Back into corporate after working for a startup.
It’s mentally suffocating, socially isolating, career ending, source of hopelessness. I spend most of my life specifically avoiding this trap because I knew what’s waiting there, but sometimes life puts you in a situation of limited choices.Something amazing happens when there are more than 3 levels of management. Even if you want to “create value for the shareholders” you won’t be allowed to.
Something amazing happens when there are more than 3 levels of management. Even if you want to “create value for the shareholders” you won’t be allowed to.
Isn’t that a fucking fact? I have to say, though, fuck shareholders. They are investors, hoping to make money. They are taking their chances. My efforts are beholden to users and my fellow developers. I want to software I write to make the lives of the people using it easier.
Every business I’ve ever walked into, the frontline people are complaining about shitty software because no one ever thinks about them or what would make their lives easier. Convoluted workflows, unnecessary clicks, poor performance, and instability.
I presume if I make the lives of workers and customers slightly less horrible that will drive business, but if not the shareholder’s concerns are out of my hands. I wasn’t put on this earth to make other people money.
My corporate job is one of the better ones in terms of pointless BS and people pretending to be their corporatesonas, but every time I take time off I’m reminded that we’re wasting our entire lives with work. I take a few 4-day work weeks and suddenly my house is clean again, I’m cooking more interesting meals, writing code for fun, hanging out with friends, catching up on shows, etc. Imagine how much progress, art, and innovation we could have if everyone’s natural talents and interests were given space to exist. Long-term we would have so much more of everything, and everyone would be happier and healthier. Unfortunately, short-term we’ve gotta layoff 4% of our workforce again because Mr. AI said it might make the line go up.
I noticed this too when I took a job working four day work weeks for about six months. Unfortunately the job and pay sucked but it was amazing having Fridays free to meet with (side) business partners, finish up some chores then have the entire weekend free.
I have a follow-up question to the 4 day a week desire… would you be ok with having 4/5 of your original pay for a 4 day a week work schedule?
I am paid a fuck-ton so my answer is definitely yes, but I really think it would vary person-by-person. “Should” people need to work 5 days per week to get that pay? My answer is probably no.
I’m disabled and haven’t been able to work in 14 years, and just the thought of dealing with the non-stop stupid petty bullshit all day every day sounds fucking exhausting. The gossip, the office politics, the way companies treat their employees nowadays with the pervasive spying and obsessive time-management… shit, people, either trust me to do my job or fire me. So glad I don’t have to deal with that anymore.
Not every company is like that, but it is distressingly rare. To the degree that I’m willingly accepting 20k less than I would be making elsewhere to avoid the bullshit. I am so fucked if I ever need to move or if my boss retires.
I returned to corporate after eight years of small business and start ups. Big upside was that I knew what I was getting into in terms of corporate rah-rah culture and also how to play the game to move up the ladder faster this time.
It has been three years and frankly I do not miss the Wild West feeling of small business. I like knowing the business I work for isn’t going to fold up due to market fluctuations. I do miss the open ended opportunities of making big changes in a small company though.
Working in a small company meant I took on many more roles and responsibilities which was good for my resume. On the other hand, in a corporation I am focused in one place and have enough free time to work on my automation projects. Plus, I make twice as much money.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t love my job and I don’t love to work. I would quit immediately if I could. I just happen to like the sense of security better. The main thing I gave up was being able to always wfh, now I have to see the office every other week.
Like walking from a free society into a police state. Micromanagement, hidden rules that you were expected to know and obey, a culture of informants.
Is corporate always the only alternative? I’ve been working in the public and non-profit sector, even in IT, and it’s always been much chiller than “corporate”. Maybe small companies are better too. Though I’d like to avoid working at all if possible, which made my returns to the working force always a bit meh anyway.
I forgot how much gossip and micro-aggressions were commonplace
That’s one (of many) reasons I don’t want to give up remote work.
Bosses say that remote work misses “the human element” and “face to face” time.
Yes, and I couldn’t be more happy about it.
