Mike ChenNov 27, 2023
Adrianna Tan

I remember when I took a govt job some years ago, big tech and startup friends (where I spent all of my career, earlier) found it puzzling.

As a married queer immigrant on a single income (45 made it impossible for spouses to work), I have 0 tolerance for risk in this country where healthcare is tied to my job.

However, I also found meaningful work; and working for city or states or federal govt is often a key way to get good benefits and a pension.

https://archive.ph/2023.11.15-144654/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-jobs-government-layoffs/

#civictech

Nov 25, 2023 at 11:20pmWeb
Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023

Earlier, when I was a citizen of a country where I could work any job, do anything, get any opportunity: I had a massive appetite for risk. I don’t have that luxury here.

I also think that the halcyon days of working an awful job for a big payoff are over. That was a low interest rate phenomenon.

Now, I just want to do good work that makes a difference, and have good work / life balance. No more hustling for venture capital, ever.

Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023
It very much depends on where you are, but the salary differential isn’t that large. When I look at jobs in my area for this point of my career, it’s hard to even consider making that leap for 15, 20% more, knowing also that those jobs come with inherent job instability that are cyclical, and subservient to capital. It also doesn’t feel like, in 2023, there are many big tech jobs that are massive financial upgrades without some ethical challenges.
Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023

I had a good run. I was an early double digit employee of one of the rocket ship startups. I couldn’t even stand staying long enough to benefit from that, because of its ethical challenges. I was a founder in the good times, and I got to travel around the world, raising money, and running companies. But that isn’t a sustainable way to live.

I know some people still hustling in that life, and I feel sad for them. If you didn’t ’make it’ in the mid 10s, I think it’s over, get a job.

Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023

We don’t talk enough about the personal costs of living that life.

I wrecked my mental and physical health for an idea, that ultimately was about enriching the venture class. It’s taken me years to come back from that.

Maybe the job-job people were right. I’m glad I took that path while it lasted, it was never boring at least, but I am still paying down the bodily and mental debt I incurred from hustling for the venture class, that made us believe it was for us, too.

Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023

In case you’re curious: every single one of my founder type friends has a mystery autoimmune disease of some kind, and some have other worse illnesses, or they’re hiding it.

I don’t think a human body is supposed to take on that repeated pattern of tremendous stress on a daily basis.

I ended up needing to swallow a radioactive pill to kill my thyroid gland, and that was after I almost lost the use of my limbs for hours at a time due to a complication of a stress-related autoimmune disease.

Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023
And yet that industry is full of people saying ‘be like eL0N! Suck it up!’ Yeah some of us can’t afford that amount of ketamine. Bodily and financially.
Show threadKarl KatzkeNov 26, 2023
@skinnylatte yep, there’s a reason that at community-run tech conferences there’s usually some amount of content about mental or physical health. I have permanent physical problems from a stressful job, and I won’t ever care that much about a company ever again.
Show threadLuke KaniesNov 26, 2023

@skinnylatte it me.

Thankfully my startup did well enough that I don’t have to work, because I could not. And have no idea if I ever will be able to.

Show threadTheJenNov 25, 2023
@skinnylatte at 51 I am suffering the fallout from the "hustle". Yes to all of this.
Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023
@JenWojcik Hugs
Show threadTheJenNov 26, 2023
@skinnylatte Backatcha. People simply do not realize the toll this takes, and thank you for saying it.
Show threadWhine SpectatorNov 26, 2023
@skinnylatte ugh these feels
Show threadMatt BlazeNov 25, 2023

@skinnylatte It's very interesting to me to observe the difference in career goals and expectations between our undergraduates at Georgetown (where I am now), in DC vs. U. Penn (where I was).

Partly the economic situation has changed since I moved, and partly it's cultural differences between the two places, but the Penn students skewed toward the "go to startup, get rich fast" model, while the G'town kids often have their sights set on government service.

It's refreshing.

Show threadSze HuiNov 26, 2023
@skinnylatte agreed in a lot of ways. I've been fortunate to do meaningful work in my current company and looking seriously at USDS for the next chapter. Good WLB and work I believe in is everything
Show threadPastor of MuppetsNov 25, 2023

@skinnylatte I was one of those young software engineers who sneered at people taking the "safe, boring" govt jobs. But I discovered that I hate working for the money people and at 48, I wish I had started laying groundwork for a pension 20 years ago.

Of course, working for government in Arkansas means there's a decent chance you're working for MAGA trash, which would be worse than the money people.

Show threadAdrianna TanNov 25, 2023
@middleclasstool Or that they might dismantle the pension system
Show threadyuvipandaNov 25, 2023
@skinnylatte I didn’t realize the h4ead ban went ahead, and was never rolled back :(
Show threadEvilTofuNov 26, 2023
@skinnylatte Sometimes the work seems so pointless...