureaucracy. Any serious attempts of asking the question "how would anything be different if I didn't do my work" only leads to depressing answers. I've found the resul…

> For most tech companies, they sell you on this "mission" and tell you how valuable your work is.

That's because hiring is marketing; they're selling a job to you, you pay them in your labor and attention span. Nobody will be attracted to a job where the description says what it is - e.g. "legacy enterprise java application maintenance". Nobody wants to work a job that is just to fill a seat.

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