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Comment by throwawaytrain | Hacker News Reader

1. It pays the bills. I make more than 97% of people in the US. I'm going to get paid a guaranteed 15% bonus at the end of this year. There ain't no way I'm getting fired from here: I know that this employer really can't afford to fire even mediocre people due to the sky-high cost of replacing them.

2. The people here are .. mediocre. I'm not learning anything. I'm not 100% sure whether anyone gives half a turd about the project I'm working on. And I have to dress like a damn fool. (Business casual sucks.)

3. I'm still here because I haven't found anything better just yet. The roof isn't on fire & this job kind of does what it's supposed to do for my family, so I can afford to take the time to find something better. I am actively doing that.

4. I'll leave once I've found an opportunity that I love. I'll know it when I see it.

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And I have to dress like a damn fool. (Business casual sucks.)

I realize that this wasn't the main point of your post, but I do have some thoughts on this. My first job after college was at a Fortune 500 company that required business casual. I dressed like an idiot. My shirts were too big (and all of the same single-color button-up variety). My pants didn't fit right (and weren't altered to match my actual height). There was no diversity in my outfits.

You don't have to make those same mistakes.

1. Get the stuff you buy altered to fit you.

2. Look to the web for basic fashion patterns and advice. This is easier than ever.

3. Give up and order from Trunk Club or an equivalent service. It's basic fashion for the fashion illiterate.

Even well fitting doesn't matter when you feel like you were born to wear hoodies, shorts, and sneakers. I currently work for a startup and that's something I place a lot of value in. I would turn down a job at my current salary + $10k if it required business casual attire every day (of course that implies further cultural differences too).

> 1. It pays the bills. I make more than 97% of people in the US.

Any chance you have a reference to the data used to determine that percentage? I'm curious about the overall numbers but had no luck turning up a reliable data set.

I went to google and searched for "US income percentiles". Various sources yield between 96% and 99% percent when I punch in my total compensation.

Same thing for me.

While I'm looking for other opportunities, I'm mainly looking for something I would love doing with nice working conditions, and not another pays the bills type job, even if they paid a little more.

Thanks for sharing it seems like a sentiment shared by a a lot of people

Lol, Nice! I'm in the same boat--glad I'm not the only one.

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