You can not leave: about the difficult and often false choice
Almost every one of us at least once offered a new job in another city. I have received at least 10 such offers in 15-20 years. I even accepted one of them, being in St. Petersburg, and left to program in the USA. The bulk of such requests were from Moscow. I also remember that in the region of 2006 I wanted to leave St. Petersburg and even considered moving to Samara, where I went for the final interview.
As can be understood from the title of the article, this time we want to speculate on the topic of job change and relocation and hear the views of readers. In most cases, there is a choice between:
I want to consider the issue in general, and leave behind a passive search (when they are “hunted”, and the choice is between the status quo and the new place of work, that is, just a special case) and the relocation program of the current employer (often this is done with elements serfdom, when the right to move must also earn, and after the N-years exude loyalty and gratitude). The emigration stands out separately: in this case, first choose the country of future residence, and then the company in this country. The second option, when the new employer is in the current city, also wants to immediately discuss and exclude from further consideration. In most situations, at best, income increases slightly. More rarely, more interesting tasks and technologies are given, but after six months or a year everything can repeat. After all, both companies most often are engaged in approximately the same projects (there are several dozen successful product companies in the CIS), and therefore they have the same economy, including top limiters in terms of employee income.
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In general, it looks like this: to remain at a current place of work is unpromising. Usually, the cause of dissatisfaction consists of a set: legacy code, the project is tired, the boss is inadequate, they pay little, fed with breakfasts about a bright future, etc. At this stage there is an understanding that “something must be changed”, i.e. there is an awareness of the problem. Next comes the search for a solution, and here begins the struggle between striving for the new and the risk of losing what you have, without receiving positive changes. Therefore, we consider the arguments that support each of the options: the status quo and moving to another city in the office of the new employer.
Then you can set the weights and values ​​for both options for each of the parameters defined above, sum up each one and compare. Where it turned out more - that option and choose. In practice, so few people do, using other techniques, including the impulsive. Anyway, after the phase of analyzing the situation and risks, you can make a choice in favor of “change and move” or “stay with your own people”. I made this choice in person in November 1999.
There is a huge drawback in this choice - at the moment (April 2018) it can be false , because there are other options that in our time can not be considered. I see at least 3 additional options:
Few are willing to engage in business, this business is nervous and not always interesting, but this option is also worth considering.
If we talk about freelancing and remote work, then these options are available for 10-30% of specialists (criterion: they want and can work remotely), as our experience shows. The main difference between freelancing and remote work is that freelancing is the first step to entrepreneurship, in fact you are the owner of the company, where only you work. From this site it is possible to expand, I know successful examples. Remote work is normal work, simply in a remote format. All the same, just remotely, which imposes additional requirements on the person, the main of which is self-organization.
I do not have accurate data on the% of specialists from Russia who work 100% remotely. I believe that we are talking about 2-3%, i.e. growth potential tenfold. This is partly due to the fact that the legislative base of the state does not keep up with the demands of the time, but this is also solvable. But the main reason for the underdevelopment of the market is in people. Someone does not know about this possibility, another is afraid to try, the third is ready, but only without the risk of losing the "main job". All this can be multiplied by the distrust of both sides (at the start it is, what to hide) with remote interaction, and we get what we have now. But it is this format of work, as well as freelancing, that allow you to choose your place of residence independently, without reference to the office of the employer. Have you not dreamed of living where you want? If you add to this the opportunity to do what you like, then you will fall into that very small percentage of happy people. Indeed, it is possible to live where there is a good ecology, developed infrastructure, low cost of living and high quality of life, earning at the level of specialists from megalopolises and even more.
This all may seem difficult to understand (= fears they rule) to those who have never worked remotely, I myself went through this and therefore tried to objectively examine the problem. But after 6.5 years of work remotely, I feel like one of the members of the crew of Morpheus (“The Matrix”), because I discovered another, freer and more responsible alternative reality. About a couple of times a year I visit the offices of software companies, and each time I ask myself the question: “what are all these people doing here, how can we work here”?
