3 ms·

Ask HN: What challenges did you face when returning to work after a long break?

1 points by sonabinu 8y ago

After a very long break, I've now been back at work for 3 years. For me it's been a career change as well. I feel I lack some of the soft skills to connect my technical side with the business users. Any advice.

2ded8d5912a6 8y ago
I'd was recruited by a CEO to take a role that they'd had difficulty filling for over a year. It was a low level management role with about 50% individual contribution expectation. I found I was constantly being asked "how" I got a job at the company I joined after consulting part time for many years. Not “you're so incompetent, how did you get a job here?” but from the day I started a constant peppering of questions from people who I came to realize felt I was a threat to their roles. I hadn't been particularly looking to return to full time work but the CEO was a friend and the regular income was welcome after years of chasing clients. But…the constant questioning undercut what little authority I had either as a manager or individual contributor. And I pretty much set myself up for getting …nudged out. Not fired. Just…we're moving offices but regrettably you will not have a desk in the new office. So sorry. So all I have are antipatterns…be alert for people questioning your background or experience and making it a thing even if it has no bearing on whatever the technical or business issue is. Be wary of people judging the hours you put in (I typically worked in the office 8:30-5:00 and was criticized for going home "early" even though I typically put in another hour or more at home).
- masonic 8y ago
  we're moving offices but regrettably you will not have a desk in the new office. So sorry. Wow. So classy.
- 2ded8d5912a6 8y ago
  There's another thread here about gaslighting at work that sort of catches what I experienced: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18952734 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18952734

3 ms·

Ask HN: What challenges did you face when returning to work after a long break?

1 points by sonabinu 8y ago

2ded8d5912a6 8y ago
I'd was recruited by a CEO to take a role that they'd had difficulty filling for over a year. It was a low level management role with about 50% individual contribution expectation. I found I was constantly being asked "how" I got a job at the company I joined after consulting part time for many years. Not “you're so incompetent, how did you get a job here?” but from the day I started a constant peppering of questions from people who I came to realize felt I was a threat to their roles. I hadn't been particularly looking to return to full time work but the CEO was a friend and the regular income was welcome after years of chasing clients. But…the constant questioning undercut what little authority I had either as a manager or individual contributor. And I pretty much set myself up for getting …nudged out. Not fired. Just…we're moving offices but regrettably you will not have a desk in the new office. So sorry. So all I have are antipatterns…be alert for people questioning your background or experience and making it a thing even if it has no bearing on whatever the technical or business issue is. Be wary of people judging the hours you put in (I typically worked in the office 8:30-5:00 and was criticized for going home "early" even though I typically put in another hour or more at home).
- masonic 8y ago
  we're moving offices but regrettably you will not have a desk in the new office. So sorry. Wow. So classy.
- 2ded8d5912a6 8y ago
  There's another thread here about gaslighting at work that sort of catches what I experienced: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18952734 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18952734