Ask HN: My last job sucked, should I just let it go? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: My last job sucked, should I just let it go?

11 pointsmmmmmmmmmh14 comments

The last company I worked for (I quit a couple months back) was a nightmare. I was working 100~ hours per week, expected to work weekends, pay was lower than average and I was told by an exec that by law the US doesn't have to offer time off. I was never given an equity offer letter beyond what was agreed upon during negotiations (in other words I was lied to), and was repeatedly yelled at by the owner for no reason on various occasions.

Eventually I quit and my position was replaced with a friend / associate of the owner's (whom he had been in discussions with prior to me announcing I wanted to exit).

I signed no exit paperwork on my way out. In fact no one said anything to me. It was the most bizarre (and worst) job I've had in the last 20 years.

Should I write a blog post naming names and if so what does it gain me? Should I just let it go? Should I apply for unemployment even though I wasn't fired?

Write a letter/blog post and then burn/delete it. It sounds more like you're still processing the entire experience. Writing down your thoughts can be cathartic, but I see nothing to really gain from publishing it.

> Should I write a blog post naming names and if so what does it gain me?

Not much, maybe a defamation lawsuit if they find out about it and they’re sufficiently spiteful and petty.

> Should I just let it go?

Yes.

> Should I apply for unemployment even though I wasn't fired?

No, my experience is in California: the unemployment office sends the paperwork straight to the employer. That will be your former boss’s chance to (correctly?) accuse you of fraud and screw you over one last time.

Maybe post a review on Glassdoor?

I agree, help others avoid the pain. I found this one company that had a job that read very close to my resume. Before applying I checked glassdoor. Everyone loved the company, everyone except those in IT. Most of the IT reviews were about how atrocious, it was. I am very grateful to those who posted and saved me from the disaster.

If you don't let it go, then you'll end up like me - a burnt out, no future midlevel dev that doesn't see the point. Why try if I never make progress and get consistently screwed over? It's just the way life is.

If you want to do anything about this, it should be evaluating how you came to accept a job at this undesirable employer in the first place.

Are there questions you should have asked in the interview that would have lead to a different decision?

Are there attributes that companies that pay at or above average are looking for in candidates that you lack and could work on?

Let it go, but don't forget it. Use it to help inform future decisions of what to look for before joining a new organization.

https://youtu.be/YVVTZgwYwVo?t=59

You might want to check if this applies to your situation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructive_dismissal

Let it go! Don't make it take even more power to your life.

thanks for your comment, i'll let it go

You have to let it go; otherwise, it will just eat at you. If the job environment is as you described, then this company probably isn't going to last long.

sadly they are making millions within the first several months -- they're extremely profitable.

but i agree -- i'm going to let it go.

good comments here, i'll let it go ;)

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