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Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

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Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#11

Post by readonthegoapp »

simonblack wrote: post #4

Be pro-active. Get out and look elsewhere before you're trying to out-compete all those others that will be laid off from the company at the same time as you.

Too late - market dead - even if you are an individual contributor of some type and willing to work for less - imo.

i usually advise a double-approach - look for a new gig (i.e. feed the stomach) - but also try to start/join a union and look at other employee empowerment ideas, like allowing H1b holders to freely transfer between employers without the drama, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#12

Post by wpietri »

Yeah, I think that is a totally reasonable set of feelings to have. The recent wave of layoffs seems to be about something very different than P&L. I thought this McSweeney's piece portrayed it well: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/macroeconomic-changes-ha...

> There’s no easy way to say this: I have made the difficult decision to lay off over six thousand of you. In the past two years, we have achieved huge wins together. But unfortunately, the macroeconomic environment has shifted in ways none of us could have foreseen, from an economy in which I did feel like paying you, to one in which I’d rather not.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#13

Post by ofchnofc »

Ancalagon wrote: post #8
GulpGulp wrote: post #7

Are you saying there's a time where you weren't constantly anticipating your entire life unraveling at a moment's notice?

I get the meme of this, but I’ve noticed I am always thinking about what would happen or what I would do if/when I got fired. 1 perk of being childless is you really only have to worry about feeding yourself I guess (I am not a childfree proponent)

"I guess"? One month of tech salary would cover a studio rent and feed an adult human for a very, very, very, very long time. As I've touched on several times and NO ONE wants to really engage with, there's a lot of out of touch people here that have no idea what "live within your means" means and don't want to be remotely honest about their expenses.

Or somehow thinks "within [their] means" means that they're untouchable and unfirerable. Bet the general sentiment towards unemployment and collective bargaining has changed around here recently! Or not, tech workers are great at excusing-exceptionalism.

EDIT: This actually makes me wonder. I would really like to see data about peoples' empathy regarding unemployment/homelessness/unions and their ability to withstand an unexpected job-loss - how much "F you" money do they have saved, how much do they live conservatively?

The folks around me born into money are much more comfortable "spending their paycheck" than those of us that came from more middle-class backgrounds and graduated into comfortable money.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#14

Post by UncleEntity »

simonblack wrote: post #4

Be pro-active. Get out and look elsewhere before you're trying to out-compete all those others that will be laid off from the company at the same time as you.

> Our business is doing great, but I guess that's not enough to maintain job security anymore.

Find a job at another company “doing great” and be the first let go because you’re the new guy?

I learned during the Great Recession that if you have a job then keep the job.

Also, as one of the other commenters posted, don’t take a job making less than what McDonald’s pays just because the company thinks you’re desperate.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#15

Post by toomuchtodo »

usgroup wrote: post #2

Well its the grass hopper and the ant isn't it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ant_and_the_Grasshopper If you've been the ant you'd have prepared for the winter. I guess in reality most of us fit somewhere in between the ant and the grasshopper. It'll teach us all a bit of prudence we'd do well to remember thereafter.

How do you plan your life and career around the idea that you can be let go at any time for and be unemployed for an unknown amount of time, with no assurances you’ll be employable in the future?

For sure, one should not overextend themselves, but conversely you can do everything right (live below your means, invest vs frivolous spending, robust emergency fund) and still fail.

The anxiety of those faced with this reality is understandable, and there is substantial data demonstrating the harm of such an environment (chronic stress) to the human.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#16

Post by UncleEntity »

readonthegoapp wrote: post #11
simonblack wrote: post #4

Be pro-active. Get out and look elsewhere before you're trying to out-compete all those others that will be laid off from the company at the same time as you.

Too late - market dead - even if you are an individual contributor of some type and willing to work for less - imo. i usually advise a double-approach - look for a new gig (i.e. feed the stomach) - but also try to start/join a union and look at other employee empowerment ideas, like allowing H1b holders to freely transfer between employers without the drama, etc.

> …like allowing H1b holders to freely transfer between employers without the drama

That’s not going to go over well when people are looking for work in droves and the purpose of these visas is (allegedly) because they can’t find qualified citizens to do the job.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#17

Post by the_only_law »

GulpGulp wrote: post #7

Are you saying there's a time where you weren't constantly anticipating your entire life unraveling at a moment's notice?

I just wish it would have happened a couple years ago. The one time I actually have something going for me is the time I get laid off.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#18

Post by ofchnofc »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #15
usgroup wrote: post #2

Well its the grass hopper and the ant isn't it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ant_and_the_Grasshopper If you've been the ant you'd have prepared for the winter. I guess in reality most of us fit somewhere in between the ant and the grasshopper. It'll teach us all a bit of prudence we'd do well to remember thereafter.

How do you plan your life and career around the idea that you can be let go at any time for and be unemployed for an unknown amount of time, with no assurances you’ll be employable in the future? For sure, one should not overextend themselves, but conversely you can do everything right (live below your means, invest vs frivolous spending, robust emergency fund) and still fail. The anxiety of those faced with this rea…

Well, one step would be some self-honesty about living within means. Throw out some numbers, let's talk about the specifics that no one here really wants to engage in.

Someone with this perspective, please, help me understand - Give me a base salary, a rent, and a monthly expense that doesn't let you save up 6months of runway after 2+ years of employment.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#19

Post by tacostakohashi »

GulpGulp wrote: post #7

Are you saying there's a time where you weren't constantly anticipating your entire life unraveling at a moment's notice?

Yep, that's a good point, and the best way to deal with this. After being laid off 2 or 3 times over the years, I have learnt to just not leave anything on my desk or in my drawers, make sure I have everything I care about on my own devices, resume up to date, have plenty of savings, live life one day at a time.

If I do get laid off, it's a bonus with the extra severance, if not, being prepared is relieving in and of itself.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else feel like they're just waiting for the axe to fall?

#20

Post by strikelaserclaw »

yes, my company pretty much focused all their efforts on core products and i was brought in to work on "new" products. on one hand i don't want to quit but on the other hand, i have no meaningful work. Part of me wishes to get laid off so i can get severance.
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