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<quote> [Inexperienced people] Work long hours. Inexperienced people make up for inexperience with enthusiasm, and often don't have much of a life. This does

by jayferd 14y ago

<quote> [Inexperienced people] Work long hours. Inexperienced people make up for inexperience with enthusiasm, and often don't have much of a life. This does not necessarily make them more productive then experienced people, but the enthusiasm and energy is often infectious and helps shape the company culture. </quote> If I'm reading this right, this is awful. Just awful. You want to hire inexperienced people to "infect" the culture with a habit of working long hours. I have a seriously bad reaction to this because I was that guy. I came into a company, was super excited to work there, worked long hours like everyone else, and all of a sudden I had no life outside of work. I don't plan to do that again.

MartinCron 14y ago
"Never, Ever Compromise on culture fit" works both ways. When I'm looking to join an organization, I see if exploitative crazy long hours are part of the company culture. If they are, we aren't a fit. I've moved so far past thinking that long hours are a good thing that arguments for that kind of culture feel like arguments for the geocentric solar system. It would be cute if it weren't so sad.
rachelbythebay 14y ago
Knowing about this and deliberately exploiting it sounds mighty evil. Let's see. First, you create a famously high bar for hiring. Make it seem like it was a miracle anyone gets in. That way, once you're inside, you think you got a hold of something extremely valuable and you're not likely to let it go. Sunk cost fallacy and all that. Next, go heavy on young people with no professional experience. They have neither the work experience nor the sheer number of years walking the planet to know when someone is taking advantage of them. They will be rather useful to you until they finally realize what's going on. When they start waking up, sour their milk and "manage them out". Optimizing for people without families further ensures heightened commitment to the company. Repeat every year with a fresh batch of graduates. Profit!
jzwinck 14y ago
Right, and "draw out the best in people (e.g. engineers at Palintir sleeping under their desks in their belief they are helping national security)." You have got to be kidding. Palantir is not even a small company now, and I don't know how outdated this sleeping under desks lore is, but when young hires where I worked slept under their desks, they were told to knock it off.

by jayferd 14y ago

MartinCron 14y ago

"Never, Ever Compromise on culture fit" works both ways. When I'm looking to join an organization, I see if exploitative crazy long hours are part of the company culture. If they are, we aren't a fit. I've moved so far past thinking that long hours are a good thing that arguments for that kind of culture feel like arguments for the geocentric solar system. It would be cute if it weren't so sad.

rachelbythebay 14y ago

Knowing about this and deliberately exploiting it sounds mighty evil. Let's see. First, you create a famously high bar for hiring. Make it seem like it was a miracle anyone gets in. That way, once you're inside, you think you got a hold of something extremely valuable and you're not likely to let it go. Sunk cost fallacy and all that. Next, go heavy on young people with no professional experience. They have neither the work experience nor the sheer number of years walking the planet to know when someone is taking advantage of them. They will be rather useful to you until they finally realize what's going on. When they start waking up, sour their milk and "manage them out". Optimizing for people without families further ensures heightened commitment to the company. Repeat every year with a fresh batch of graduates. Profit!

jzwinck 14y ago

Right, and "draw out the best in people (e.g. engineers at Palintir sleeping under their desks in their belief they are helping national security)." You have got to be kidding. Palantir is not even a small company now, and I don't know how outdated this sleeping under desks lore is, but when young hires where I worked slept under their desks, they were told to knock it off.