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The companies are not the problem really, it's the people who think the company that need to solve this is really the problem. Want more challenges and the comp

by ramon 11y ago

The companies are not the problem really, it's the people who think the company that need to solve this is really the problem. Want more challenges and the company doesn't have them or cannot give you these don't switch companies, work part-time on another project or your personal projects. I think that's the best plan, quitting jobs all the time is not going anywhere.

peterchon 11y ago
I disagree, isn't it better to go to another company that might provide challenge/pay rather then looking for things to do (especially on that company's dime?)
trcollinson 11y ago
Software engineers are meant to bring value to a company at some multiplier of their own rate of consumption. In other words, we're meant to bring more value to the company than we take away in salary and benefits and such. If an engineer is not bringing in more than they are taking out, they are removed and replaced without so much as a second thought. Companies have zero problem removing unproductive employees. Software engineers work almost (though not entirely) like a commodity. With that said, if an engineer is bringing value and the company is not satisfying the needs of the engineer in some way, then the engineer should leave and find another position in which they will be satisfied while bringing significant value to the new company. If a company can remove an engineer at the drop of a hat, why should an engineer not be able to do the same with a company? We put far too much emotion into these sorts of decisions. When it comes down to it the average engineer has about 90,000 effective working hours to sell in his or her lifetime. It is best to get the most out of those hours possible, whether that be purely financial (trading the most dollars for those hours as possible) or some other metric (the most satisfaction per hour traded). Quitting a job whenever your value per hour is too low for a higher value per hour is ABSOLUTELY the thing you should do. Never sit at a job longer than you are satisfied. It is up to the company to keep you satisfied just as much as it is up to you to keep the company satisfied.
- jklein11 11y ago
  Can't what you are saying be applied to all employees, and not just software engineers. If you aren't adding value that is greater than your pay then you will be fired.
  - trcollinson 11y ago
    Absolutely, it does. It is also why companies have to work extremely hard to keep employees. There is no reason to stay at a company which is not producing value for you just as there is no reason for a company to keep an employee that is not producing value for the company. The one caveat in that is that for an employee value may come in multiple forms. Certainly pay is one of those forms. Some might seek upward job mobility or skills training increases. Over all satisfaction may be the highest value for some employees. In the US, medical benefits might be one. Maybe vacation pay. Value is a funny thing. The parent of my first comment implied that companies do not need to solve the problem of people wanting to leave and being unsatisfied. It is absolutely the companies problem to solve. Some companies actually solve the problem quite well.
Mimu 11y ago
Why? The company is not a person, it does not need you to survive and if you are not happy you should do something about it because when you'll become useless you can count on the company to get rid of you asap.

by ramon 11y ago

peterchon 11y ago

I disagree, isn't it better to go to another company that might provide challenge/pay rather then looking for things to do (especially on that company's dime?)

trcollinson 11y ago

Software engineers are meant to bring value to a company at some multiplier of their own rate of consumption. In other words, we're meant to bring more value to the company than we take away in salary and benefits and such. If an engineer is not bringing in more than they are taking out, they are removed and replaced without so much as a second thought. Companies have zero problem removing unproductive employees. Software engineers work almost (though not entirely) like a commodity. With that said, if an engineer is bringing value and the company is not satisfying the needs of the engineer in some way, then the engineer should leave and find another position in which they will be satisfied while bringing significant value to the new company. If a company can remove an engineer at the drop of a hat, why should an engineer not be able to do the same with a company? We put far too much emotion into these sorts of decisions. When it comes down to it the average engineer has about 90,000 effective working hours to sell in his or her lifetime. It is best to get the most out of those hours possible, whether that be purely financial (trading the most dollars for those hours as possible) or some other metric (the most satisfaction per hour traded). Quitting a job whenever your value per hour is too low for a higher value per hour is ABSOLUTELY the thing you should do. Never sit at a job longer than you are satisfied. It is up to the company to keep you satisfied just as much as it is up to you to keep the company satisfied.

jklein11 11y ago
Can't what you are saying be applied to all employees, and not just software engineers. If you aren't adding value that is greater than your pay then you will be fired.
- trcollinson 11y ago
  Absolutely, it does. It is also why companies have to work extremely hard to keep employees. There is no reason to stay at a company which is not producing value for you just as there is no reason for a company to keep an employee that is not producing value for the company. The one caveat in that is that for an employee value may come in multiple forms. Certainly pay is one of those forms. Some might seek upward job mobility or skills training increases. Over all satisfaction may be the highest value for some employees. In the US, medical benefits might be one. Maybe vacation pay. Value is a funny thing. The parent of my first comment implied that companies do not need to solve the problem of people wanting to leave and being unsatisfied. It is absolutely the companies problem to solve. Some companies actually solve the problem quite well.

Mimu 11y ago

Why? The company is not a person, it does not need you to survive and if you are not happy you should do something about it because when you'll become useless you can count on the company to get rid of you asap.