41–50 of 116 posts
> Two weeks before the class was over, the head of the deployment team asked, “Steve, are you single?” Yes. “Do you like to travel?” Sure. “Why don’t you come to Korea with us when we ship the system overseas.” The first of those questions was completely unnecessary, and invited a potential employment discrimination lawsuit; it fairly directly implies they might not have made the offer if he wasn't. It would have suf…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
If I have to work 80+ hours a week to have the absolute financial freedom to live the rest of my estimated 40-50 years on this planet in any way I chose, nevermind ensuring similar benefits accrue to my family, then I think that's a pretty good deal. I still have down time and plenty of fond memories -- you just have to plan how you spend that time a bit better. I live in a part of the world where a lack of financial…
Remember, there are two variables in the equation: (hours worked) * (hourly rate). Try to avoid the temptation to max out the left side of that equation early in your career, since you have a lot more control over the right side than you think you do. Look at what you're making now (assuming early career from the tone of your post). Now know with near certainty that you'll be making double that five years from now. M…
1. 6 years, largely and increasingly specialist financial industry work, earning 5x what I did when I started, so you're right on that point. Unfortunately some curveballs have meant the net effect on my QOL is not as great as you'd expect.
2. Only 40-50 hours of those theoretical (i.e. subject to life) 80 hours number are billable. The remainder are my attempt to escape the rat race -- what is the hourly rate of those hours? Impossible to know - that's where the risk/reward of entrepreneurship lies.
3. As far as I can tell, I have maxed out the right side as a "no name" (although it's quite difficult to know if this is true!). From what I've been reading, and what you've confirmed by saying "work on your value", the next step is to make a name for myself. This is a tricky concept for me. Any advice? My current strategy is to direct my energy at building something in my "rat race escaping" time that will draw attention to me locally, hopefully leading to new opportunities.
> Two weeks before the class was over, the head of the deployment team asked, “Steve, are you single?” Yes. “Do you like to travel?” Sure. “Why don’t you come to Korea with us when we ship the system overseas.” The first of those questions was completely unnecessary, and invited a potential employment discrimination lawsuit; it fairly directly implies they might not have made the offer if he wasn't. It would have suf…
You're right, however life is never perfect. Most people make statements/questions off the cuff (without the assistance of a team of lawyers whispering into their earbud communicator).
I feel like I'm a different species when I hear someone excited about working 80+ hours a week. Having so little free time and so little time to spend with friends and family seems like a sad life regardless of the paycheck. I agree with this: "Have a passion for Doing something rather than Being a title on a business card." I also agree that "Showing up a lot increases your odds" (in this case meaning working a lot…
80+ is doable if you work from home. I often code with my daughter sitting on my lap. I also do lot of work in my head without computer.
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You’re not alone. I’m only awake for 80 hours during the week. Devoting half of that to a job is insane enough, thanks.
You sleep an average of 12.5 hours per day?
I feel like I'm a different species when I hear someone excited about working 80+ hours a week. Having so little free time and so little time to spend with friends and family seems like a sad life regardless of the paycheck. I agree with this: "Have a passion for Doing something rather than Being a title on a business card." I also agree that "Showing up a lot increases your odds" (in this case meaning working a lot…
If its something you do because you have to for the money, a means to an end, then I agree with you. 80hrs is near slavery, even the standard 40 ish hrs is my idea of pure living hell. But, 80 hrs of that? No.
If, however, you are doing something you would literally be doing anyway because its "you", then the number of hours "working" is no longer relevant. Even if the job is 40hrs pw most people, who sort of are their job, will be working one way or another regardless of being in a place of work or not. When I have been in this situation, even if Im doing the family or social thing, my head is still on the project. All I want to do is leave, and keep "working". But its not "working", it is simply what I want to be doing. I just happen to be being paid. To me, that is not "work", or a "job".
I feel like I'm a different species when I hear someone excited about working 80+ hours a week. Having so little free time and so little time to spend with friends and family seems like a sad life regardless of the paycheck. I agree with this: "Have a passion for Doing something rather than Being a title on a business card." I also agree that "Showing up a lot increases your odds" (in this case meaning working a lot…
Our company was founded on not working insane hours. From our jobs page ( http://www.polleverywhere.com/jobs ): "We do not do death marches. We do not do lockdowns. We do not believe in 80 hour work weeks as a way of life." If anybody is stuck in this kind of unnecessary insanity looking for a way out shoot me an email!
Where I live, by law you're not allowed to work more than 40 hours a week. If a company violates this, you can literally go to court and get a summary judgement to get paid for every hour beyond this you worked, plus a 40% bonus for every hour beyond 40 each week. Most companies here don't do a lot of overtime, yet we're still at the very top of the list of productivity by country.
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http://pastebin.com/9x9r2Nwb
Thanks. Also available here, from 2009 http://steveblank.com/2009/06/29/agile-opportunism-entrepren...
I feel like I'm a different species when I hear someone excited about working 80+ hours a week. Having so little free time and so little time to spend with friends and family seems like a sad life regardless of the paycheck. I agree with this: "Have a passion for Doing something rather than Being a title on a business card." I also agree that "Showing up a lot increases your odds" (in this case meaning working a lot…
Maybe here they don't, but I think generally people see things your way. I don't, and I didn't, even before I got into 'tech' and started reading HN. For me, the statement 'life outside of work is more meaningful than work' just doesn't make sense. While I do treat 'work time' slightly differently than 'free time', the difference is not so great for me. It's mostly to keep some ritual and prevent weeks turning into l…
Sure after a few years you may pick up a few generally interesting story's, but there rare and people only want to listen to those story's once.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thanks. Also available here, from 2009 http://steveblank.com/2009/06/29/agile-opportunism-entrepren...
so you knew where an alternative source of the same post is, but chose to make that completely unnecessary post about how you don't read articles on LinkedIn, while pretending you haven't read it?