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Haha. I quit my job once. July 2009, working in finance. My next job was two years later, scooping grain at a grain elevator. You know how to tell when the eco

Haha. I quit my job once. July 2009, working in finance. My next job was two years later, scooping grain at a grain elevator. You know how to tell when the economy is in the last 25% of an economic expansion? When everywhere you turn is another white collar professional under the age of 30 in the middle of an existential crisis. Brace for impact, because we're all about to punched in the fucking mouth. And some of us are going to be like, "What? I thought things were just supposed to keep getting better every year. We've had one breakfast yes, but what about second breakfast? Elevenses? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?" Best as I can tell, the data for this article was collected via freanomicsexperiments.com over the course of a year. But I didn't see what year the experiment was conducted. And I'll bet you all my bitcoin the experiment data was not collected during any year from 2008-2012. Job markets, like credit markets, are very elastic. It's easy to find a replacement job right now, and it's also easy to qualify for a home loan.

somethingsimple 8y ago
> You know how to tell when the economy is in the last 25% of an economic expansion? When everywhere you turn is another white collar professional under the age of 30 in the middle of an existential crisis. Can you elaborate on that? I feel like you’re talking about something quite important but I can’t really grasp what it is.
- darawk 8y ago
  He's saying the luxury of an existential crisis is a symptom of a bloated economy. In 2008, you'd be lucky to have a job at all, and very grateful if you did. As that memory fades, people feel more and more entitled to a comfortable existence. When they reach the level of "if i'm the least bit unhappy with my job, fuck it, I should quit and do something else"...we've jumped the shark. At least, that's my read of what he's saying.
  - sbmthakur 8y ago
    True. Last year, I resigned and then started looking for a job and got several offers. This was only possible because all of my co-workers were able to find better opportunities. If it weren't for the good job scene around me, I probably wouldn't have resigned.
  - somethingsimple 8y ago
    Thanks for explaining :)
  - kpwagner 8y ago
    Yeah that's basically my point. I want to state, though, that I'm not just beating up on the under 30 crowd. I empathize with all struggles. But the same way that some people have never known a world without the internet, some people have never been hit by an economic recession. So, you have a lot of smart, ambitious people aged 24-32 who have built an impressive ~5 year career during a time of great economic expansion. For someone in this category, my advice is this: find someone 10 years older than you who works in your field, and ask them what their life was like from 2006-2010.
mcjiggerlog 8y ago
There's no reason you can't find the new job before ditching the existing one.
- danieltillett 8y ago
  I always thought that is what everybody did before they quit - how wrong I was.
  - _4ziu 8y ago
    Maybe not everyone, but most of the time the reason you quit is because of a new job. In all honesty the smart practice is to search for a new job immediately after you get one and keep updating your backlog of potential jobs (you don't have to apply, just keep them in mind)
    - bartread 8y ago
      > In all honesty the smart practice is to search for a new job immediately after you get one and keep updating your backlog of potential jobs (you don't have to apply, just keep them in mind) This is certainly the advice given if you're ruthlessly careerist, and it can be a good strategy if you're still looking for that dream role, but it can also backfire on you. As someone who often needs to recruit I pay fairly close attention to the stability of an applicant's career. In general I don't like to see a lot of job-hopping unless it's in the early years of someone's career, because it can be hard to find a role you really like. Periods of contracting are another exception, although some evidence of stable employment for some period is also beneficial. Recruiting is hugely important, but sucks a lot of time and effort from a team, and incurs significant costs, both direct and indirect. If you've been working for a decade and have never been in a job for more than 2 years that can be a pretty big turn-off. You could of course argue that because I'd prefer to recruit people who will stay for more than 2 years, the roles I have available may not suit you. Bottom line: there's a trade-off you're potentially making by behaving this way, which is fine, but it's important you understand that fact. Still, it's a good idea to start looking for a new job before you've started to hate the old one (bitter experience speaking right here): leave on a high because it'll probably set you up much better for the future.
ransom1538 8y ago
I am in no way trying to be offensive here but wtf is a grain elevator? Second question. Why elevate grain? This? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator
- peterlk 8y ago
  If you want to store grain in a really big bucket (like a grain silo), how are you going to fill that bucket?
- jstanley 8y ago
  How do you want to store the grain if you don't elevate it? It won't go to the top of the pile itself, and if you insert new grain at the bottom of the pile, you have to elevate the existing pile anyway.
  - dreamcompiler 8y ago
    You could store it in a big hole in the ground, but then you'd have to elevate it to get it out. And it would be much more difficult to keep it dry. It would turn into beer before you could use it.
    - tonysdg 8y ago
      > then you'd have to elevate it to get it out. > It would turn into beer I'm confused - are you suggesting reasons you should use a big hole in the ground or reasons you shouldn't use a big hole in the ground?
      - dsr_ 8y ago
        It won't be good beer, let's put it that way.
- noobermin 8y ago
  No need to downvote, this sounds like someone is just curious and willing to learn.
shripadk 8y ago
Ha! I like the LOTR reference.
qaute 8y ago
> And I'll bet you all my bitcoin the experiment data was not collected during any year from 2008-2012. From the paper, data was collected starting from January 23, 2013 for roughly a year.
- kpwagner 8y ago
  Thanks. I didn't see that in the paper. Guess I get to hold on to my bitcoin. I don't actually own any bitcoin ;)
DoreenMichele 8y ago
And some of us are going to be like, "What? I thought things were just supposed to keep getting better every year. We've had one breakfast yes, but what about second breakfast? Elevenses? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?" Hobbits = dilettantes (or vice versa). This would explain so much.
justsomedude44 8y ago
So you moved from virtual to real economy where you actually help produce something that has a positive impact on people's lives.

