I will be losing my Job today... | Hacker News Reader

I will be losing my Job today...

26 pointsbryan122 comments

I'm employed in a software development company as senior programmer, I have a slightly average pay, and good position as head, and being a key person who created their products to keep the company from running, I was ensured to have a full-time job and out of poverty for the coming days, months or years...

But in the past few months, I felt I was bored of the things I do, because back in College I spend 2 years doing this kind of desktop based software, and now after 2 years, I keep doing the same thing...

I remember while back in College, I enjoy doing web applications and creating and designing web UI's and I was really good at it making websites attractive and at the same time, useful and functional.

This is my real passion, creating innovative web applications and solutions, and also designing it on the process.

2 years ago, I learned Python and CherryPy, and in practice locally, I was very productive and be able to create a very nice web application with it. Then a year ago, I learned Ruby, then Rails, and I was also very productive with it.

I have a pending project with my current company, and my development is slow because I don't enjoy doing scripts, desktop applications anymore, but I was making sure that I will meet the deadline, after all, it was a piece of cake coding.

And now, I posted something on my Facebook, a very cool web application that I made and uploaded to heroku which I envision that will change the way people do things... But my project manager and employer responded to that Facebook post, and I have sms messages from them asking me where's my reports, my progress with the company project, and an e-mail is also sent to me asking me all the stuff about that I should be finishing and doing... Additionally, I'm expecting a bad e-mail in progress...

This is what I really want to do, but I have pending jobs in my current company, and also my salary advances isn't paid yet, and I don't have money because I use it all to pay the bills...

Now I'm in a situation, where I will be facing poverty and unemployment in the next few weeks or months, but deep in my heart, I will pursue what I really want to do and what makes me happy... I will pursue this vision that I have, but no money to buy domain, cigarettes, and will be starving...

Do you have any advice to give?

Advice for the future: 1) Chase your passion! I'm currently unemployed as well, but I've spent the last decade mostly getting paid to do the things I like to do. For me, that's Information Security.

2) Lock down your facebook profile and don't mistake co-workers for "friends" on social networks. I might let a few "cool" co-workers befriend me online, but in Facebook, I put all my co-workers in a list, and they don't see things that might be used against me later.

3) It sounds like you posted stuff on Facebook while at work, and maybe even worked on your side project on company time. Stop that. It's bad for everyone involved.

4) Be a tad more frugal with your funds once money starts coming in again.

5) If you're near a major city here in the US, there are pantries that will give you free food if you're unemployed. It might be expired (or nearly so) but it's edible.

Good luck, mate! It's tough out here.

You are definitely exaggerating. First you say you have reasonable pay and then you talk of poverty and starvation!

As long as you have not done any of your web app work in company time, you have nothing to be guilty about. If you have, first own up. And then, take extra time to make up and finish company work. Otherwise you are just cheating someone who has trusted you (they employed you).

Lastly, most people cannot be creative in the face of poverty and starvation (if you weren't exaggerating. maybe you had some big loans to pay off). Poverty is too fundamental a problem to think of anything else. Think of trying to build a great new web app when you are stranded in an island struggling for survival. Not many can do that.

If you can get by for a year without earning, just quit and do what you like. Being bored and unhappy just ends up fucking your total life and you realize this when you get older.

I can't have sympathy for you. You're admitting to slacking off on the job. People with financial worries don't have that luxury.

There are two ways to interpret your Facebook post. Either you wanted to force yourself into this compromised position (if pain is better than boredom), or you're just plain stupid.

The good news is that you won't starve. I've been working since I'm 12 as a lawn mower, lumberjack, tree planter, mover, security guard, research assistant, and professional engineer. People who are willing to work don't starve.

Life did not hand you lemons. You put yourself in this mess, so suck it up and don't expect anyone to feel sorry for you.

Seems like he's looking for advice, not sympathy.

Even he admits he didn't handle this the best way, but there's no shame in wanting to align your personal interests with your daily work.

I think the real lesson to be learned here is not to be afraid to use the Facebook limited profile on people that aren't close friends or family.

Put yourself in the shoes of his employer, or of his colleagues who depend on him.

Being enthusiastic about new technologies on the side is fine, but no excuse to do a half-assed job.

I agree, I just don't think tough love over the internet is really going to change his attitude. He knows he was a bad employee, and it wasn't as if he wrote his post bragging about how much slacking off he got away with before, how dumb his bosses are, etc.

lol. You aren't going to get fired.

How you handle a situation like this: -Give them a date for when the report will come in. Try to focus these guys on the current solution not the situation.

So, maybe something like "Sorry, I didn't know you were expecting a report from me, but I am willing to provide you a report in 2 days".

