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Comment by austinz | Hacker News Reader

I hope someone writes a "I've decided to move on from 'finding myself' and get a nice job at a big prestigious software company" article, as a way to close the loop.

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It's an interesting thought and I wonder how many of us who make money on the Internet and spend our days working for smaller companies will actually end up working for corporations. But, we should also note that you can keep working on side projects while working for a big corporation. This also is not the end of the world, depending on who you are. Some, that will kill their soul. For others, it's a great way to have stability and also get to work on what you love.

That said, it's not the end of the world. A big company can afford many things - incredible monetary backing to ship new things, a large support ring, and also stability. I've often railed on the choices of our parents to live in suburbia, but the older I get I realize that I could see myself living in a decent sized house with some land.

Thanks to Ryan for writing the post and getting this discussion started.

I always thought to some extent, that working at a large company (under very particular circumstances) could provide you with the resources and connections necessary to work on a side project/future startup at your leisure, without having to deal with the pressure of rapidly-draining funding or extraordinary levels of stress before you're ready.

Some big tech companies even provide support for people who want to do this (of course, under certain constraints, and to a certain extent).

Then again, if you're comfortable at a big company and working on something as a hobby or side project, the impetus to get it done and move quickly isn't there as well. Plus, a steady, large income produces a sort of complacency and tendency towards a more expensive lifestyle that would be hard to sustain once you leave again. So I guess it's a double-edged sword.

Also, if you do this, it has to be at a company where the environment and the work you do isn't toxic, but rather something you enjoy. While I was at another company doing work I really didn't like, I thought to myself that I'd compensate by working on a side project. I was only fooling myself, because when I got home I was so bored, tired, and frustrated that I had no energy to do anything technical. Different personality types might cope differently, though.

Big companies get a lot of flack from us startup geeks when in reality, they can provide the best learning and mentorship for continued growth. As with everything, it all depends on the company and your personal preference.

> Also, if you do this, it has to be at a company where the environment and the work you do isn't toxic, but rather something you enjoy. While I was at another company doing work I really didn't like, I thought to myself that I'd compensate by working on a side project. I was only fooling myself, because when I got home I was so bored, tired, and frustrated that I had no energy to do anything technical. Different personality types might cope differently, though.

Absolutely. I stayed too long at a defense contractor where the environment was a slow-drip toxin that eventually sapped my will to do anything outside work not related to history or wargaming. Throw in anxiety and personal issues I refused to seek help for due to the stigma of psychological treatment in a secure environment, and I was a mess. I'm in a better place now, but still recovering from the low point.

You make some good points, Austinz. I start with the thought of "What kind of life do I want to live?" and then go from there to figure out how much I need to make to make it happen. Then, any money made above that goes into savings or investing or back into a side project. The goal, for me, is to get to the place I want to be and then I will never go out on my own without the business to support it.

I think what you say about toxicity is really interesting. If it's not toxic, it depends on the person if they want to put up with it.

I'm slowly learning which one I am. I think I can put up with it, but I don't want to.

I hope that when it does get written, they don't make so many narcissistic allusions to "As you know from reading my prior body of work..."

Would this be a bad thing? I'm considering this.

I don't think it would be a bad thing. It would definitely bring balance and another perspective, which would be in my opinion much more helpful to someone contemplating their life direction.

I hope to write that essay in the coming weeks (although I'm looking at smaller startups).

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