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Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

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11–18 of 18 posts

Re: Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

#11

Post by 6d0debc071 »

If you're bored where you are, perhaps you should try a smaller company. One of the advantages of small companies is you often end up wearing a fair number of hats.

#

I'd also urge you in the strongest possible terms not to live off your savings if you can help it. I've had to do it in the past (the company I was working for folded unexpectedly.) It was one of the most stressful and soul-crushing times of my life: sending job applications off and getting nothing back for sometimes weeks at a time, looking at my balance dwindling and wondering whether I'd be able to pay the rent next month....

Just feels like there's this crushing horizon of doom and no-one wants you, despite the fact you know you could do all those jobs.

I keep about two years wages in various degrees of fluidity (I think that's the word for it, how easily you can get to it) these days, and I still wouldn't want to do it. It's not a happy place to live for any length of time - and in the end you may, as I did, take something you don't really want anyway just to have money coming in while you look for something better.

Re: Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

#12

Post by saluki »

Leaning toward becoming Self Employed . . .

Start listening to these . . . http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/

My advice . . .

Stick with your day job for a while . . . save money and fund your side projects, recurring revenue ideas.

Learn and make connections with like minded developers who are creating SaaS Apps and Recurring revenue.

Your day job is a big asset and can fund your own business especially in the beginning until you have spun up a few recurring revenue ideas.

Re: Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

#13

Post by eposts »

Like others have said quitting without a plan is a bad idea. Start working on finding a job that's more in line with your personality.

You don't know if your ideas have a market. Get users if you think your ideas are worth pursuing. Sell first, build later. In the mean time build up cash to extend your runway. 2-3 months is too short.

Re: Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

#16

Post by wikwocket »

staunch wrote: post #7

Find a new job, while you have your current job, but negotiate with the new company to start after N weeks. The difference between a good job and a bad job is night and day. It's quite possible you can find somewhere that's very enjoyable. At the very least you can find something better.

+1 for a good job making all the difference. Everyone should do something they love, that challenges and vitalizes them. And if you are a young developer, coming out of a good position at a good company, with no dependents, you are in a position uniquely capable of achieving this. Shop around now, and pull the trigger when you have a signed offer letter.

Don't waste years at a place you don't love. Three weeks after finding a better place, you will wonder why you waited so long to make the leap.

Re: Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

#17

Post by ceekay »

Since your current job is "not painful" and you don't have a clear plan yet, don't quit. Try the following:

1. See if you can change anything in the current job to make yourself happy - new project ? new team ? Most people quit because they don't like their boss or their peers. If that's not the case, work with them to make it more challenging.

2. Use your spare time wisely for soul searching - network, talk to people and find something that will give you the kick. This may even help you become self employed.

Not having a job / not going to work / living off of savings are all unnecessary pressures.

Re: Ask HN: I want to quit my job. What am I doing?

#18

Post by vldx »

In my opinion, there's high possibility that you're burned out at the moment.

The desire to quit is one of the things, which I observe when I run out of steam.

Don't rush doing something, which can cost you 6-12 months of your life.

You seem that you're making decisions under emotions, rather execute rationally planned scenario.

Take some break and after that think what you want to do and how to do it.

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