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> You get paid the same no matter what. You don't get paid more if you perform better? There are extremely obvious productivity and impact differences between

> You get paid the same no matter what. You don't get paid more if you perform better? There are extremely obvious productivity and impact differences between some employees, and this should ideally translate into pay differences. At some companies it does, sometimes it doesn't. But you seem to be suggesting performance never impacts pay.

whateveracct 3y ago
Day-to-day you don't get paid more. An hour of extra effort does not convert to cash. Promotions and stuff are more about getting assigned to good projects and executing. My core strategy is "do my job well - but check out at 1pm and work 3.5 days/week." That leads to promos and raises.
- dasil003 3y ago
  There is truth in the sense that it is pointless to overwork and ground yourself down, especially in a large corporate environment where recognition is very fickle. It's also totally fair and healthy to value work-life balance and draw a hard line. That said, I disagree pretty strongly with this: > Promotions and stuff are more about getting assigned to good projects and executing As someone who is closely involved in the promo process at a high-paying company, this mentality hits a glass ceiling pretty quick. If anything I'd say your manager (and their cluefulness) matters more than your projects. To get to L6+ you've got to be identifying and solving problems beyond what is doled out by management. It also requires understanding the highest level business concerns, contributing to technical strategy, and a lot more collaboration outside your team. This can be done in a timeboxed way, but at a company with strong engineering talent it becomes harder and harder to half-ass your way through, because now you're surrounded by other top-tier folks who are not only smart but work hard as well.
  - whateveracct 3y ago
    That glass ceiling is still a lot of money and job security though. I do think I'm at a local maximum in terms of effective hourly rate. To make more I'd have to work more. And I'd have a lower effective rate. And my time and attention is more valuable than more money at this point. I don't want work to become a more major thing I pay attention too.
Madmallard 3y ago
That's not how it works at all. Social value is what leads to promotion in the workplace. Productive work is actually the lowest form of value in the workplace. It has always been this way. Worker bees are the lowest on the totem pole in the hive.

whateveracct 3y ago

Day-to-day you don't get paid more. An hour of extra effort does not convert to cash. Promotions and stuff are more about getting assigned to good projects and executing. My core strategy is "do my job well - but check out at 1pm and work 3.5 days/week." That leads to promos and raises.

dasil003 3y ago
There is truth in the sense that it is pointless to overwork and ground yourself down, especially in a large corporate environment where recognition is very fickle. It's also totally fair and healthy to value work-life balance and draw a hard line. That said, I disagree pretty strongly with this: > Promotions and stuff are more about getting assigned to good projects and executing As someone who is closely involved in the promo process at a high-paying company, this mentality hits a glass ceiling pretty quick. If anything I'd say your manager (and their cluefulness) matters more than your projects. To get to L6+ you've got to be identifying and solving problems beyond what is doled out by management. It also requires understanding the highest level business concerns, contributing to technical strategy, and a lot more collaboration outside your team. This can be done in a timeboxed way, but at a company with strong engineering talent it becomes harder and harder to half-ass your way through, because now you're surrounded by other top-tier folks who are not only smart but work hard as well.
- whateveracct 3y ago
  That glass ceiling is still a lot of money and job security though. I do think I'm at a local maximum in terms of effective hourly rate. To make more I'd have to work more. And I'd have a lower effective rate. And my time and attention is more valuable than more money at this point. I don't want work to become a more major thing I pay attention too.

Madmallard 3y ago

That's not how it works at all. Social value is what leads to promotion in the workplace. Productive work is actually the lowest form of value in the workplace. It has always been this way. Worker bees are the lowest on the totem pole in the hive.