#151: The Tech Grim Reaper

The Story Behind The Tech Grim Reaper

Even after all these years, executives in the tech industry still find ways to surprise me with their new and creative ways to take as much advantage of people as possible. Long gone are the days of underpaying, and overworking younger employees and interns. (If you are a business executive and find yourself overextending your staff, you should probably get with the times, there are new games to be played!) The trendy thing now is to over-hire during the Spring months, using "anticipated growth" and "accelerating demand" as the primary drivers for growing headcount; and then conveniently execute a RIF (Reduction in Force) when the numbers don't quite line-up for bonuses, raises, or the stock market. I feel like Jay Gould, the Commodore, and their peers would be proud.

I do feel a twinge of remorse for helping certain people during my career. After going through numerous RIFs, lay-offs, poachings, and terminations I've decided to change course a bit. I'm now prioritizing genuine connections over passing acquaintances, commanding my own time over selling it to the highest bidder, honesty over "corporate values", and you know what? I'm way happier now. I know that I don't have the clout to change the system - also, it never ends well for those who change the world anyways - but I can tell you this: if you change your focus from having, taking, infinitely progressing to just being a genuine human you'd be surprised at how much better things become.

Plain Text Description of The Tech Grim Reaper

A tech worker is sitting at a modern-looking desk with a laptop, hands raised exclaiming, "Wait! I'm not ready! ...there's so much I haven't accomplished!" Entering from the right, a tall Grim Reaper holding a scythe responds casually, "Come on, this is the third time you've been laid off in two years. You should be used to this by now."