The conclusion is simple and brief: do not fall for the bait of the “false choice”, consider the issue comprehensively, evaluating all the options for work and development . And make your choice, choose your rut. For example, if you received a call from Moscow or St. Petersburg, you started communicating (= ready to move), then look at other offers from this city, as well as options for working remotely to a local or foreign company, if you are ready for freedom and responsibility. Do not forget about the options of freelancing, your business and others that I have not listed (and they are). There are many life situations, but it is important to understand the main thing:
During the internal discussion of this topic, we asked several of our employees to speak about why they gave up the wrong choice, began working remotely and decided to independently determine where they live and in what conditions to work. The result can be found in VK or FB . I have been working remotely since 2012, and I am very pleased that our team has a “veteran remote” Vova, who has worked in this format for more than 9 years.
Maxilect is far from the only company offering remote teamwork, complex and interesting projects on a modern stack, for which we are continuously looking for people for key areas (Java / Kotlin, Python, JavaScript, test automation developers). We focus on the labor market and see that it is changing. There are new companies, in existing opportunities to work remotely at least part of the time. International companies also play an active role, especially start-ups, among whose founders are many people from the CIS.
We, and I think all readers will be interested to know the opinions of those who agreed to move or, on the contrary, retain the status quo. Or chose another option. What was personally decisive for you when deciding to leave or stay? Have you considered the possibility of remote work? Freelance?
Thanks in advance for the information and see you soon!
Article author: Maxim Korotkov, CEO, Maxilect
PS: We publish our articles on several sites runet. Subscribe to our pages on the VK , FB or Telegram channel to learn about all our publications and other news from Maxilect.
As can be understood from the title of the article, this time we want to speculate on the topic of job change and relocation and hear the views of readers. In most cases, there is a choice between:
- the status quo (i.e., not to change anything, the option to stay with one's often wins)
- search for a new employer in the city of residence;
- moving to another city to work in the office of the new employer.
I want to consider the issue in general, and leave behind a passive search (when they are “hunted”, and the choice is between the status quo and the new place of work, that is, just a special case) and the relocation program of the current employer (often this is done with elements serfdom, when the right to move must also earn, and after the N-years exude loyalty and gratitude). The emigration stands out separately: in this case, first choose the country of future residence, and then the company in this country. The second option, when the new employer is in the current city, also wants to immediately discuss and exclude from further consideration. In most situations, at best, income increases slightly. More rarely, more interesting tasks and technologies are given, but after six months or a year everything can repeat. After all, both companies most often are engaged in approximately the same projects (there are several dozen successful product companies in the CIS), and therefore they have the same economy, including top limiters in terms of employee income.
')
In general, it looks like this: to remain at a current place of work is unpromising. Usually, the cause of dissatisfaction consists of a set: legacy code, the project is tired, the boss is inadequate, they pay little, fed with breakfasts about a bright future, etc. At this stage there is an understanding that “something must be changed”, i.e. there is an awareness of the problem. Next comes the search for a solution, and here begins the struggle between striving for the new and the risk of losing what you have, without receiving positive changes. Therefore, we consider the arguments that support each of the options: the status quo and moving to another city in the office of the new employer.
Arguments for leaving the choice for the status quo (dream, but do not change anything):
- High quality of life - many have it, and it is difficult to part with it. I ask you not to confuse with a high standard of living (money and what you can buy on them), which you want to raise most often when you move. For example, in Moscow, a high standard of living is probably the highest in Russia, but for a significant number of people the quality of life there is not high. What quality can we talk about when we have to choose between traffic jams and stresses from traveling in the subway, where they can cheat one or two times? Few people can afford to immediately buy an apartment after the move, so there will be "pleasant" memories of the first years of life in the metropolis. Those who become normal for 2-3 hours a day on the way to work and back - it’s better not to even think about it. With ecology, the situation is not so clear. It's one thing when you live in an industrial city, where the environment is even worse than in Moscow, but a completely different alignment, when it comes to living in your home, the opportunity to drink clean water and breathe clean air.
