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DarkKnight

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I am a software developer with a Master's degree. I keep getting offers to interview with the Big Fish in tech that could pay me twice my current salary and open doors to other places due to the "branding", yet I keep declining them. In my current dead-end job as a developer, the tech is grossly out of date, the job is a soul-grind, but I survive with a <2 hrs a day workday. There is nothing to learn in my current job, nor any prospects to further advancement, just all that extra time.

Today I got another offer to interview and at first felt a little guilt and fear before turning it down, but then I realized where both the choices of either accepting or rejecting the position could lead and now I am at peace letting it go. Have you given up much better career prospects to keep chasing the fastlane dreams?
 
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csalvato

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I am a software developer with a Master's degree. I keep getting offers to interview with the Big Fish in tech that could pay me twice my current salary and open doors to other places due to the "branding", yet I keep declining them. In my current dead-end job as a developer, the tech is grossly out of date, the job is a soul-grind, but I survive with a <2 hrs a day workday. There is nothing to learn in my current job, nor any prospects to further advancement, just all that extra time.

Today I got another offer to interview and at first felt a little guilt and fear before turning it down, but then I realized where both the choices of either accepting or rejecting the position could lead and now I am at peace letting it go. Have you given up much better career prospects to keep chasing the fastlane dreams?

Yes. I get approached by big companies all the time with similar offers.

The salary is only part of the equation.

You need to also consider:

1. The time/freedom this opportunity gives you to pursue your real dreams.
2. How working this job (for however many hours a day) impacts your mental health (in service of #1)
3. The tradeoffs of moving to a big city (if you don't already live in one), since the big tech companies often require that sort of relocation.
4. The reality that the interview processes for these companies are brutal, and will drain you thoroughly even before you come close to getting an offer.

For me, the equation never balanced out where making an extra $100k+ was worth sacrificing the things on that list (particularly #1).

Taking a job with a big company, getting a big salary, would mean I couldn't try anything else. If I did that, I know I'd be on my deathbed kicking myself. We don't regret the things we tried and failed; we regret the things we never tried at all.
 

ygtrhos

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I am in a similar position, except I am a mechanical engineer in Germany.

I work practically 10% and get 100% salary and I can work currently 100% remote due to corona. This will probably continue after mid-2021 as such.

I have a solid PhD from a great university. If I really want to go down that road, I can get in the board of German Railways or a DAX company in 20 years with arduous work and get 7 figure salary.

I am in this job for 18 months now, got offers from the biggest companies in the industry like ANSYS (technical software), GHH (railway axles). I turned GHH down and I wanted from ANSYS a salary they cannot offer. Currently in talks with Siemens, probably gonna turn them down as well.

It is not worth to work 70-80%, just to get a 10% or even 50% increase in my net salary.

Can I survive? Yes, easily.

Can I invest in my side ventures? Yes.

I can even travel around because I have enough time from my dayjob and my work is remote.

Why would I change jobs for God's sake?

It gives me more than enough and it gives me a shitloads of time and it gives me location independence. It makes absolutely no sense to leave these conditions.
 
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humananalytics

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Usually the salary is only one part of the compensation equation. If it is double the salary, it will end up paying 2.5-3X once you factor in equity.

However, there's certainly no need to upgrade your job. I'm making great money for my age. I could make even more if I switch from working 40-50 hours per week to 70-80. In fact, I'm willing to take a small pay-cut if I could work a bit less. A few things to consider though:

1) Would you learn more at a more challenging job?
2) Could you still work <40 hour work weeks?
3) Could you use the extra income to invest?
4) How are you currently spending your free time? If you're very unproductive, working more hours won't be a huge deal
5) What type of biz do you want to start? If it's a tech company, having that big brand could help with fundraising and recruiting.
6) Do you have an active business that's taking a lot of time? Could you go to big tech and come back to your current job if your business takes off?
 

Kevin88660

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I am a software developer with a Master's degree. I keep getting offers to interview with the Big Fish in tech that could pay me twice my current salary and open doors to other places due to the "branding", yet I keep declining them. In my current dead-end job as a developer, the tech is grossly out of date, the job is a soul-grind, but I survive with a <2 hrs a day workday. There is nothing to learn in my current job, nor any prospects to further advancement, just all that extra time.

Today I got another offer to interview and at first felt a little guilt and fear before turning it down, but then I realized where both the choices of either accepting or rejecting the position could lead and now I am at peace letting it go. Have you given up much better career prospects to keep chasing the fastlane dreams?
Depends on how long you can maintain the current state in your current job.

Things can change quickly from having nothing to do to very busy. Afterall we do not own the company.

But I heard working in big name like Microsoft is Super predictable for the next decade..
 
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Parks

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I am a software developer with a Master's degree. I keep getting offers to interview with the Big Fish in tech that could pay me twice my current salary and open doors to other places due to the "branding", yet I keep declining them. In my current dead-end job as a developer, the tech is grossly out of date, the job is a soul-grind, but I survive with a <2 hrs a day workday. There is nothing to learn in my current job, nor any prospects to further advancement, just all that extra time.

Today I got another offer to interview and at first felt a little guilt and fear before turning it down, but then I realized where both the choices of either accepting or rejecting the position could lead and now I am at peace letting it go. Have you given up much better career prospects to keep chasing the fastlane dreams?

Keep in mind that you're doing the right thing if you want to join the fastlane. Otherwise you're just raising your Intrinsic Value.

Read the Fastlane book if you haven't.
 

DarkKnight

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Can I ask why don't you accept the dream job and invest that big money in something that gets you back big money?

If you got cash, then your time is not needed.

Takes too much time and attention that can be spent acquiring the skills needed to launch a product. And these companies are located in big cities where the rent is so high that most of the extra salary balances it out.
One more thing is that while it is one thing to get a call to interview, it is quite other to make it through their interviews for which you need to spend months preparing -- learning things you won't need, not even on that job itself.
Slavery is slavery and I just don't wanna do it anymore after 10 years working as a programmer.
 
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DarkKnight

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1. The time/freedom this opportunity gives you to pursue your real dreams.
2. How working this job (for however many hours a day) impacts your mental health (in service of #1)
3. The tradeoffs of moving to a big city (if you don't already live in one), since the big tech companies often require that sort of relocation.
4. The reality that the interview processes for these companies are brutal, and will drain you thoroughly even before you come close to getting an offer.
This is such a well-thought out reply. Every single bullet is such a big one to consider by itself. The #4 is really something I was only partially conscious about until you brought it up.
May I add a #5: Learning skills to build a product is very motivating because the end result, considering you have faith you will make it, leads to your purpose directly. Learning something to keep a job or get even a 10% raise is not because at the end of the day it leads to the same slavery, albeit a better paid one. There is also no guarantee you will end up working way more than the 8 hrs, leaving you too exhausted to consider anything else.

We don't regret the things we tried and failed; we regret the things we never tried at all.
This has proved itself true time and time again -- thanks for the reminder!
 

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