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Accepted answer. http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/30952 http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/30952 > Why do programmers looking for easy cash from

Accepted answer. http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/30952 http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/30952 > Why do programmers looking for easy cash from VCs they can blindside with a storm of buzzwords migrate to San Francisco? Its one of the absolute worse places to run a company, but its one of the best for starting a company simply because the community is there. Makes sense. I always considered myself a tech mercenary.

smallnamespace 10y ago
Is it possible that the cost of moving (both for techies and for mercenaries) helps create a signalling equilibrium? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_(economics)#Job-market_signalling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_(economics)#Job-mar... In the context of getting a degree: 'Spence discovered that even if education did not contribute anything to an employee's productivity, it could still have value to both the employer and employee. If the appropriate cost/benefit structure exists (or is created), "good" employees will buy more education in order to signal their higher productivity.' E.g. if communication costs were really zero, then everyone would try to get a job by applying, which lowers the average applicant quality. But if the cost of applying is high, then only highly committed, self-selected applicants who think they will eventually get the job will apply.
cshimmin 10y ago
Wow. Not only an interesting perspective from experience so far removed from my own, but also just really well written. My favorite quote: "Why do gravitate to the eye of the storm? Because in a world with no job security you have to make your own luck." Really resonates and seems like good advice to apply to many endeavors.
- dsharlet 10y ago
  Don't miss the blog post he linked either, it's also a great read: http://zxq9.com/archives/911 http://zxq9.com/archives/911

smallnamespace 10y ago

Is it possible that the cost of moving (both for techies and for mercenaries) helps create a signalling equilibrium? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_(economics)#Job-market_signalling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_(economics)#Job-mar... In the context of getting a degree: 'Spence discovered that even if education did not contribute anything to an employee's productivity, it could still have value to both the employer and employee. If the appropriate cost/benefit structure exists (or is created), "good" employees will buy more education in order to signal their higher productivity.' E.g. if communication costs were really zero, then everyone would try to get a job by applying, which lowers the average applicant quality. But if the cost of applying is high, then only highly committed, self-selected applicants who think they will eventually get the job will apply.

cshimmin 10y ago

Wow. Not only an interesting perspective from experience so far removed from my own, but also just really well written. My favorite quote: "Why do gravitate to the eye of the storm? Because in a world with no job security you have to make your own luck." Really resonates and seems like good advice to apply to many endeavors.

dsharlet 10y ago
Don't miss the blog post he linked either, it's also a great read: http://zxq9.com/archives/911 http://zxq9.com/archives/911