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Comment by profstasiak | Hacker News Reader

Quit your job. Deep down you already made the decision.

If you need logical reasons why, read about this study on how we all should make more change decisions:

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/study-of-20000-coin-tos...

This is the answer. And don't worry about applying logic to it: Do what you want to do, and will make you happy. Do it intelligently: Don't quit your current job until you have a new one secured. Don't burn any bridges. Don't accept less than your current salary. But do it.

The truth is that most people make their decisions emotionally, then explain and achieve them rationally. That's okay. Do what you want to do, not what you think you can justify.

> Don't accept less than your current salary. But do it.

I've accepted a lower salary a few times to move on from an org to a better work life balance. Usually it involves moving away from NYC companies. Salary shouldn't be the singular reason for not accepting a position if it's competitive.

> I've accepted a lower salary a few times to move on from an org to a better work life balance. Usually it involves moving away from NYC companies. Salary shouldn't be the singular reason for not accepting a position if it's competitive.

I'd be hesitant on giving this advice because it's the exception - not the norm.

I've done the same - taken less pay for a chance at a better work environment. But I was going from like $1m+/yr (IPO gains) to $400k/yr. It was a huge cut but it wasn't going from market rate to below market rate which is what your advice is kinda leading with. It was going from a very "above market rate" (tbh - it was probably still below market rate because I had done startups before that hadn't worked out... This was one that was kinda working out) to something closer to market rate.

I plan to change jobs and find one with better hours, better environment, etc... I plan to make about $500k/yr at the next job.

You're right, actually, that's legitimate. Sometimes it can be worth it. I did a similar move earlier in my career.

But it's another layer of tactical thinking - what are you getting in exchange for that money? So for the OP, I'd encourage them to figure out if they're making market rate or not before they make that judgment.

Curious where you went to (at least geographically, if you don't want to share details) from "NYC companies".

I'm in the NYC area, and the delta between companies in NYC vs. elsewhere nearby (i.e. NJ) is huge both in terms of options and pay.

I have a few friends in NJ that explicitly refuse to work in NYC/Manhattan because of the horrible commute/transit situation. The downside is that they seem to have very limited options in terms of companies they can work for in NJ.

I moved upstate and another was in MA. So on both occasions I moved from NYC area.

I really enjoy research like this and I can't put my finger on why. I don't think I'd have the same interest in a study about a particular decision - like whether people are happier or not after they've had children.

There's something about simple studies about long term/life altering decisions that appeals to me. I get the same feeling from reading this and reading 80,000 hours [0].

[0] https://80000hours.org/

Seems like you’re advising that OP quit his job simply because that’s what his intuition is saying.

Our intuition often misguides us when problems are complex. Whether or not this is the type of problem that you should follow your intuition on depends on how multi-faceted the criteria are for a successful work relationship. The more multi-faceted the criteria, the more we should use our rational brain to decide.

If intuition is consistently biased in the "stay" direction then it's not exactly wrong to say "if even your intuition says you should quit then the case for doing so is most likely overwhelming"

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