- Fear of being wrong. Often it is exaggerated, since it is unlikely to lead to an irreparable situation. You can not pass a trial period, and it does not matter if you are confident in your abilities. A good specialist will quickly find a new job. Did not like the new city, did not solve the problem with the garden, as they wanted, or the wife can not find work - all this is fixable, just return back. People are returning from other countries, what can we say about Moscow-Peter?
- Break with societies of which you were a part. This is not about a complete break, it is difficult to do in the 21st century, but rather about situations where there is a company of old friends who are used to meeting often, or it is difficult to leave parents who need help. This also includes habits, some of which have been developed over the years and are closely related to the current place of residence.
- Unobvious material gain . It is unlikely that you will earn as much at a new place of work as local people who know the labor market (and where they also know) can earn. If you honestly count all hidden costs in addition to the cost of renting housing (increase in expenses for services, tickets to your homeland, paid kindergarten at least at the start), and also take into account the cost of housing and the prospects to buy it even in a mortgage, it will be very sad . Fortunately, this phenomenon is temporary, and after six months or a year, or maybe earlier, you can raise the issue of just compensation of work or simply change jobs (do not hesitate in proposals, because you are also available to companies that do not relocate, but while paying well).
- Fear of change . This is a deep and ancient phenomenon, inherent to all people, to one degree or another. Getting out of the “comfort zone” is hard, but without this, change is impossible.
Arguments for moving:
- Higher standard of living . Films on TV, stories of friends and impressions of a tourist trip - all this allows us to conclude that the standard of living in Moscow is higher than in any other Russian city.
- Ambitions go beyond the prospects that local restraints often have in the local market. Even work in branches of Moscow or international companies often involves discrimination based on geography, which will limit the scope of activities, areas of responsibility and income.
- Try new , while there is an opportunity. When I was 22, it was not difficult for me to move to the USA 6 months after the decision to “leave” was taken, since I had no family (and there was another time). Trying something new when you are 35, for example, and you have a wife and several children, it will be more difficult. Here at least my wife and I will have to negotiate, as well as think about the stress for children from changing their place of residence.
- Possibilities of a big city . This applies not only to work, about this in paragraph 1. It is rather a question of new socialization: in the Physics and Mathematics schools for children, the absence of broken glass on the streets (which is often met in the regions), museums and theaters (although at first there will hardly be time for this), higher pensions (for those dreams of living and believing in the pension system of the Russian Federation).
- The desire or circumstances of the "second half" . Sometimes it happens. For example, they offered one interesting job, I don’t want to part, in love at the distance of faith there is no need to go and the second one. It happens in a different way, when the “second half” wants “at least a new trough instead of a broken one”. To start.
- Ecology and climate . Moving from an industrial northern city can improve the situation in terms of climate and ecology, even if we are talking about moving to St. Petersburg (with its rain and dullness).
Then you can set the weights and values ​​for both options for each of the parameters defined above, sum up each one and compare. Where it turned out more - that option and choose. In practice, so few people do, using other techniques, including the impulsive. Anyway, after the phase of analyzing the situation and risks, you can make a choice in favor of “change and move” or “stay with your own people”. I made this choice in person in November 1999.
There is a huge drawback in this choice - at the moment (April 2018) it can be false , because there are other options that in our time can not be considered. I see at least 3 additional options:
- Freelance . Now you can independently find orders, including abroad, and be self-sufficient in terms of work. This, by the way, is practiced by many in addition to the main work, where there is no normal load. Freelance in 1999 in Russia may have been, but I have not heard anything about him. It was all the more surprising to learn about the consulting industry in the USA, where you can earn 1.5-2 times more by working for yourself and work not 11 months a year, but 6-7.
- Your business . This option was possible in the 1990s, but it was different, so many young companies did not exist. Now it all looks ordinary, there are successful examples, communities, business incubators, serial entrepreneurs.
- Remote work This, too, cannot be called a new phenomenon, but in the late 1990s there was no remote work market, where you would search for each other and give demand and supply intersections, moreover on a global scale. Now the market is there, it took place and will continue to develop.
