6 ms·

I think it's really hard to compare. Salaries are much lower but quality of life (IMO) much higher. I worked at a few tech companies in France. Almost nobody wo

by anilr 2y ago

I think it's really hard to compare. Salaries are much lower but quality of life (IMO) much higher. I worked at a few tech companies in France. Almost nobody worked outside of the standard work hours (9-6 with 1 hour for lunch). Most people at lunch together; often at a restaurant. People didn't worry about 401Ks & IRA - it's expected the security system and standard pension from working is sufficient. People didn't worry about saving for kids college - they are close to free; same for healthcare. You have 6 weeks of vacation (one job I had gave 9 weeks); and it's normal to take 2-3 weeks off at a time. In the US, from my experience, people don't leave for more than a week, and most of the work they missed is waiting for them upon their return.

davidw 2y ago
> Most people ate lunch together; often at a restaurant. This was such a big letdown when I moved back to the US from Italy. Over there, at the company I worked at, there were two big groups that mostly ate lunch together - those who brought something from home, and those who walked over to the local cafe to have some pasta or a salad or something. People in Italy are pretty good at just kind of coexisting... like we weren't best friends or anything, but everyone was pretty friendly and cordial and we talked about stuff outside of work, and it was just a pleasant experience. I'd forgotten about US work culture by the time we moved back here and in my new job, I asked a few people if anyone went to lunch regularly and got blank looks, and then I remembered what things are like here and had kind of a sad moment.
- bradlys 2y ago
  This is extremely variable upon where you live and the culture of your workplace. For me, most of the places I've worked in SV have had a very active lunch culture where we go out for group lunches and have a nice time and shit talk about our bosses being idiots and where we're all gonna go work next. I could see it being non-existent in some places though but be the change you want to see. Some people are just waiting for someone else to start it.
VirusNewbie 2y ago
> Salaries are much lower but quality of life (IMO) much higher. I doubt quality of life is higher for senior engineers at big tech companies, other than having more time off. How many engineers have 3,000 sq ft house? How many can retire in their 50s if they want? Can they afford private tutors or nannies or fly first class?
- scarface_74 2y ago
  It doesn’t take BigTech salaries to do most of those things. We had a 3100 square foot house built in the Northern suburbs of Atlanta in the “good school system” for $335K. Going by the 28% rule, I would have only had to make around $100k. We just sold the house last year for $670K. It would be around $5000 a month all in - principal + interest + insurance + property taxes + PMI. I did my calculations based on putting 5% down. The median senior software engineer salary in Atlanta is $170K. Married with two incomes would easily make that affordable and accomplish other short and long term goals. Admittedly, I would probably move further out in the burbs or buy a smaller place in 2025.
- archagon 2y ago
  Equating quality of life with "stuff you can buy" is a very American way of thinking. No salary tier can get you beautiful public parks or effective public transit, for example.
  - scarface_74 2y ago
    I can’t live in a public park. I mean I can. > No salary tier can get you beautiful public parks You act as if nowhere in the US has public parks? > or effective public transit. You act as if having a car is a major issue? I personally work remotely and have across three jobs since 2020z.
    - lesostep 2y ago
      It's the ease of the access thing. Winter was very white lately, so I swang by greenhouse on my way home, and it costed me 4 dollars and an additional hour on a subway. Met my friend, decided to have a coffee-crocheting session after work hours. I can fit so much stuff around my work, because most places are half an hour travel distance from it. So I can visit my family, meet a friend on a crochet session and visit greenhouse all in one week, and then have my weekend totally free. It will add a few hours to my commute, yes, but I mostly read books or make plans when I'm in transition. Once a week I get home late because I go to the nearby music school to learn drums (and it doesn't add to my commute!). I also could swing by an archery or almost every other activity. Gets better when it's summer, one summer I rode to the lake with another friend almost every day for two weeks. If our city had suburbia we would have to travel for hours. There's a difference also between having public park as an option to go visit on a weekend, and option to visit a park on a lunch break or just because you didn't feel like staying at home. An option to run in the park every morning. Suburbia feels like you own your home and your land. Good towns feel like you co-own them. Like you can do whatever you want, and there is a lot of options.

by anilr 2y ago

davidw 2y ago

> Most people ate lunch together; often at a restaurant. This was such a big letdown when I moved back to the US from Italy. Over there, at the company I worked at, there were two big groups that mostly ate lunch together - those who brought something from home, and those who walked over to the local cafe to have some pasta or a salad or something. People in Italy are pretty good at just kind of coexisting... like we weren't best friends or anything, but everyone was pretty friendly and cordial and we talked about stuff outside of work, and it was just a pleasant experience. I'd forgotten about US work culture by the time we moved back here and in my new job, I asked a few people if anyone went to lunch regularly and got blank looks, and then I remembered what things are like here and had kind of a sad moment.

bradlys 2y ago
This is extremely variable upon where you live and the culture of your workplace. For me, most of the places I've worked in SV have had a very active lunch culture where we go out for group lunches and have a nice time and shit talk about our bosses being idiots and where we're all gonna go work next. I could see it being non-existent in some places though but be the change you want to see. Some people are just waiting for someone else to start it.

VirusNewbie 2y ago

> Salaries are much lower but quality of life (IMO) much higher. I doubt quality of life is higher for senior engineers at big tech companies, other than having more time off. How many engineers have 3,000 sq ft house? How many can retire in their 50s if they want? Can they afford private tutors or nannies or fly first class?

scarface_74 2y ago
It doesn’t take BigTech salaries to do most of those things. We had a 3100 square foot house built in the Northern suburbs of Atlanta in the “good school system” for $335K. Going by the 28% rule, I would have only had to make around $100k. We just sold the house last year for $670K. It would be around $5000 a month all in - principal + interest + insurance + property taxes + PMI. I did my calculations based on putting 5% down. The median senior software engineer salary in Atlanta is $170K. Married with two incomes would easily make that affordable and accomplish other short and long term goals. Admittedly, I would probably move further out in the burbs or buy a smaller place in 2025.
archagon 2y ago
Equating quality of life with "stuff you can buy" is a very American way of thinking. No salary tier can get you beautiful public parks or effective public transit, for example.
- scarface_74 2y ago
  I can’t live in a public park. I mean I can. > No salary tier can get you beautiful public parks You act as if nowhere in the US has public parks? > or effective public transit. You act as if having a car is a major issue? I personally work remotely and have across three jobs since 2020z.
  - lesostep 2y ago
    It's the ease of the access thing. Winter was very white lately, so I swang by greenhouse on my way home, and it costed me 4 dollars and an additional hour on a subway. Met my friend, decided to have a coffee-crocheting session after work hours. I can fit so much stuff around my work, because most places are half an hour travel distance from it. So I can visit my family, meet a friend on a crochet session and visit greenhouse all in one week, and then have my weekend totally free. It will add a few hours to my commute, yes, but I mostly read books or make plans when I'm in transition. Once a week I get home late because I go to the nearby music school to learn drums (and it doesn't add to my commute!). I also could swing by an archery or almost every other activity. Gets better when it's summer, one summer I rode to the lake with another friend almost every day for two weeks. If our city had suburbia we would have to travel for hours. There's a difference also between having public park as an option to go visit on a weekend, and option to visit a park on a lunch break or just because you didn't feel like staying at home. An option to run in the park every morning. Suburbia feels like you own your home and your land. Good towns feel like you co-own them. Like you can do whatever you want, and there is a lot of options.