3 ms·

They all really, really believe in the mission. Many are well into their 60s and are waiting for JWST to launch to finally retire. It was supposed to launch YEA

by cowmix 5y ago

They all really, really believe in the mission. Many are well into their 60s and are waiting for JWST to launch to finally retire. It was supposed to launch YEARS ago, so they are (as a group) getting antsy. The project I worked one was migrating data from their in house ticket tracking system to Jira. I was importing tickets from 1985 into Jira which obviously didn't exist at that time.

saganus 5y ago
Interesting. Thanks for the insight! I guess it IS very different to believe, for decades, in a mission that includes space telescopes than in the latest SaaS or productivity app or something more "mundane". Not that there's anything bad working on those kind of projects, but it sure has a different scope (no pun intended)
- elliottkember 5y ago
  I just wanted to let you know that "mundane" is an excellent pun when talking about space projects, because it means "of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one". The original word is "mundus", meaning "world" - "monde" in French today.
- dylan604 5y ago
  Not everybody is looking for that resume padding type of job where they bounce from job to job trying not to look stale. In the past, it used to look bad having such short stints on a your resume as it meant you weren't the most stable employee. Now, it's the opposite and your resume has to look like it has ADHD with any stint lasting longer than 18 months being a negative. (maybe a bit hyperbolic). On a less sarcastic vein, some people find a job that they really like and enjoy. The pay may not be as much as somewhere else, but a satisfying job that is stable and provides for ones needs seems to be a concept lost in the tech (silicon valley) world. It's all about rocketships to the moon type of salary wants. If I found a gig like that sending manmade thing to another planet/moon that ultimately advanced human understanding, I'd definitely be willing to retire in that role. In today's world, there are plenty of other side hustles to help offset income needs. I'm a survey of 1 though.
  - louthy 5y ago
    > Now, it's the opposite and your resume has to look like it has ADHD with any stint lasting longer than 18 months being a negative. (maybe a bit hyperbolic). As someone who hires people, lots of 18 month stints would certainly turn me off the candidate.

by cowmix 5y ago

saganus 5y ago

Interesting. Thanks for the insight! I guess it IS very different to believe, for decades, in a mission that includes space telescopes than in the latest SaaS or productivity app or something more "mundane". Not that there's anything bad working on those kind of projects, but it sure has a different scope (no pun intended)

elliottkember 5y ago
I just wanted to let you know that "mundane" is an excellent pun when talking about space projects, because it means "of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one". The original word is "mundus", meaning "world" - "monde" in French today.
dylan604 5y ago
Not everybody is looking for that resume padding type of job where they bounce from job to job trying not to look stale. In the past, it used to look bad having such short stints on a your resume as it meant you weren't the most stable employee. Now, it's the opposite and your resume has to look like it has ADHD with any stint lasting longer than 18 months being a negative. (maybe a bit hyperbolic). On a less sarcastic vein, some people find a job that they really like and enjoy. The pay may not be as much as somewhere else, but a satisfying job that is stable and provides for ones needs seems to be a concept lost in the tech (silicon valley) world. It's all about rocketships to the moon type of salary wants. If I found a gig like that sending manmade thing to another planet/moon that ultimately advanced human understanding, I'd definitely be willing to retire in that role. In today's world, there are plenty of other side hustles to help offset income needs. I'm a survey of 1 though.
- louthy 5y ago
  > Now, it's the opposite and your resume has to look like it has ADHD with any stint lasting longer than 18 months being a negative. (maybe a bit hyperbolic). As someone who hires people, lots of 18 month stints would certainly turn me off the candidate.