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Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

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Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#391

Post by esperent »

SeanAnderson wrote: post #60
yodsanklai wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought caffeine was actually good https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/is-coffee-good-or-bad-for-your...

I think from a health perspective coffee/caffeine is fine - maybe even good. I wouldn't be shocked if it were good for you. My reason for wanting to quit caffeine was related to willpower and self-control. I wanted a stronger mind-body connection where I'd readily act on my desires rather than delegating to "I'll do that once I feel properly caffeinated." I was finding that I wasn't doing much with myself after work…

My take on the health benefits of coffee or tea is that it's probably nothing to do with the caffeine, and a lot to do with antioxidants. Both of these drinks are high in antioxidants, and the typical modern diet is low, so for a lot of people caffeinated drinks are a major source of their antioxidant intake. This shows up statistically as coffee and tea increasing longevity, but on an individual level, just make sure you're getting antioxidants from other parts of your diet instead.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#392

Post by uxcolumbo »

eek2121 wrote: post #295
jasonriddle wrote: post #35

I've been unemployed for about 1 year now. I was in SF working in tech for about 7 years, and decided I don't want to do that anymore, so I quit. It's been tough. The hardest part about being unemployed is it is very hard to structure your days because work is no longer the thing that is forcing you to get up, get out, go to bed on time, etc. It's also a strange feeling having to spend from your savings/emergency fun…

I was in tech for over 20 years, and went from being good at my job/successful to being permanently disabled. My entire life was wired around providing for my family and supporting everyone around me both financially, and via my success. I've lost that identity, and despite extensive therapy, meds, etc. I still haven't found myself yet. I know I'll be okay, however. Stay frosty. Things will work out. Cheers!

I have that identity, ie being the pillar of stability and support for those around me.

One thing I worry about is getting a stroke or become blind, paralyzed or similar.

Having lost people around me or seen them fall seriously ill , made me realize things can change so quickly.

I admire ppl like yourself who keep going.

Or people like Paul De Gelder, who lost the majority of their limbs and then just keep going and seem to thrive.

I wonder how ppl like that change their mindset after such life events. What happens in the brain? Is it via therapy or effectively deciding to make the best with the cards you’ve been dealt.

From what you wrote, it sounds like you haven’t lost a core pillar of your identity, which is a positive mindset.

Wishing you the best on your new path ahead.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#393

Post by jfil »

qntmfred wrote: post #131

I got laid off in august 2023. I had seen it coming for a few months, as I had in the previous year been promoted to lead an engineering team for another company at the PE group I worked for and it quickly became clear they were going to consolidate the product lines at the two companies and my group's CTO lost the political battle. I was a bit concerned at the time as the previous couple quarters had seen a LOT of t…

>>seeing day old job posts on linkedin with 100+ applications already.

Don't believe for a second that these figures are real. And I recommend that you apply on the business' own site, never through Linkedin's own process.

It's great that you and your wife are healthy and in a good place! Keep going.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#394

Post by dilyevsky »

danparsonson wrote: post #333
ihnorton wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seconding. These days I will rarely talk to anyone without a verified LinkedIn or other presence like a clearly inhabited GitHub (and I’m not looking for hyperactivity by any means)

But why? Those things are easy to game, and speaking personally, I don't have an online software development presence like Github because I don't spend my off time working on anything I feel is worth sharing.

If i’m hiring for eng director in my industry I'm expecting at least a few 2nd/3rd common connections so i can backchannel. Without that i assume its someone who hasnt gotten along with anyone at beast or a scammer at worst

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#395

Post by SauciestGNU »

93po wrote: post #221
autotune wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obstruction of justice (???), simple battery of a police officer (I ran into a police officer while trying to flee).

..flee from what? i feel like maybe that's the bigger picture but yeah making a cop stub their toe is gonna make anyone have a bad time. im sorry the justice system is failing you.

My first instinct is to run from the cops no matter what just because I've been assaulted by them enough for one lifetime. One doesn't have to be breaking any law to end up targeted by some crazy cop, American police are like rabid animals.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#396

Post by uxcolumbo »

sosodev wrote: post #276

I was unemployedish (some freelancing) for around 18 months and I'm starting what I think might be my dream job on Monday. I was very burnt out after being fired / laid off from multiple unethical tech startups and a divorce. During the ego death I realized that I no longer had any desire to do work that wasn't making the world a better place. I considered changing careers because it's very hard to find software jobs…

Those are some great realisations.

Working on projects that help society and people can give you so much energy. I experienced it once and want to get back to that. Especially important during these trying times.

Curious to know, what are those hard software problems?

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#397

Post by insane_dreamer »

no_nobud wrote: post #281

Yep. I'm an Electrical Engineer, 10+ years of experience in systems (automation, robotics, etc.). I left my job back in 2023, which I regret now, but I didn't leave because it wasn't paying well (it was low wage), or anything, but because of the management and daily harassment. However, I should have let them terminate me instead to collect unemployment. The first few months I spent trying to make my own work, since…

You don’t seem to understand what a nursing job entails.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#398

Post by uxcolumbo »

Findecanor wrote: post #183

I've been for much longer. Was unemployed when I developed cancer, and I had dead-beat doctors, so it went undiagnosed for too long and became chronic. During that time I developed a second unrelated cancer (which I have genetic disposition for) when my immune system was occupied with the first, and also COVID. Waiting, surgeries and treatments took two years. After recovering, the Swedish employment office pushed me…

Thanks for sharing your story.

You sound tough as nails overcoming all those things.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone else been unemployed for over two years?

#399

Post by sosodev »

uxcolumbo wrote: post #396
sosodev wrote: post #276

I was unemployedish (some freelancing) for around 18 months and I'm starting what I think might be my dream job on Monday. I was very burnt out after being fired / laid off from multiple unethical tech startups and a divorce. During the ego death I realized that I no longer had any desire to do work that wasn't making the world a better place. I considered changing careers because it's very hard to find software jobs…

Those are some great realisations. Working on projects that help society and people can give you so much energy. I experienced it once and want to get back to that. Especially important during these trying times. Curious to know, what are those hard software problems?

Short term: Work with various departments to pull all student-related data into a data warehouse. Then apply data analysis techniques to try and find the patterns in student failure where the college can offer more support.

Long term: Add in machine learning to automate the most tedious parts of the college's processes. The idea being that we could automate query writing, data linking, etc for reporting, grant proposals, etc. Not without human supervision of course but still saving a ton of time.

The software problems themselves will be hard but I'm sure there will be a lot of hard social problems too.

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