> Maybe even Java. Personally, I'd love to get to work with Java, after (many) years of C++. Such an amazing technology and ecosystem.
I switched from C++ to Java 20 years ago, and never looked back. Although I've been using Scala the last 7 years.
Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
241–250 of 594 posts
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#242Good thoughts, but (not as a criticism of the author), some of the pain points are at least partially self-inflicted: To minimize post-layoff loneliness (and not only for that!) make sure you have a life outside of work: the people you like to spend some time with and things you like to do. To minimize money-driven stress of the layoff, build up a cash cushion that can last at least 6 months; with unemployment, vacat…
> But do not go through the motions of getting an offer with a company you have no interest to work for. Strong disagree. In this economy, you regularly want to hip pocket job offers.
The problem with going through to the offer stage with companies you do not want to work for is that this is likelier to limit your options rather than increase them.
This is not a very strong prior, but re-applying after rejecting an offer can indicate that you are using the company as a fallback and may bolt as soon as you get a chance.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#243My advice: Have one or more side projects going all the time. If you get laid off, immediately start doing a startup, open-source project, or volunteering full time. A year of unemployment? Lonely, depressing, and not good on a resume. A year of launching an unsuccessful venture? Running coding classes for the underserved? Focusing full-time on contributing to pytorch? That's a lot better, both at the time and in ret…
"A year of unemployment? Lonely, depressing, and not good on a resume." A year of unemployment seems significantly less depressing than this statement. What if you were to travel (or hike/explore your local area), focus on quality time with your family, friends, or dog? This to me seems way less depressing than grinding on some meaningless side-project, and as a hiring manager at a FAANG I would absolutely look at a…
I've had bouts of unemployment lasting a year and a half. It's really hard to focus on side projects when you are worried about being able to pay the rent and health insurance and your pittance of unemployment insurance has run out.
My advice to anyone in the tech field is to try to have a lot of reserves, because tech is cyclical, and layoffs are inevitable, like every two to five years.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#244> Don’t discount the physical aspect of loneliness either. If you’re like me, work is the primary shaper of your life. Work gives your life rhythm. It is the gravitational center around which the other activities in your life revolve. Then, one day, poof—it’s gone. Exhibit A of why not to take your day job too seriously. Be professional — but that’s as far as it goes. > Come up with a more, uh, positive reason for wh…
it was merely a 37% reduction. I’m very happy with it. You took 37% paycut and you’re happy with it? Why?
The last 5-10 years have seen crazy money. I think most of us will see pay cuts sooner or later. Definitely when you get in your 40s+ you're likely to get a pay cut for each new job, unless you're management or architect or similar.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#245Stepping back for a moment from the content, I think it is worth noting what an exceptionally well-written essay this is. Being able to write well is a super power for engineers. It is a reflection of the lucidity and clarity of one's mind, and the ability to understand the needs of the reader. Writing well is an exceptionally useful and powerful skill that can be improved with consistent practice. I would be tempted…
For sure. So utterly penetrating, incisive, soulful and relatable. There can be no suspicion that the author relied on ChatGPT for this piece!
I hope everyone takes this as sarcasm
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#246"If you’re like me, work is the primary shaper of your life" It's sad to see people again and again sell their life.
>>It's sad to see people again and again sell their life. Why? I don't find that sad at all - some people really enjoy their work, and it becomes a big part of their identity. What better way to spend you life than doing something you truly enjoy and provides you an income to be comfortable and take care of your family/friends? I know a lot of doctors, they have spent their entire lives taking care of people, saving…
Plenty do, difference is they just write code and do projects they like so no tick-tock add-ons unless that floats your boat.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#247I would just add one thing here, aside from echoing the comments on the great writing. Everyone needs to focus on saving when they have a job for uncertain times. I've found it incredibly helpful in the last year with some savings in the bank, to ward off the uncertainty and chaos around not having a job, and taking it a bit easy so to say.
Saving at least 20% or so of every paycheck is good standard advice for rainy days. But, also not to keep any debt.
Lastly, it's not that terrifying these days to not have employment in the software industry. Things will turn around as long as you work on developing your skills. Staying positive is good advice for the short and long-term. Because everything will work out, and we usually stress a lot more than we really should.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#248Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most capitalists are not billionaires or even millionaires, the divide you are creating is outdated and frankly asinine.
> Most capitalists are not billionaires or even millionaires, Yes, they are, if one is referring to the capitalist class (the haut bourgeoisie), those who relate to the economy primarily through capital to which other’s rented labor is applied, not “everyone with some, however incidental, capital”. Heck, even most of the middle class (petit bourgeoisie, who either apply their own labor to their own capital or who oth…
I'm referring to the capitalists as thought of in 21st century economics, not some outdated 19th century Marxist/extreme left-wing echo chamber (lol, 'haute bourgeoisie', are you even listening to yourself?). People who deploy and risk their capital to produce services or products are capitalists. e.g My local grocer is a capitalist or my grandfather running a family farm is a capitalist. I can tell you for sure my grandfather is not a millionaire, I'm not so sure about my local grocer, but I doubt it.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#249Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've taken time off between jobs without taking on any meaningful projects, and I generally haven't found it to be an issue. When I tell recruiters I just wanted time off to relax, they're sometimes skeptical, but hiring managers more often than not either respond with some variety of "Oh yeah, I did that too and it was amazing" or "Oh man that sounds so great, I'm jealous." I do apply almost entirely to smaller star…
It's important to quantify how long your time off was for this anecdote to be meaningful. No good employer will bat an eye if you worked at a place for five years then spent three months on a tropical beach. A year spent job searching with no luck like the OP is a different situation altogether.
I actually don't think that's as much of a problem as you'd think - I did nine months off after 2.5 years. I just wouldn't say you've been searching and not getting jobs - much better to say that you've interviewed at a few places, but you're very focused on finding a company whose mission and team you're excited about (particularly if that's true). If they accept that as true, then you're creating a positive sort of scarcity of yourself, as opposed to framing it as jobs being scarce and you being desperate for one.
Re: Hard truths I learned when I got laid off from my SWE job
#250Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a live-to-work attitude. Have some other hobbies and goals, and a year of unemployment will be neither lonely nor depressing. Personally I've gone farther in the work-to-live direction, with an easygoing, "boring" (still fulfilling enough to see some javascript doodad come to life, but not world changing) WFH job I perform well in that supports my homesteading and other hobbies.
The author anyway had this mentality: > If you’re like me, work is the primary shaper of your life. Work gives your life rhythm. It is the gravitational center around which the other activities in your life revolve.
I think this happens to a lot of people. Especially for people who really enjoy the work they do, rather than see it as a necessary evil to put a roof over their head.