Code on the Road: Two Weeks Vacation is only a Recommendation, not a Rule | Hacker News Reader

Code on the Road: Two Weeks Vacation is only a Recommendation, not a Rule

expatsoftware.com

9 pointstesla4 comments

I can attest that this works, provided you pay attention to all his caveats. I walked into my boss's office at my last job and told him I was going to Spain for six months, and that I'd be willing to work half time from there, but if that didn't work out, that was ok too. To my surprise, not only did he agree, but I got a special allowance to have benefits while abroad as well. I did my work out of internet cafes the whole time, and had a blast.

The trick is to be willing (as the OP points out) to carry out the bluff. This generalizes to all negotiating. You have to be willing to walk away, and the other party has to know you actually will walk away, before you get a deal.

In about 15 days I am taking seven months off to work on a startup + half a dozen smaller ideas. I talked to my boss about it six weeks ago, and he came by the other day to "make sure I wanted to come back in January." If that doesn't turn out (my startup takes off or they don't have a spot open by then), it's ok because I can always find another job elsewhere.

You are my hero. I'd like to go to Latin America for 3 months to study Spanish but I'm starting to settle for getting tutored in Spanish. Reading your account (7 months!) and great why-not-do-it articles like this makes me start thinking, however, that upper management might negotiate something nice if I do really walk away...

I have been to Spain twice (to study Spanish both times), and I can say for certain that learning it here is not even remotely the same as being immersed in it. If you are serious about learning it and learning about the culture, I'd heavily recommend you go live there for a while.

There are tons of great intensive Spanish programs both in Spain and Latin America that are cheap (mine was $3000 for four months, including an apartment and 20 hours of class a week). I have maybe eight months total of language education and I already speak better than people I know in their senior year of a Spanish major.

I've done this too. I had tickets for a 6 week trip to India. The week (!!) before leaving, I was pulled into the CEOs office and asked not to go.

I remember being really pissed.

And then the VP of Engineering came to the rescue and said "I don't think you understand. He's going. The only thing you're doing is helping him decide to come back."

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