If you didn't do anything that is worth reporting, say so. :D

Here again focus them on the solution, say when you will get the scripts done. If possible show them the monetary benefits of you being delayed. :D

Benefits: 1) You are an artist - the delay has helped you to recharge your batteries so you can program effectively. You might want to cite some research papers here.

2) You were using this time to show your juniors the ropes and you were bring them up to speed. Which means the company will not only be fighting with one heavyweight, but also two in the future. You might want to outline the monetary advantages of having more people of your caliber.

Then you need to iterate this to them that you will get them the software by such and such a time. Don't ask, tell.

Also, what I think you should be doing for the future is maintaining constant communication with the upper level. They will tend to think you aren't doing anything if you don't say. Try to send an email a day to them informing them of the project, don't do this verbal; do it by email. It will also help for you own motivation. See goal setting theory :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal-setting_theory

Update: I'm earning 440 USD a month. It's a slightly average pay here in my country I live in. I'm not in the U.S.

It is currently Sunday here, and I posted the web application today on Facebook, and not during work, but my boss just notice it and felt paranoid.

> It's a slightly average pay

Slightly above average or slightly below average?

Maybe you work in Zimbabwe or something, but that's way below average for a programmer even in relatively low-pay countries like Romania and India (I have worked with companies in both and personally know the people involved).

Don't confuse average salaries in general with the average salaries in your industry!

which country are you in?

I don't know what you need to do to straighten out the situation you are currently in, but in the future (or for anyone else listening), it is bad form to brag about side projects where your boss can "hear" you while doing your job only half-heartedly.

The job sucks? So what. Do it excellently anyway and work on your side projects and dreams of escape without calling undue attention to those things. Keep a low profile. Don't give your Facebook link to your boss. If he has it, don't post your side projects on it. Don't post anything anywhere that your boss would likely have an easy time finding it. Especially don't do so in a fashion that could be interpreted as bragging or which could threaten the company in some manner.

Not sure if something is "dangerous" to say/do? Then play it safe until you are sure how to handle it. When in doubt, err on the side of caution -- at least until you have a few months salary saved up and it won't be a big deal to suddenly lose your job. At which point, if a little bragging/sharing leads you to be jobless, you can philosophically take it as a hint from the universe that it's time to pursue this seriously as a business venture. It's a lot harder to take that philosophical attitude when you fear 'starvation'.

Good luck sorting this out.

If you can code like you say you can I will hire you and give you a raise of $500 usd per month...the internet is a wonderful thing...if interested reply and I will send contact details.

First things First: If there's a life lesson to be learned here it's "make sure you clarify how the company feels about personal projects when you're interviewing for a job". Many companies don't care while others take a hard line (and depending on what contract you sign they could even claim your personal project belongs to them).

That said I think you're over reacting a little. It sounds to me like you're just going to get yelled at. Even if you are fired you have to understand there's never been a better time to be unemployed. I mean, it's not a good situation under any circumstances but with so many others unemployed the social safety net in just about every country in the world has been extended greatly. So your life style will have to change but you aren't going to starve or be homeless.

Beyond that you should do what you said. Work on your personal projects, interview for jobs and check out the freelance sites for short jobs that can give you domain buying money.

I quit my job with a friend of mine somewhat for the creeping boredom you talked about to work on my own startup. It wasn't the only reason but one of the major reasons. I had 8 months of savings (Am from India) which ran out in 6. And then to sustain ourselves we are now doing freelance dev work 30 hours a week per person. It took us one month (from the day we started looking) to get a freelance dev work fortunately for us, its a long term project.

I guess if you are good in web development, it shouldn't be hard for you to get a freelance gig. Start looking on rentacoder, odesk or elance. All the best. Hang in there, something good will come up

Cheers

P.S - People have talked about it and I agree its hard to work on your own startup and do freelancing on the side. We didn't have any other option

If you're actually making average software developer pay, how is it that you don't have money left over at the end of the month to tuck away into savings? You're either spending like crazy or you're being underpaid.

Anyways, if your passion is web development, then find a web development job. They're not that hard to come across. I personally know of several companies in the bay area that are dying to hire good python web developers, and if you're not in the bay area, consider moving here :)

Well, if you want to do some rails work I might have something for you... You can contact me at jobs -squiggly sign- agiletomato.com

I think IT professionals should plan their retirement by 40.

just wondering about these details: are you located in the united states? and you're two years out of college?

No money to buy cigarettes? That must be deeply upsetting.

I don't think it's right to have "no money to buy food" and "no money to buy cigarettes" in the same sentence.

It is deeply upsetting if you're a smoker. If he's going through a tough time, nicotine withdrawal is going to be an unnecessary addition to his problems.

Not necessarily. Many can stop smoking without withdrawal.

Why not start a startup?

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