somethingsimple 8y ago

> You know how to tell when the economy is in the last 25% of an economic expansion? When everywhere you turn is another white collar professional under the age of 30 in the middle of an existential crisis. Can you elaborate on that? I feel like you’re talking about something quite important but I can’t really grasp what it is.

darawk 8y ago
He's saying the luxury of an existential crisis is a symptom of a bloated economy. In 2008, you'd be lucky to have a job at all, and very grateful if you did. As that memory fades, people feel more and more entitled to a comfortable existence. When they reach the level of "if i'm the least bit unhappy with my job, fuck it, I should quit and do something else"...we've jumped the shark. At least, that's my read of what he's saying.
- sbmthakur 8y ago
  True. Last year, I resigned and then started looking for a job and got several offers. This was only possible because all of my co-workers were able to find better opportunities. If it weren't for the good job scene around me, I probably wouldn't have resigned.
- somethingsimple 8y ago
  Thanks for explaining :)
- kpwagner 8y ago
  Yeah that's basically my point. I want to state, though, that I'm not just beating up on the under 30 crowd. I empathize with all struggles. But the same way that some people have never known a world without the internet, some people have never been hit by an economic recession. So, you have a lot of smart, ambitious people aged 24-32 who have built an impressive ~5 year career during a time of great economic expansion. For someone in this category, my advice is this: find someone 10 years older than you who works in your field, and ask them what their life was like from 2006-2010.

mcjiggerlog 8y ago

There's no reason you can't find the new job before ditching the existing one.

danieltillett 8y ago
I always thought that is what everybody did before they quit - how wrong I was.
- _4ziu 8y ago
  Maybe not everyone, but most of the time the reason you quit is because of a new job. In all honesty the smart practice is to search for a new job immediately after you get one and keep updating your backlog of potential jobs (you don't have to apply, just keep them in mind)
  - bartread 8y ago
    > In all honesty the smart practice is to search for a new job immediately after you get one and keep updating your backlog of potential jobs (you don't have to apply, just keep them in mind) This is certainly the advice given if you're ruthlessly careerist, and it can be a good strategy if you're still looking for that dream role, but it can also backfire on you. As someone who often needs to recruit I pay fairly close attention to the stability of an applicant's career. In general I don't like to see a lot of job-hopping unless it's in the early years of someone's career, because it can be hard to find a role you really like. Periods of contracting are another exception, although some evidence of stable employment for some period is also beneficial. Recruiting is hugely important, but sucks a lot of time and effort from a team, and incurs significant costs, both direct and indirect. If you've been working for a decade and have never been in a job for more than 2 years that can be a pretty big turn-off. You could of course argue that because I'd prefer to recruit people who will stay for more than 2 years, the roles I have available may not suit you. Bottom line: there's a trade-off you're potentially making by behaving this way, which is fine, but it's important you understand that fact. Still, it's a good idea to start looking for a new job before you've started to hate the old one (bitter experience speaking right here): leave on a high because it'll probably set you up much better for the future.

ransom1538 8y ago

I am in no way trying to be offensive here but wtf is a grain elevator? Second question. Why elevate grain? This? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_elevator

peterlk 8y ago
If you want to store grain in a really big bucket (like a grain silo), how are you going to fill that bucket?
jstanley 8y ago
How do you want to store the grain if you don't elevate it? It won't go to the top of the pile itself, and if you insert new grain at the bottom of the pile, you have to elevate the existing pile anyway.
- dreamcompiler 8y ago
  You could store it in a big hole in the ground, but then you'd have to elevate it to get it out. And it would be much more difficult to keep it dry. It would turn into beer before you could use it.
  - tonysdg 8y ago
    > then you'd have to elevate it to get it out. > It would turn into beer I'm confused - are you suggesting reasons you should use a big hole in the ground or reasons you shouldn't use a big hole in the ground?
    - dsr_ 8y ago
      It won't be good beer, let's put it that way.
noobermin 8y ago
No need to downvote, this sounds like someone is just curious and willing to learn.

shripadk 8y ago

Ha! I like the LOTR reference.

qaute 8y ago

> And I'll bet you all my bitcoin the experiment data was not collected during any year from 2008-2012. From the paper, data was collected starting from January 23, 2013 for roughly a year.

kpwagner 8y ago
Thanks. I didn't see that in the paper. Guess I get to hold on to my bitcoin. I don't actually own any bitcoin ;)

DoreenMichele 8y ago

And some of us are going to be like, "What? I thought things were just supposed to keep getting better every year. We've had one breakfast yes, but what about second breakfast? Elevenses? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?" Hobbits = dilettantes (or vice versa). This would explain so much.

justsomedude44 8y ago

So you moved from virtual to real economy where you actually help produce something that has a positive impact on people's lives.