How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job • Hacker News Board

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#21

Post by edw519 » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:56 PM UTC

This may be the only 2 word "How To" I've ever written:

Just quit.

  1. It's a job, not your life.
  2. It's a company, not a person.
  3. "Top Tier" means neither.
  4. If you were hit by a bus, they'd cry for 7 minutes and never think about you again.
  5. "My work is my reference." is my standard response to that request. It works. To those who matter.
  6. Moving on can skyrocket your growth when done properly. Listen to your gut.
  7. "I stagnate easily." is my standard response to "Why so many jobs?"
  8. You'll probably be surprised how underwhelmed they are.
  9. You'll probably be surprised how much energy you wasted over this.
  10. You'll definitely be glad it's over.

I've quit 80 times (including contracts and customers). No regrets about how I've done it (except for agonizing over it early in my career). I've grown almost every time.

No one from work cares about you nearly as much as you care about your work. Don't make this so complicated.

You have personal relationships you'll miss and don't want to hurt. If that bothers you, quit over beer.

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#22

Post by scribu » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:56 PM UTC

kolpa wrote: post #5

Why is it untenable to want to quit a job? If you want to quit a job (or make any other life choice), and you can afford it, go for it.

The article isn’t talking about someone quiting just any old job, but about the situation in which they believe they already have one of the best possible jobs in the industry.

In such a case, I imagine it’s easy to keep putting it off, precisely because you can’t think of a better scenario for yourself.

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#23

Post by asveikau » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:57 PM UTC

ashwinaj wrote: post #3

How about just quitting because you don't get good work (whatever that definition might be)? I find it hard to believe that most people in so called "top tier" tech companies do compelling work. Not everyone gets to work on de jour areas, most people work on maintenance and improving old code bases (BTW, there is nothing wrong with this)

It's funny, my experience is that the same handful of technical problems keep arising regardless of the age of a code base. After a while, it becomes rarer to find yourself saying something like, "well, I haven't written one of these before."

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#24

Post by codingdave » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:58 PM UTC

Most people who want to quit, will. It is more a question of when. There are many valid reasons for sticking around a while -- to try to invoke change, waiting on vesting, set up your next move, etc. But I have talked to very few people who, in hindsight, wish they had stayed longer. Most people who quit, when looking back... they wonder why they ever stayed so long in the first place.

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#25

Post by filoleg » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:59 PM UTC

zapita wrote: post #11

throwaway289910 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm currently about to quit Microsoft and am going through the exact same set of questions in my head. I joined the company a few months ago and am blown away by how bad the culture is - or how badly I fit into the culture, take your pick. If you don't fit the culture, it's time to leave.

Out of curiosity, which part of Microsoft have you joined? The culture in large companies can vary greatly between divisions. What aspects of the culture do you not like?

Can confirm. The variety of team cultures I've seen at Microsoft so far is insane, and my guess is that it would be the case for other similarly-sized tech companies. The range has been all the way from atrocious to good to great, with no particular leaning towards one (unlike what I heard about Amazon, though)

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#26

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:59 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #21

This may be the only 2 word "How To" I've ever written: Just quit. 1. It's a job, not your life. 2. It's a company, not a person. 3. "Top Tier" means neither. 4. If you were hit by a bus, they'd cry for 7 minutes and never think about you again. 5. "My work is my reference." is my standard response to that request. It works. To those who matter. 6. Moving on can skyrocket your growth when done properly. Listen to you…

[deleted]

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#27

Post by seajosh » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 6:00 PM UTC

"You have enough savings to last at least two years." - fuck. me.

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#28

Post by slantyyz » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 6:00 PM UTC

rconti wrote: post #10

ashwinaj wrote: post #3

How about just quitting because you don't get good work (whatever that definition might be)? I find it hard to believe that most people in so called "top tier" tech companies do compelling work. Not everyone gets to work on de jour areas, most people work on maintenance and improving old code bases (BTW, there is nothing wrong with this)

These self-congratulatory articles are always a bit off-putting. I'm not sure if they're meant as a humblebrag, or what. Yes, we get that all jobs can suck. Great, you've got savings. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back for doing what countless billions of people have done in their lives: quit a job. But don't consider yourself a daredevil for jumping with "only" a 2 year savings 'net'.

>> These self-congratulatory articles are always a bit off-putting.

Are they self-congratulatory or self-promoting? Or both?

Just from the headline (before I clicked through), I wondered to myself "How hard can it be? Give notice. Be professional during your notice period. Leave." To me, TFA is less about "how to" than "things you might want to consider".

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#29

Post by cjarrett » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 6:03 PM UTC

zapita wrote: post #11

throwaway289910 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm currently about to quit Microsoft and am going through the exact same set of questions in my head. I joined the company a few months ago and am blown away by how bad the culture is - or how badly I fit into the culture, take your pick. If you don't fit the culture, it's time to leave.

Out of curiosity, which part of Microsoft have you joined? The culture in large companies can vary greatly between divisions. What aspects of the culture do you not like?

Agreed. Softie > 5 years, dramatically different culture amongst the three teams I've been in.

Re: How to Quit a Top Tier Tech Job

#30

Post by ashwinaj » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 6:03 PM UTC

praneshp wrote: post #4

ashwinaj wrote: post #3

How about just quitting because you don't get good work (whatever that definition might be)? I find it hard to believe that most people in so called "top tier" tech companies do compelling work. Not everyone gets to work on de jour areas, most people work on maintenance and improving old code bases (BTW, there is nothing wrong with this)

"How about just quitting" That might be irresponsible, from one point of view. I think TFA takes that stand.

Sure, he rightly points out that you need a plan. My comment to "just quit" was specifically to convice yourself that it's time to leave, with the assumption that you have a plan in place.