Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1 • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#91

Post by twelve45 » Sun, May 13, 2012, 5:12 PM UTC

pedalpete wrote: post #75

tptacek wrote: post #71

The easiest way to commit yourself to leaving a job and to navigate explaining yourself to the company happens to also be the way you should always be leaving jobs: by quietly interviewing for other jobs. Find a new role somewhere else that you like and accept it. Go back to your current team and inform them that you've enjoyed your time working with them, but you can't pass up the new opportunity. The only problem I…

As a new engineer without a significant work history, how does the poster interview and not have the hiring company contact his current company for a reference?

In fact, in this scenario he can be completely honest and say that that would not be a good idea because, well, he's the main engineer there and they would not be happy about him leaving. I know for me that'd be a very good sign (assuming I believe the guy is being honest).

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#92

Post by twelve45 » Sun, May 13, 2012, 5:16 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #86

raverbashing wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there should be a step 0 0. Get your CV out there So you can start some leads and if they ask for some weeks notice, you'll have something going (at least some leads) when you're no longer there

Besides the fact that circulating resumes is just about the worst way to find a new gig, I don't understand the mentality that suggests he should give notice before finding a place to land. Find a new job, then give notice. I've worked in this field since 1995 and am an employer at a fairly sizable team now and I'll tell you this is pretty close to industry standard. Competent employers do not have an expectation tha…

Second this. Nothing more awkward than giving notice and then not finding a job you're excited to move to. Unless your intent is to take a few months off anyway, in which case give a solid last date and make it happen.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#93

Post by ScottBurson » Sun, May 13, 2012, 5:42 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #71

The easiest way to commit yourself to leaving a job and to navigate explaining yourself to the company happens to also be the way you should always be leaving jobs: by quietly interviewing for other jobs. Find a new role somewhere else that you like and accept it. Go back to your current team and inform them that you've enjoyed your time working with them, but you can't pass up the new opportunity. The only problem I…

Agreed, definitely, you should start interviewing immediately.

I appreciate that you want to stay friends with these people, and maybe you can, but then again maybe not. It is totally unprofessional and utterly silly for someone to get angry when one of their people quits, but nonetheless I have seen it happen. I would suggest that if they react that way, maybe they aren't such good people to have as friends after all.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#94

Post by mcgwiz » Sun, May 13, 2012, 5:46 PM UTC

The thing they will (should) appreciate the most, and the thing that will keep the bridge most intact after leaving, is to be generous in the advancement of your notice. This honors the trust they put in you as an employee with significant responsibilities by affording them the valuable time to absorb the impact to their company in a managed way. Since two weeks is customary, something on the order of 4 weeks would be in good faith of the trust between you.

Some might say by giving extra notice you risk "showing your hand" and being fired prematurely. However, if you have a good personal relationship, this is unlikely to happen.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#95

Post by larrys » Sun, May 13, 2012, 5:50 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #86

raverbashing wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there should be a step 0 0. Get your CV out there So you can start some leads and if they ask for some weeks notice, you'll have something going (at least some leads) when you're no longer there

Besides the fact that circulating resumes is just about the worst way to find a new gig, I don't understand the mentality that suggests he should give notice before finding a place to land. Find a new job, then give notice. I've worked in this field since 1995 and am an employer at a fairly sizable team now and I'll tell you this is pretty close to industry standard. Competent employers do not have an expectation tha…

"Competent employers do not have an expectation that they're going to get a heads-up before you start interviewing."

1987. My sister didn't know there was a root user on a Unix system. I found out she was interviewing after seeing her resume in her home directory.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#96

Post by tptacek » Sun, May 13, 2012, 6:35 PM UTC

larrys wrote: post #95

tptacek wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Besides the fact that circulating resumes is just about the worst way to find a new gig, I don't understand the mentality that suggests he should give notice before finding a place to land. Find a new job, then give notice. I've worked in this field since 1995 and am an employer at a fairly sizable team now and I'll tell you this is pretty close to industry standard. Competent employers do not have an expectation tha…

"Competent employers do not have an expectation that they're going to get a heads-up before you start interviewing." 1987. My sister didn't know there was a root user on a Unix system. I found out she was interviewing after seeing her resume in her home directory.

Why were you looking in her home directory? :)

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#97

Post by JoeAltmaier » Sun, May 13, 2012, 7:42 PM UTC

samstr wrote: post #76

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. You can quit any job at any time, with little or no repercussion, if you do it politely and professionally. A catchall is "personal reasons prevent me from continuing at {wherever} at this time".

Such a vague reason might not be so easy in a team of 3 who have become close over the course of a year. Different story in a larger company.

Overthinking it. Vague reasons work even with your spouse. And they can nag you - these folks you won't evem be sleeping with after you submit your resignation.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#98

Post by larrys » Sun, May 13, 2012, 8:28 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #96

larrys wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Competent employers do not have an expectation that they're going to get a heads-up before you start interviewing." 1987. My sister didn't know there was a root user on a Unix system. I found out she was interviewing after seeing her resume in her home directory.

Why were you looking in her home directory? :)

Well now I could just say I was running tar and saw "resume" fly across the screen.

Or maybe because she had a problem I was in her directory and saw a suspicious file.

More than likely I was doing recon - I'm curious, so anything is possible.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#99

Post by easp » Sun, May 13, 2012, 10:52 PM UTC

A few suggestions, not necessarily mutually exclusive:

1. Start doing what you want to do at work. Don't waste time in BS meetings, go talk to potential customers or partners yourself, build what you think is interesting/valuable.

2. Change things up outside of work, go to lectures, meetups, start reading different blogs, whatever.

3. Start applying for jobs and arranging informational interviews.

In all three, a big part of the point is to change things, and seeing what happens, at the very least, you'll be getting new perspectives, and after a while, you'll find that you are ready to make the big change and find another job.

This is basically what I went through over the past year. I knew I needed to leave, but couldn't quite find a way to do so. It took a while, but my last day is in two weeks. Ironically, things are looking better at work than they have in 18 months, in part because I felt free to push and try things in a way I didn't before. I'm still going though. Not exactly sure what I'm going to do in the long run, but I'm much more comfortable with my ability to make a reasonable living as a result of changing my perspective.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#100

Post by easp » Sun, May 13, 2012, 10:57 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #86

raverbashing wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there should be a step 0 0. Get your CV out there So you can start some leads and if they ask for some weeks notice, you'll have something going (at least some leads) when you're no longer there

Besides the fact that circulating resumes is just about the worst way to find a new gig, I don't understand the mentality that suggests he should give notice before finding a place to land. Find a new job, then give notice. I've worked in this field since 1995 and am an employer at a fairly sizable team now and I'll tell you this is pretty close to industry standard. Competent employers do not have an expectation tha…

It really depends. Yes, if you have a good idea about what you want to do, find a job doing that and give notice.

If you are uncertain, and your current employment situation is feeding that uncertainty, it might be better to get out. I say this as someone who didn't really realize the way I was being effected by my work situation until I heard from a few people who left ahead of me.