......................
Facebook _is_ crumbling and, for all we know, it's actually because the author left.
How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
131–140 of 231 posts
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#1322 years of savings is a crazy suggestion. 3-6 months should be fine especially if you've got top tier company on your resume.
Why is it crazy? You can never start retirement saving (and I'm talking outside of a 401K) too early. If you've worked at a top-tier tech company for > 5 years and been even slightly careful with your money you're going to have that much saved up without even meaning to. Exhibit A: https://www.thefrugalgene.com/dumb-luck-rich/
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#133......................
I don't think not working for 2 years would make someone unemployable so long as they are continuing to hone their craft.
Agreed. In fact, the opposite may be true.
If your company is working with outdated software, or ignoring software best practices like testing or security, or even if you've just started to specialize in a very narrow way, it can sometimes be difficult to translate the skills you're using there into other companies.
It's very common for people to start to specialize the longer they work at a company. You can end up knowing a few things really well, and not much else.
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#134Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think not working for 2 years would make someone unemployable so long as they are continuing to hone their craft.
It can raise doubts and suspicions with employers though. Why wasn’t he employed? Does he have a problem with work? Was he in jail? etc. Even if misplaced, you, can’t stop people thinking that way
Thing is, you don't need every job, you just need one job. It's not hard to find teams that are reasonable and don't get obsessed over traditional "red flags" that actually carry almost no useful signal.
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's actually quite hilarious to me this Prestige by Association. I've worked at a couple very high-profile companies in the Valley and have never felt this prestige primarily because I don't hang out with complete douchebags. If people get all starry-eyed when you announce the company you work for; run in the opposite direction. Also, don't kidd yourself, you and I know both know you're not working on anything that…
> I've worked at a couple very high-profile companies in the Valley and have never felt this prestige primarily because I don't hang out with complete douchebags. > If people get all starry-eyed when you announce the company you work for; run in the opposite direction. Get over yourself and out of your bubble. American culture constantly pushes the value of prestige and the way of obtaining that being going to good s…
It’s one thing for friends or family to think where you working at is cool and another thing for random people to be inflating your ego. Or you may start to think you’re better than other people because of where you work.
I’ve seen this phenomenon in San Francisco quite a bit. That is where the person and their entire social circles become cliques that serve simply to reinforce their ego.
It’s sad and weird to observe first hand.
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#136......................
> That said, you're going to be unemployable after 2 years.
Sure, if you sit on your ass for two years. But people reenter the workforce after even longer hiatuses all the time. Is it harder than getting a job while currently employed? Of course. Is it impossible? Not at all. Ask the scads of former SAHMs who went back to work eventually.
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#137You know, in this day in age you really need to give more then a two weeks notice. Maybe 6 weeks or more. I've had to fire clients before by giving notice and I always try to work out the best possible scenario where the least amount of damage is done. I even had to deal with yelling, screaming, threats of lawsuits. I always keep my cool and do everything I can to de-escalate the situation, stay professional, etc and…
In Europe 4 - 12 weeks are normal. But that goes both ways.
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#138......................
Unemployable after 2 years? In what world? People take sabbaticals all the time. They raise kids. They start businesses. They take care of sick family members. They work on personal projects. There are a shitload of reasons people take time off. And then they pick up at a new job.
We're all supposed to imagine that software is Very Hard Work that changes Very Quickly and so, you know, it just can't be done if you're too tired to come in at 9AM -- better to get your rest and get your brain ready for the Very Difficult Work Ahead -- and you'll fall irrevocably behind if you step away for a year.
Of course, that's all nonsense. But it makes us feel so, so good.
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#139Yeesh, the mindwash is strong. I had a hard time continuing to read this post after the Prestige by Association section. Working at a respected company known for cutting edge work is generally a good sign but it does not make you an Internet God or widen my eyes. It is like saying you went to Harvard or MIT. That's neat. You are probably reasonably intelligent. However, even that isn't an automatic and I'll reserve j…
Good on you, but you're also kidding yourself. First impressions matter---and hearing someone went to MIT or Harvard or works at GoogFace immediately implies that they passed their rigorous vetting. In the absence of more information and the time to process it, it's a pretty strong signal. It also matters socially. I went to an Ivy League grad school and a no-name undergrad, so I can provide a point of anecdata that…
[deleted]
Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job
#140Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Working at a respected company known for cutting edge work is generally a good sign but it does not make you an Internet God or widen my eyes. I suggest you take a walk in the real world.
What real world are you referring to? Non-techies are not blown away by people who work at Google/Facebook/Apple. In my experience they are just always interested in the perks, etc.
What? My experience was the complete opposite of yours. Not a single tech person I interacted with even batted an eye if someone said they worked at Google, most of the time you will just get "nice, what team?" When talking to non-tech people, a lot of them tend to think that everyone working at Google is a super genius changing the world.