Career Chat V: the Common Ruin of the Contending Classes

[Mlle. Zabzie]

1 hour ago, Zorral said:

But in These Times, isn't the ultimate to have a corner office and not to be in it? For All the Reasons? 

Well, I get to move a floor away from the sort of passive aggressive quasi head of my group.  But, T,W,Th,* by order of our glorious politburo, I will have my butt in my chair 42 floors above the street, questioning my life choices but enjoying the view.  And bonus, the cafeteria is on that floor, so easy access to snacks?

 

*Absent client demands, illness, or other good reasons, in that order.

[Zorral]

12 hours ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

Well, I get to move a floor away from the sort of passive aggressive quasi head of my group.  But, T,W,Th,* by order of our glorious politburo, I will have my butt in my chair 42 floors above the street, questioning my life choices but enjoying the view.  And bonus, the cafeteria is on that floor, so easy access to snacks?

 

*Absent client demands, illness, or other good reasons, in that order.

 

[JGP]

17 hours ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

So, I think I have reached peak corporate.  A corner office has been bestowed unto me.  

Congratulations all around, Mlle.

No doubt it's well deserved. 

[Iskaral Pust]

Congrats @Mlle. Zabzie.  Enjoy the better view and saturation of natural light.

I miss my corner offices.  I’ve had a few over the years but shifting real estate design was one disruptor, and now my short tenure at my current firm has kept me in an interior office instead.

OTOH, my comp review was fantastic, so I’m swamped with feel-good neurotransmitters anyway.

[BigFatCoward]

My office window is literally 4 inches wide and 2 ft high (a balistraria basically) and doesn't even open. And I'm considered quite lucky having an office. 

[Iskaral Pust]

23 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

My office window is literally 4 inches wide and 2 ft high (a balistraria basically) and doesn't even open. And I'm considered quite lucky having an office. 

I know Europe has a plethora of medieval castles — and I grew up around lots myself — but I didn’t realize they were used as police stations in London.  Are you posted at the Tower, or something?

[dog-days]

Also, do you have a crossbow, and do any of the following ever walk past:

• Suella Braverman 
• Boris Johnson 
• Michael Gove
• Priti Patel 
• Nigel Farage
• Brendan Clarke-Smith?

[Kalbear]

Layoffs announced today at my work. As a new manager who got reorged into a different org entirely, has two directs and works remotely I'm not liking my chances. I hate this part of just waiting for news.

[Mlle. Zabzie]

On 1/18/2023 at 8:51 PM, Chataya de Fleury said:

Sorry to hear of this. I had indeed heard that particular layoff and was concerned for you.

There have been layoffs in the…operating company structure space in the area in which I work. Imagine, uh, mortgage brokers getting laid off - not shocking. Thank goodness that most people with whom I socialize understand that the actual company for which I work is not a mortgage originator. And also they could not file anything with the SEC without costing them even more than my salary (Midtown Manhattan niche attorneys be expensive, yo. I’m the cheap solution!!) 

1.  @Kalnestk Oblast pulling for you.  Hope you get over the heavy ground lightly on this one.

2.  Yes, yes they are.  I even blanched at our latest round of rate increases (inflation yo). But man an hour of my time will COST you.  I do think the billable hour is dying; slowly, but still dying. Chats, you should try to negotiate some fixed fee stuff for the ongoing stuff you need.  

[Kalbear]

Thanks, folks. So far I still have a job, and there have been no more announced layoffs past the ones taken care of on Wednesday. The main groups hit that I know of were Hololens, some of the game studios, and some other smaller groups that were not core areas of the world. My org specifically said that we were not impacted. But it's not clear if we're done yet or if there is more to go. A few of my friends were directly impacted and I'm working with them to help, so if y'all know any positions open in dev roles, especially in the NY area or fully remote, please message me. Thanks!

[Underfoot]

On the topic of layoffs - my company abruptly and seemingly randomly cut thousands today too, which is terrifying. No notice, you just wake up locked out and unemployed.

I'm very fortunate to not be affected, but it makes me very nervous. What are the types of things to think about doing to be prepped for a sudden layoff, aside from the baseline of having enough money to survive unemployment for 3-12 months. Thinking of, what types of records should I keep hard copies of, how to prep my 401k, etc. 

[Datepalm]

I haven't been laid off (uh, because I'm not actually employed) but unspooling weirdness at my university, given substantial post strike raises, means there will de-facto be massive non-hiring (and possibly non-admission) of graduate students next academic year (meaning also no instructional capacity for undergraduate teaching. There has been no explanation how this will be dealt with either). I'm towards the end of my PhD so right in line to be affected by this. The union claims the whole thing is illegal, but its unclear how anything can play out or what ability it has to affect it. Notes from department faculty meeting read "they are trying to destroy us." I've had a couple of first-round interviews for academic jobs for next year, but nothing especially encouraging. It may yet all work out, or not.

