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For the record: that's not a "strong work ethic."
That's exploiting young unattached engineers and spinning it as "team culture."
Toxic 💀💀
That's exploiting young unattached engineers and spinning it as "team culture."
Toxic 💀💀
That's not something to aspire to. That's not good management. If you're working sustained 70+ hrweeks, somebody is taking advantage of you.
We have fetishized the overworked engineer. It's toxic but so pervasive that Mr. Ng (and others) feel it's ok to advertise as a positive.
Having this as "culture" breeds a monoculture of unattached, young engineers. Not good for them & not good for your company long term.
It's not good for them because their first job burns them out and physically wears them down. This happened to me and many of my coworkers.
And I don't mean "I got tired, but then slept." I took almost a year off from working (privilege!) & still had wrist pain and lack of "go."
It wrecks you. Not just me; to everyone around me.
If your company is asking for sustained 70+ hrs they're hurting you & they know it.
If your company is asking for sustained 70+ hrs they're hurting you & they know it.
It's bad for the company too. Breeds a monoculture, and deifies lack of experience. What veteran programmer wants to work 70+hrs sustained?
What person with a family can or would want to spend 70+ hrs most weeks on something they own so little of.
What person with outside responsibilities can make time for literally almost two jobs worth of work?
When you're requiring 70+ hrs most weeks, you're not saying "have a strong work ethic" you're saying "I don't want to pay for this work."
Your "culture" dooms your infrastructure, reliability, & product to underpaid, overworked, unseasoned engineers who you'll burn & discard.
To be very clear: it's not the employees. They're doing their best. It's the
CEO/C-team & the short-gain-at-long-expense tactic they chose.
CEO/C-team & the short-gain-at-long-expense tactic they chose.
If you can, if you have the choice, when you see this in a job rec. run the other direction. Fast.
They want to burn you up for their gain.
They want to burn you up for their gain.
In the end, your employment in this culture is trading your time, your youth, and the wellbeing of your body & mind for their gain.
Beware.
Beware.
