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Picture the inverse. Would you really email an old boss from 2 years ago asking for $50 so you can buy yourself a new job? I would not, nor would I want cowork

Picture the inverse. Would you really email an old boss from 2 years ago asking for $50 so you can buy yourself a new job? I would not, nor would I want coworkers asking me for money. Imagine if someone asks you and for whatever reason you don't want to bet on them - how will that conversation go? How will that affect your professional relationship with that person? This is more or less a proposal for nepotism-based gambling.

exporectomy 5y ago
That's kind of how it already works with recommendation letters. The result of nobody wanting to say no is that every letter is positive but the number of adverbs chained together signals their true opinion of the candidate rather than the number of dollars.
- cutemonster 5y ago
  Is many adverbs better? I like being concise; maybe better not ask concise people for recommendation letters
MattGaiser 5y ago
To me that was the point of it. You want to find those people who the boss/co-workers thought were so good and amazing that they would put down $50 for. I have had colleagues refer people they privately referred to as a "codebase wrecking monkey" to avoid telling that person no. But they would be willing to put down $50 for far fewer people. Is it uncomfortable for the people asked? Probably. But that seemed to be the point, as those uncomfortable people would give a positive reference for free otherwise.
- kevingadd 5y ago
  I would never put down $50 for even my best coworker because there's no reason for me to assume the new employer will be good or the job will be good. So many jobs end up being a bad experience for reasons entirely out of the new hire's control. Putting other people's money on their shoulders is just additional stress for someone in a tough transitional period.
  - MattGaiser 5y ago
    They probably need a neutral separation scenario. I would want to see the details on what happens then as I have had colleagues like this. But even then, how often does that happen? Maybe one job in 5? You are still ahead if you are referring great candidates consistently.
    - Igelau 5y ago
      Yeah, I want to know what happens if they fire me in a month because I found something in the accounting code that I wasn't supposed to.
- somehnguy 5y ago
  It's further than uncomfortable, it's embarrassing. I would feel embarrassed for both of us if a coworker reached out asking for me to put down $50 so they can get a job. Not to mention I would never do it (as either party) because it feels very slimy. This is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever seen on this site. Reminds me that even 'elites' like YCombinator (or at least as I've built them in my mind) are just humans who do stupid things sometimes too though, so that's cool.
joecot 5y ago
How about another inverse. What about instead of former coworkers, current coworkers? This doesn't really specify. I bet there are a lot of folks that would happily pay $50 to not have to deal with one of their coworkers ever again. Recently a friend of mine dealt with a dev who was hired without their input who didn't know anything meaningful, couldn't communicate well, and was hired without a tech interview when the department was in transition between managers. They were extremely painful to work with, and didn't seem to absorb any information or do anything helpful, but other devs tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, thinking it might be a communication issue. The guy's resume, though, showed job after job of only 3 to 4 month stints, and glowing recommendations from coworkers at each of those jobs. My bet is that each one didn't have the heart to say he wasn't a good developer, so they passed him on from place to place like the Christmas fruitcake no one wants and just mails to the next sucker. I'm guessing a lot of devs would've happily paid 50 bucks if it meant he went and worked somewhere else without anyone having to get him laid off.
- auntienomen 5y ago
  I can think of a few former colleagues I'd have happily bought a new job.
- robocat 5y ago
  I like the idea of asking colleagues to pay me so that I leave (get a new job). It also really gives me the perverse incentive to be an arsehole to them so that they will pay me more to leave?
IntFee588 5y ago
It seems the idea is more that current employees can help onboard their friends by eating the upfront costs.
- IntFee588 5y ago
  Nvm, it is ex-employees.

exporectomy 5y ago

That's kind of how it already works with recommendation letters. The result of nobody wanting to say no is that every letter is positive but the number of adverbs chained together signals their true opinion of the candidate rather than the number of dollars.

cutemonster 5y ago
Is many adverbs better? I like being concise; maybe better not ask concise people for recommendation letters

MattGaiser 5y ago

To me that was the point of it. You want to find those people who the boss/co-workers thought were so good and amazing that they would put down $50 for. I have had colleagues refer people they privately referred to as a "codebase wrecking monkey" to avoid telling that person no. But they would be willing to put down $50 for far fewer people. Is it uncomfortable for the people asked? Probably. But that seemed to be the point, as those uncomfortable people would give a positive reference for free otherwise.

kevingadd 5y ago
I would never put down $50 for even my best coworker because there's no reason for me to assume the new employer will be good or the job will be good. So many jobs end up being a bad experience for reasons entirely out of the new hire's control. Putting other people's money on their shoulders is just additional stress for someone in a tough transitional period.
- MattGaiser 5y ago
  They probably need a neutral separation scenario. I would want to see the details on what happens then as I have had colleagues like this. But even then, how often does that happen? Maybe one job in 5? You are still ahead if you are referring great candidates consistently.
  - Igelau 5y ago
    Yeah, I want to know what happens if they fire me in a month because I found something in the accounting code that I wasn't supposed to.
somehnguy 5y ago
It's further than uncomfortable, it's embarrassing. I would feel embarrassed for both of us if a coworker reached out asking for me to put down $50 so they can get a job. Not to mention I would never do it (as either party) because it feels very slimy. This is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever seen on this site. Reminds me that even 'elites' like YCombinator (or at least as I've built them in my mind) are just humans who do stupid things sometimes too though, so that's cool.

joecot 5y ago

How about another inverse. What about instead of former coworkers, current coworkers? This doesn't really specify. I bet there are a lot of folks that would happily pay $50 to not have to deal with one of their coworkers ever again. Recently a friend of mine dealt with a dev who was hired without their input who didn't know anything meaningful, couldn't communicate well, and was hired without a tech interview when the department was in transition between managers. They were extremely painful to work with, and didn't seem to absorb any information or do anything helpful, but other devs tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, thinking it might be a communication issue. The guy's resume, though, showed job after job of only 3 to 4 month stints, and glowing recommendations from coworkers at each of those jobs. My bet is that each one didn't have the heart to say he wasn't a good developer, so they passed him on from place to place like the Christmas fruitcake no one wants and just mails to the next sucker. I'm guessing a lot of devs would've happily paid 50 bucks if it meant he went and worked somewhere else without anyone having to get him laid off.

auntienomen 5y ago
I can think of a few former colleagues I'd have happily bought a new job.
robocat 5y ago
I like the idea of asking colleagues to pay me so that I leave (get a new job). It also really gives me the perverse incentive to be an arsehole to them so that they will pay me more to leave?

IntFee588 5y ago

It seems the idea is more that current employees can help onboard their friends by eating the upfront costs.

IntFee588 5y ago
Nvm, it is ex-employees.