Few are willing to engage in business, this business is nervous and not always interesting, but this option is also worth considering.
If we talk about freelancing and remote work, then these options are available for 10-30% of specialists (criterion: they want and can work remotely), as our experience shows. The main difference between freelancing and remote work is that freelancing is the first step to entrepreneurship, in fact you are the owner of the company, where only you work. From this site it is possible to expand, I know successful examples. Remote work is normal work, simply in a remote format. All the same, just remotely, which imposes additional requirements on the person, the main of which is self-organization.
I do not have accurate data on the% of specialists from Russia who work 100% remotely. I believe that we are talking about 2-3%, i.e. growth potential tenfold. This is partly due to the fact that the legislative base of the state does not keep up with the demands of the time, but this is also solvable. But the main reason for the underdevelopment of the market is in people. Someone does not know about this possibility, another is afraid to try, the third is ready, but only without the risk of losing the "main job". All this can be multiplied by the distrust of both sides (at the start it is, what to hide) with remote interaction, and we get what we have now. But it is this format of work, as well as freelancing, that allow you to choose your place of residence independently, without reference to the office of the employer. Have you not dreamed of living where you want? If you add to this the opportunity to do what you like, then you will fall into that very small percentage of happy people. Indeed, it is possible to live where there is a good ecology, developed infrastructure, low cost of living and high quality of life, earning at the level of specialists from megalopolises and even more.
This all may seem difficult to understand (= fears they rule) to those who have never worked remotely, I myself went through this and therefore tried to objectively examine the problem. But after 6.5 years of work remotely, I feel like one of the members of the crew of Morpheus (“The Matrix”), because I discovered another, freer and more responsible alternative reality. About a couple of times a year I visit the offices of software companies, and each time I ask myself the question: “what are all these people doing here, how can we work here”?
Instead of conclusion
The conclusion is simple and brief: do not fall for the bait of the “false choice”, consider the issue comprehensively, evaluating all the options for work and development . And make your choice, choose your rut. For example, if you received a call from Moscow or St. Petersburg, you started communicating (= ready to move), then look at other offers from this city, as well as options for working remotely to a local or foreign company, if you are ready for freedom and responsibility. Do not forget about the options of freelancing, your business and others that I have not listed (and they are). There are many life situations, but it is important to understand the main thing:
- If you always give in to changes, choosing the status quo, then perhaps you are not living the way you want, but the way people around you expect.
- Opportunities to change your life may come from outside (up to 35-40 years old, after a number of companies will not even call for interviews), in which case you will be driven and limited in choice.
- It is easier to make decisions when the position is more proactive, and even in the case of the first contact from outside, further initiative must be taken into your own hands in order to lead and manage the situation yourself. In this approach, more awareness and time wasting, but what could be more important than determining your own destiny?
During the internal discussion of this topic, we asked several of our employees to speak about why they gave up the wrong choice, began working remotely and decided to independently determine where they live and in what conditions to work. The result can be found in VK or FB . I have been working remotely since 2012, and I am very pleased that our team has a “veteran remote” Vova, who has worked in this format for more than 9 years.
Maxilect is far from the only company offering remote teamwork, complex and interesting projects on a modern stack, for which we are continuously looking for people for key areas (Java / Kotlin, Python, JavaScript, test automation developers). We focus on the labor market and see that it is changing. There are new companies, in existing opportunities to work remotely at least part of the time. International companies also play an active role, especially start-ups, among whose founders are many people from the CIS.
We, and I think all readers will be interested to know the opinions of those who agreed to move or, on the contrary, retain the status quo. Or chose another option. What was personally decisive for you when deciding to leave or stay? Have you considered the possibility of remote work? Freelance?
Thanks in advance for the information and see you soon!
Article author: Maxim Korotkov, CEO, Maxilect
PS: We publish our articles on several sites runet. Subscribe to our pages on the VK , FB or Telegram channel to learn about all our publications and other news from Maxilect.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/354406/
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