4 ms·

In my first job I was 'on the bench' literally ALL the time, from October 2008 to when I quit mid 2009. It was a strategy consulting job (at one of the famous 3

In my first job I was 'on the bench' literally ALL the time, from October 2008 to when I quit mid 2009. It was a strategy consulting job (at one of the famous 3) and I was assigned on a bank bailout project that kept being delayed. It is hugely depressing as you are doing nothing productive yet you can never plan to have the next x months available to do a project on your own. What most bugged me down was the BS busywork, which kept coming as the office was small enough for people to know I was on the ever delayed project. If I could do it again I would just go skiing fulltime and tell them to fire me or staff me, but I was an extremely ambitious 22 year old and stuck in a role that is generally considered at least a 2 year commitment. I finally quit 9 months in, with my "mentoring partner" reassuring me the project really would start in 2 weeks. Literally 20 minutes before he had said that there had been an email from HR that it was delayed again. The idiot just didn't care. When I asked him to explain how the company had not wasted my time over the past 9 months and why I should trust their promises going forward, he went all office politics on me saying that this was an evaluation only I could make. That was the last insult to my intelligence that I tolerated from that company. I'm still extremely angry over it, as I was doing everything right. I had a ton of savings in index funds already and had it all planned out to work hard and retire extremely early. When I quit I was so depressed that I did not even fight for the extra 3 months of severance, which I'd have gotten if I had let them fire me officially. I also didn't stay another 3 months so I could take unemployment benefits. The bit of money in the company pension plan was also lost as it had a 12 month vesting schedule. Basically, here was a guy who had been top of class all his life and with a savvy personal finance plan, so broken from 9 months of soul destroying nothingness that he quit without any backup what so ever. It took me 3 years to get over it. Literally, for 2 years and 4 months I sat at home reading stuff. It was only when I was almost 26 and completely broke that I applied for a startup incubator, got in, and got back on track somewhat. Now that that company failed, the rational thing would be to apply for a rails developer job. I found some rails shops that I like, but I just can't get myself to press "send" on the application email. I don't think I will ever trust anyone enough to work for them fulltime. If you're still reading this at this point, take away one lesson: Do not hire ambitious, talented people if you don't know FOR SURE you can give them meaningful work. Better to remain friends with a talented person who is now working for somebody else than to employ him and turn him into an enemy for life. (Because yes, I will have my revenge and it will be fucking brutal. Legal, but oh so brutal.)

azm1 13y ago
Did you get paid during the time ? What went through your head that you managed to keep being there for such long time and not to search for different job ? Also from your story it looks like it left quite a stain and still is not washed. I think its good to look at things as you are(or were) in the leading position(of your life) and where did you made bad decisions. Not to put all the 'bad' stuff you regret on someone else,whether it is company or individual. How else you gonna fix it ? At the end you decided to go there, stay there, get upset and leave. It was tough but the people around you just did what they were asked to. Once you take 100 procent of responsibility on yourself and your decisions even if you are employed you will feel way more free and satisfied and from this state of mind you can for example think of your startup/idea and get fully independent on the physical plane as well. And not thinking of some revenge still being in past..
- peterjancelis 13y ago
  I didn't look for another job as leaving that role before the 2 years are up is generally seen as a failure. Basically I committed myself to that company for 2 years and there was zero reciprocity. Yes, people around me just did what they were asked to. They were staffed on projects that actually got started after all. I agree with you on owning up 100% to the choices I made. It was a stupendous error on my part to enter in that 2 year commitment without breakup fees specified in the contract. Of course such a company doesn't negotiate such terms with college graduates, so I should not have taken that job at all. With regards to revenge, I believe in tit for tat. That's the rational way to play iterative games.
  - ScottBurson 13y ago
    > With regards to revenge, I believe in tit for tat. That's the rational way to play iterative games. Bullshit. You're not expressing a rational plan to advance your self-interest. You're expressing an emotional fantasy. You really should let go of it, but if you must hold on to it, at least don't lie to yourself about what it is. Besides, they paid you. Resigning after collecting a salary for 9 months ought to have been revenge enough. Also, if you sat around for over 2 years after quitting, what they did to you is not the cause of your problems.

azm1 13y ago

Did you get paid during the time ? What went through your head that you managed to keep being there for such long time and not to search for different job ? Also from your story it looks like it left quite a stain and still is not washed. I think its good to look at things as you are(or were) in the leading position(of your life) and where did you made bad decisions. Not to put all the 'bad' stuff you regret on someone else,whether it is company or individual. How else you gonna fix it ? At the end you decided to go there, stay there, get upset and leave. It was tough but the people around you just did what they were asked to. Once you take 100 procent of responsibility on yourself and your decisions even if you are employed you will feel way more free and satisfied and from this state of mind you can for example think of your startup/idea and get fully independent on the physical plane as well. And not thinking of some revenge still being in past..

peterjancelis 13y ago
I didn't look for another job as leaving that role before the 2 years are up is generally seen as a failure. Basically I committed myself to that company for 2 years and there was zero reciprocity. Yes, people around me just did what they were asked to. They were staffed on projects that actually got started after all. I agree with you on owning up 100% to the choices I made. It was a stupendous error on my part to enter in that 2 year commitment without breakup fees specified in the contract. Of course such a company doesn't negotiate such terms with college graduates, so I should not have taken that job at all. With regards to revenge, I believe in tit for tat. That's the rational way to play iterative games.
- ScottBurson 13y ago
  > With regards to revenge, I believe in tit for tat. That's the rational way to play iterative games. Bullshit. You're not expressing a rational plan to advance your self-interest. You're expressing an emotional fantasy. You really should let go of it, but if you must hold on to it, at least don't lie to yourself about what it is. Besides, they paid you. Resigning after collecting a salary for 9 months ought to have been revenge enough. Also, if you sat around for over 2 years after quitting, what they did to you is not the cause of your problems.