Ask HN: Do you feel guilty when you quit a job? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Do you feel guilty when you quit a job?

TLDR: I got hired by a UK company as their third developer 6 months ago, on a temporary contract. As I am a 'junior' developer, I was offered half of the stated salary, with an email from them saying it would go up should I be offered a permanent role. My temporary contract just came to an end, and they've offered me a permanent role, but without increasing my salary at all.

I've had to accept, as I can't afford to be without a job, but I also can't afford to stay in this role as I end up further into debt each month on what they pay me. My initial mistake was not getting it in writing from the off, that my salary would be increased to £x if I was offered a permanent role.

After being treated this way, why then do I feel a huge amount of guilt that I'm actively soliciting other roles every moment that I'm not at work? Is it normal to feel like I'm going 'behind their backs', so to speak?

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Don't feel guilty about anything concerning corporations. You don't have to have absolutely any loyalty to them, they're bitches that will treat you as throwable and replaceable "resource" as soon as they can find a cheaper replacement preferably from a remote country.

In software, you will be able to find a new job easily. Perhaps not the same day, as it occured to my dad in your exact same situation 50 years ago (he just crossed the road and got a better job), but you'll be able to find a new job in less than 2 weeks. So just start looking and interviewing, and when you have a proposal, give your notice.

You can consider the fact that they didn't double your salary as promised as a "polite" way to ask you to leave them.

Man, you need to grow some balls. You should have negotiated the contract and emphasised that it isn't enough to live on and that you were promised more. If you were too shy to do that, then you'll have to live with the fact that you got yourself in a non-sustainable position.

And..... according to you, the company lied to you about a promotion and then didn't deliver. So YOU feel guilty about wanting to leave? Oh come now.

First, don't worry, we've all had crappy jobs. You will be OK.

You have no reason to feel guilty at all. You don't owe them anything.

You always have to go behind your employer's back when you're looking for a new job, even if you have a great relationship with them.

Stay in your job until you have another one lined up. When you do resign, smile, be professional, don't argue with them about what might have been and don't agree to do anything beyond your notice period.

I'm based in London and have ~8 years experience of the tech scene here. I'd be happy to look at your CV and give you some pointers (feel free to anonymise, don't mind either way) or answer any other questions: my anonymous email is in my profile.

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