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My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

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Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#101

Post by rfnslyr »

lotyrin wrote: post #87
rfnslyr wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I absolutely hate the idiots that praise long work. Praise hard work. Praise efficient work. If you're working 80 hours a week (and aren't a founder), then you are a chump. The whole point of work is to fund your life. People lose sight of this and started romanticizing long hours.

I guess I'm possibly damaged in that I don't find life (including my own) to be inherently valuable unless I'm doing something I'm good at and/or effecting some kind of change on things (it just happens that the things I'm good at and changes I can effect are fairly marketable and so they became my job). I don't work to live, or live to work, I work to work and live because the alternative (very probably, at least) l…

Practice a wide array of things and you will get good at them in a few years. Lift, play an instrument, go for a run, do some drugs. Have fun.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#102

Post by overgryphon »

ronaldx wrote: post #54
ignostic wrote: post #6

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…

I read this comment and realised something. Although it's not particuarly my goal to work 80 hours a week: I would rather work 80+ hours a week in something that I valued and that complemented/benefitted my life, than work 40 hours a week in a job where I was always waiting for my free time to come around.

This is a false choice. You can love your work and find it meaningful, but still go home at 5:30.

Work complements life in a meaningful way, but isn't the only significant component.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#103

Post by dctoedt »

ars wrote: post #26
JoshTriplett wrote: post #13

> 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…

There is no federal law about Marital status discrimination, only state law, and not all states. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_discrimination_law_... Note that California does prohibit it, but it seems to be a recent law. This http://www.unmarriedamerica.org/column-one/01-08-07-californ... implies it was around 2007/2008.

> There is no federal law about Marital status discrimination, only state law, and not all states.

Asking a woman if she's married could lead to being accused of sex discrimination -- "she's married, and she's a woman, so she'll want to quit to start a family" [or, "she'll have extra home responsibilities because we all know women do the bulk of the work at home"]. I'm not saying that would be a sure-fire claim, just that it could open the door to that accusation.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#104

Post by marvin »

Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #75
DanBC wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (though that can be just by agreeing to a job that stipulates the opt out in the contract) That would probably fall foul of the regulations.

The contract is fine but a worker can cancel the opt out if they wished (in writing, giving I think 7 days notice) and (in theory at least) they can't be discriminated against for doing so. Worth noting too that the average of 48 hours a week is calculated over 17 weeks so under even under a WTD compliant agreement you could have someone work a month of 60 hour weeks so long as you reverted to 40 hour weeks for a whi…

The problem here is that any piece of legislation in this category with a "in theory at least" clause against discrimination will become meaningless. This type of legislation must be mandatory, or at the very least subjected to individual exemptions based on centrally negotiated agreements.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#105

Post by marvin »

hackula1 wrote: post #88
ignostic wrote: post #6

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…

Da Vinci most certainly worked 80 hour weeks, and I am sure he loved every minute of it. Why? Because he got paid to think up cool shit day in and day out. I have worked jobs that were so mind numbingly boring that I could barely muster 30 hours a week when I was single. Now I am married and could easily pull 60-70 hours a week at my significantly more interesting job. Work is the place you will spend most of your li…

You should keep in mind that not everyone is able to work "80-hour weeks". I myself would not stand a chance. It is cool if dedicating your life to work like this works out for you, but it is irresponsible to hold it up as some ideal which everyone must aspire to.

I'm not sure if this was the intention of your comment, but I get the general sense whenever this subject pops up on HN that you aren't really doing your best if you aspire to a regular 9-5 workweek. Nothing could be further from the truth - I am a very ambitious guy, but I will refuse to work longer weeks unless it is absolutely necessary. And if so, only for a limited amount of time. Violating this will literally ruin my mental health. I am not the only person who works this way.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#106

Post by rfnslyr »

VLM wrote: post #74
JoshTriplett wrote: post #13

> 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…

The weirdest part of the meta discussion is the fixation on legality rather than morality of finding out if someone is single. Also its an extremely bad business strategy. Take a single dude who probably loves the night life to Korea on a deployment, what could possibly go wrong? If you're planning a party that sounds like a fun plan. On the other hand I hate traveling, so if you pick me I'll get that system up and r…

You are blowing this so much out of proportion. I wouldn't have given that question a second thought. Why should I? It's a perfectly normal question and I can understand why it is being asked. If you are single, you have the flexibility to travel.

If you aren't, you have a family to look after and that opportunity will be reserved for someone else. I'd be excited if they asked, I'd be thrilled to travel.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#107

Post by rfnslyr »

gregd wrote: post #71

As a mid-40s year old male, I can assure you that working 70+ hours a week will eventually kill you. Your body will respond in ways you never expected in your youth. And it's insidious. It will sneak up on you and catch up to you when you least expect it. If you're lucky, there will be time to take corrective action.

Could you elaborate on the tolls it takes?

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#108

Post by scott_karana »

crusso wrote: post #98
VLM wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The weirdest part of the meta discussion is the fixation on legality rather than morality of finding out if someone is single. Also its an extremely bad business strategy. Take a single dude who probably loves the night life to Korea on a deployment, what could possibly go wrong? If you're planning a party that sounds like a fun plan. On the other hand I hate traveling, so if you pick me I'll get that system up and r…

morality of finding out if someone is single It was likely asked in a perfectly moral way as in, "Do you have any family reason why you couldn't pick up and move to another country next week?" Moving someone to another country is a huge life change. More so if there is a spouse and/or children involved. Sadly, political correctness makes casual concerns something to be litigated over.

Why even make family part of the equation?...

"Do you have any reasons why you couldn't pick up and move to another country next week?"

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#109

Post by wil421 »

If I drove all the way across the country and heard that on my first day. My middle finger would be raised very high as I shouted profanities as I walked out the door.

But the author kept his cool and it worked out, maybe a trait I need to develop.

Re: My First Job: Fired and Rehired on Day 1

#110

Post by Uhhrrr »

TheSmoke wrote: post #36
ignostic wrote: post #6

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…

i thought that 80+ hours work was irony. it's really interesting if it's not irony.

That was my take as well, especially since at the end of the article he says, "No one will tell you to take more time with your family."
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