 

 

[Starkess]

I mean it seems pretty logical that if they have to pay a lot more for grad students, they're going to take fewer students. Hopefully it doesn't affect you!

Well, I did it and quit my job, last day is next Friday. As relieved and happy as I feel, I know it was 100% the right decision. But it sure doesn't feel like good timing... I'm waiting to hear back on a job I interviewed for--I was one of the final candidates and they said they wanted to "move fast" so I think I should know soon. If that doesn't pan out, I've got some real thinking to do about my career path.

[mcbigski]

On 1/27/2023 at 8:54 PM, Starkess said:

I mean it seems pretty logical that if they have to pay a lot more for grad students, they're going to take fewer students. Hopefully it doesn't affect you!

Well, I did it and quit my job, last day is next Friday. As relieved and happy as I feel, I know it was 100% the right decision. But it sure doesn't feel like good timing... I'm waiting to hear back on a job I interviewed for--I was one of the final candidates and they said they wanted to "move fast" so I think I should know soon. If that doesn't pan out, I've got some real thinking to do about my career path.

Just curious what you're looking for.  Had the impression you were on the academic track.  

Got to say though, if the global satellite grid collapses you're the most qualified person I can think of for astrolabe navigation, which is nice to have in your back pocket. 

[Starkess]

10 minutes ago, mcbigski said:

Just curious what you're looking for.  Had the impression you were on the academic track.  

Got to say though, if the global satellite grid collapses you're the most qualified person I can think of for astrolabe navigation, which is nice to have in your back pocket. 

I finished up my PhD last year, but wasn't interested in the typical academic route. Pivoted into science communication, but my first job in that vein was a poor fit, so now I'm leaving after just 6 months. I think I still want to do scicomm, but feeling pretty skittish about it after such a big fail. Possibly considering moving into a more techy track, data science or similar, but I'm not sure yet. I'm feeling pretty discouraged about ever finding something that works for me, but I guess all I can do is keep trying!

[mcbigski]

Not to get all Thomas Edison here, but failure is always a possible outcome whereas persistence is the mother of success.  Or something like that.

Only guessing what science communication involves, and I've become cynical enough to wonder if the folks bank rolling a lot of those jobs are looking less to nurture free thinkers than to enforce conformity.  But that's my issue.  You seem to have a passion for sharing knowledge, don't settle for anything different.

[IheartIheartTesla]

[obligatory Thomas Edison diss here]. 

Another option you might want to consider is one of those 'popular science' magazines that have a bit more focus on the technical aspects of science rather than the breathless sound bites regular news magazines have. I am thinking something like Quanta or Ars Technica, although I've been a bit disappointed with the former in recent times (for instance, that whole 'wormhole in a lab' debacle). Maybe what they need is more rigor in their scientific reporting....

I wouldnt discount industrial jobs either, you can still do a lot of cool science and some fundamental work on the side with necessary. Some companies collaborate with universities closely, if you still want to step away from applied stuff once in a while.

[Datepalm]

On 1/28/2023 at 4:54 AM, Starkess said:

I mean it seems pretty logical that if they have to pay a lot more for grad students, they're going to take fewer students. Hopefully it doesn't affect you!

The wage was really unlivable before (as low as 22k annual in the Bay Area) so something has to give...

There was a study somewhere that people that move jobs more end up with better earnings and greater satisfaction, so it seems like a while of trial and error is called for...

[Wade1865]

1 hour ago, IheartIheartTesla said:

I wouldnt discount industrial jobs either, you can still do a lot of cool science and some fundamental work on the side with necessary. Some companies collaborate with universities closely, if you still want to step away from applied stuff once in a while.

Towards the end of my career, we were offered follow-on training. For fun and exposure, I enrolled into the (machine) industrial side and was impressed by the instructors and students. They weren’t the ex-cons and heavily tattooed civilians I expected to be interacting with, hahaha.

Students (surprisingly young, early 20s, and several teenagers) would graduate and move into some relatively good positions. Notably, one girl in her twenties went to Embry-Riddle starting at over 50K USD, while the others (overwhelmingly men) also started in great local and regional jobs, averaging 36K.

On the other hand, the instructions with decades of line experience looked beat down and prematurely aged; good men, though 

[dog-days]

Good luck @Starkess. I've been in jobs before that I really wasn't suited to, and after moving to a different sector, the feeling of not having to get up in the morning and go do something I was wrong for was a huge relief and a liberation. A joy, really. Seven or so years on,  remembering that I'm not doing X is still a way I can cheer myself up. I'm just coming to the end of a week of annual leave, and now, in a different field, I'm actually quite happy to be going back to work.