←back to thread

Googler... ex-Googler

(nerdy.dev)
975 points namukang | 6 comments | 11 Apr 25 20:19 UTC | HN request time: 0.264s | source | bottom
Show context
ivraatiems ◴[12 Apr 25 03:57 UTC] No.43661224[source]▶
The reality of one's lack of value to one's own employer is often baffling. It makes you wonder how anyone manages to stay employed at all, since apparently everyone is replicable and unimportant. I have been through layoffs where other people on my team, doing the same job I did approximately as well, got laid off. No explanation given for why them and not me. And it could happen to me at any time.

It doesn't matter how good my evals are or how big my contributions. It doesn't matter that there are multiple multi-million-dollar revenue streams which exist in large part due to my contributions. It doesn't matter that I have been told I am good enough that I should be promoted to the next level. Raises barely exist, let alone promotions. Because theoretically some other engineer could have done the same work I actually did, the fact that I'm the one who did it doesn't matter and I deserve no reward for doing it beyond the minimum money necessary to secure my labor.

Under those conditions, why should I - or anyone - do any more than the minimum necessary to not get fired for cause? If the company doesn't see me as more than X dollars for X revenue, why should I?

replies(10): >>43661523 #>>43662032 #>>43662738 #>>43664956 #>>43678264 #>>43678520 #>>43678568 #>>43678789 #>>43679236 #>>43684555 #
1. BurningFrog ◴[14 Apr 25 05:11 UTC] No.43678264[source]▶
You spend half your waking hours at work.

Having a shitty attitude for that much of your life is no way to live.

replies(3): >>43678301 #>>43678451 #>>43688667 #
2. saghm ◴[14 Apr 25 05:19 UTC] No.43678301[source]▶
On the contrary, being stuck in a situation where your livelihood can disappear at a moment's notice due to factors beyond your control is no way to live, but it's also not really something most people will ever be able to avoid. I don't at all buy into the idea that somehow pretending the situation isn't shitty is somehow more virtuous or fulfilling; what you call a "shitty attitude" sounds more like "being realistic about how one's work is valued" to me.
replies(2): >>43679506 #>>43688743 #
3. thawawaycold ◴[14 Apr 25 05:56 UTC] No.43678451[source]▶
Nor is sticking your head in the sand.
4. roenxi ◴[14 Apr 25 09:17 UTC] No.43679506[source]▶
> being stuck in a situation where your livelihood can disappear at a moment's notice due to factors beyond your control is no way to live

That is literally the only way to live. Disaster stalks us an is only ever one misstep away (sometimes literally). In rare instances people can even just fall over and die.

In the sense that there should be food and shelter for everyone, even poor people; strictly speaking I think most countries have already agreed to that. Although how well that gets implemented is open to a lot of debate. But beyond that everything can always change at a moments notice.

5. ivraatiems ◴[15 Apr 25 03:14 UTC] No.43688667[source]▶
Working hard for a place that will not reward me is no way to live.

And with less dedication, I can spend far less than half my time there ;)

6. BurningFrog ◴[15 Apr 25 03:30 UTC] No.43688743[source]▶
I've spent several decades writing software. Got laid off 1-2 times per decade.

I still tried doing a good job every day, and feel very good about that.

To me, being realistic about the risk of losing my job at any time means having enough money that I can be unemployed for 6-12 months.

The major way good programmers get jobs is by being recommended by people they've worked with at previous companies. That doesn't happen if you deliberately do as little good work as you can get away with.

My "shitty attitude" comment is maybe more a personal philosophy that something universal. But I do not want to spend each work day being bitter and resentful. You may intend to punish your shitty employer, but I think you're mostly poisoning your own mind.