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by incognito_limey
1619 days ago
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This really hits home. I work at a recently IPO'ed unicorn that is doing extremely well and can confirm that in the early days (sub 100 employees when I started) we were more concerned with people who could ship software/solve real problems and had data/experience to confirm this. Now that we are public and growing, it's all leet code style questions to get hired, and I can say first hand that the velocity of development, as well as innovation has dropped off a cliff. It's to the point that I've stated to leadership that I would fail the interview for the job I've been a top performer in for the past 5 years as the interview format doesn't actually focus on real world skills, but memorising algos. We've essentially imported this culture into what was once, one of the most dynamic companies I had ever seen. It's awful and I can't wait to leave. Most of the older timers are already going for similar reasons. More of a rant then a comment I guess, but I just really related to your experience. |
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In my case, it has never been about the money. It has always been about the joy of development, and, in some cases, a desire to be a part of an elite team.
When I started looking, I would have been absolutely ideal for early-stage startups. I was willing to work for a ludicrously low wage and take risks (I had my retirement set, so I just needed to keep the lights on, and medical insurance), had (still have) an enormous breadth of experience, along with some really lucrative specialized skills. I had years of experience, selling complex projects to very skeptical managers (Japanese, so a tough room. Make American VCs look like friendly puppies). I have actually shipped completed, supported software, since my very first project (I can prove it, I still have the manual[0]). I had a lot of extra time on my hands, was willing to put in long hours, and I also had this massive portfolio[1] of finished work, writings, code, and years of commit history, for anyone that wanted to see. It was plainly obvious what I had to bring to the table; good and bad. I am an open book. Really easy to find out, if you know how to click a mouse button.
Even early-stage startups were obsessed with "cultural fit" (which I didn't have), and don't get me started on the recruiters. They were the worst. The insults and power games were ridiculous (and highly unprofessional). I realized that, even if I got hired, they would treat me very badly.
This tech industry has changed a lot. I had been at my previous gig for 27 years straight. It was one of the biggest brands in the world, synonymous with Quality, and I was on a peer basis with some of the finest engineers and scientists in the world. I was often the dumbest person in the room, and I'm smarter than the average bear. In fact, that was a big reason for my staying so long. I think that it is important to be in an environment where I'm challenged (one of the reasons I hang out here).
Didn't mean a thing. In fact, it seemed to be something that actually elicited scorn.
[0] https://littlegreenviper.com/TF30194/TF30194-Manual-1987.pdf
[1] https://stackoverflow.com/story/chrismarshall