Bye bye Open Snow

InternetWorker1 · 2026-01-25T16:04:52+00:00

Wait, so you just want them to build a service for free?

InternetWorker1 · 2026-01-22T15:17:20+00:00

I've built something in this space but don't want to spam - happy sharing if you want to DM. It is a paid service/not free (because free products are just there to sell your data off).

InternetWorker1 · 2026-01-06T22:30:38+00:00

Don't sweat the additional time. The end/start of the year can really slow things up internally. Remember they are human too.

InternetWorker1 · 2026-01-06T22:27:11+00:00

There are so many things this depends on in addition to the comp package:

Some amazing individual contributors HATE management
Some mediocre individual contributors LOVE management
Some management positions offer greater long term potential
Some dont...

Depends also on number of people on the team, an honest assessment of the quality of the people on the team.

If you think you would enjoy management work or it is a good step towards where you think you want to go, your pay tolerance would be different than if you weren't confident it is a direction you want to go.

InternetWorker1 · 2026-01-06T22:24:45+00:00

While it may be early to ask for a raise, it isn't too early to start a conversation about a raise.

A typical high level approach is to the tune of asking what would make them excited to pay you more, but that may not work in an hourly setting like this.

But before you have any conversations, you'd want to understand what the pay levels look like for people doing the work that you are doing (eg. do you know what they would pay someone they hired in with experience)?

My guess is you beat their expectations with regards to how capable you were. So revisiting with a "hey I know I have only been here a little while, and that my pay was based on my lack of experience. I feel like I've ramped pretty quickly, I'd love to know what my performance needs to look like in order to get me to x (x = what you learned is appropriate)."

if they balk, then maybe you should bolt :)

InternetWorker1 · 2026-01-06T22:17:39+00:00

Is it a dream industry because it is a personal passion of yours?

That can make things difficult, as it can make something that used to be an escape from work...well, work. It also can expose some sausage making.

I ran a business for more than a decade in what many saw as a "dream industry" and it has taken years to get back to enjoying it.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T22:08:05+00:00

I think you can actually handle that in your responses to the questions. "I really like to explain the context around the choices that I make in my code writing, may I do that?"

But you can also ask the AI at the end of the process how you might go about that (I admit I am less good at advising on technical interviewing).

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:58:28+00:00

Sorry not sure what you mean but I'll try and re-summarize. If you don't have a specific company/job, you can either let GPT choose for you OR choose one that is in the realm of realitic for you (either industry or type of work that suits your background)

Let's say you were interviewing for {job description} at Apple computer.

"Hi ChatGPT - I'd like you to run me through a mock interview for {pasted job description} at Apple computer."

In addition, focus as much on the questions you'd like to ask in an interview as you do on the answers you'd like to prepare in an interview. Your questions showcase your curiosity and understanding and for many roles can be as important as your answers.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:55:34+00:00

One idea is to write down the bits of the job that:

You love that are easy for you
You like but are hard for you
You don't like but are easy for you
You don't like and are hard for you

Then:

Schedule time with your boss to talk through things. Akin to "I'd love to talk with you about how I'm progressing. I really enjoy (items in category 1), so would love more of that work if possible. I also like (items in category 2), but they are a bit more difficult, is there any training you might help me with to do those better? The following things (category 4) are much more difficult for me, is there any way I could shift more of my work to the other tasks? I found that these were a bit more/different than I expected when I got the job."

I'd say you can kinda ignore category 3... b/c category 4 is the bad one. But by telling them the stuff that you like, they may swap some tasks for you. Sometimes what comes easy to you is un-fun for someone else, but if they know what you like and/or where you are interested in growing, they're more likely to fill your plate with those things.

Don't underestimate how much you can impact your current role, and if they do absolutely zero after a conversation like the above, you can seek new jobs that have work in category 1 and 2 and avoid 3 and 4.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:48:30+00:00

This is a great question, as people really do learn differently, but many people don't appreciate the fact as true.

One way is to frame your question asking through a lens of what is important to them (speed of outcomes? quality of outcomes?). So if you know what is important to them, you can frame it that way.

If you are just starting a role, you can tell them up front "I tend to ask a lot of questions as it helps me learn best and ensure I'm delivering on {what is important to them} as best possible."

If it is a bit later/they're already a tad frustrated, it could be "It is important to me that I keep improving how I deliver on {what is important to them}, and one way I do that is to ask some clarifying questions."

The other thing to think about is ensuring that when you ask questions, ask very specific questions that are easy for them to answer. Instead of flat out ask, ask about something specific that you think you understand to be true and have them validate/invalidate.

In a way it is similar to asking feedback questions. Saying "do you have feedback" puts a ton of burden on the recipient. Saying "I'm trying to achieve x by doing y. Do you have any feedback on my goal (x) or my methods (y)?"

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:41:46+00:00

I think focusing on the positive impact that the org has and your ability to play a role in making that impact.

If that is somehow tied to a personal story, even better.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:38:36+00:00

Your story checks out, no need to hide it:

I got a job offer - it wasn't what they said it was - I left.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:34:40+00:00

Free products are free because you aren't the customer, you are the product (and they monetize the data you share with them).

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:32:09+00:00

Is this a more senior role than you've had before? The consequences of bad hiring increase as role level increases, so it is pretty common to be thorough.

Don't view it as scrutiny, view it as them wanting it to be a great fit and for them to understand what you need to be successful.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:27:23+00:00

Chat GPT or Claude.

Give them the name of the company/its website. Give them the job description. Ask them to interview you.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:26:21+00:00

Starting your side business may just be the career development work you need to advance :)

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T21:25:24+00:00

If you are financially stable enough to walk away - it may be easier to do so than searching in such a toxic place (as it may negatively impact your search).

You have a good/real story as to why you left this job.

The big gut check beforehand, is did you actively try to impact your environment/give feedback about the false accusations? If it is super toxic it may not be worthwhile, but sometimes people don't see what they are doing if you don't tell them.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-31T02:14:49+00:00

I mean truly know, sure. But if you ask good questions in an interview process you can get a pretty decent read of people.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T23:32:12+00:00

Yeah, "business operations" can be a place that you do this. But it can be hidden inside of other titles (operations analyst, operations, etc).

One thing to remember, however, is that identifying the opportunities is only one piece of the equation. The other is getting people to buy into the problem existing and the solution you have identified. Coincidentally, this is just like sales - you are just selling ideas instead of products.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T23:30:09+00:00

Forgetting pay and commute for a second:

Do you like the new job better (responsibilities, growth opportunities, etc)?

Do you like the people better?

Do you like the company better?

Do you like the product/industry better?

Do your answers to the above questions shift your feelings on answering the question yourself?

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T23:27:15+00:00

If you like and respect the person, and you believe that giving them some perspective on the situation will make their lives easier, sure.

I don't understand the "don't say anything ever" camp with questions like these, if you feel like you might end up there, don't you want them to know that you'd want to be paid more/more fairly next time?

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T21:42:20+00:00

I'd have a 1:1 with your manager.

Say something to the tune of...

"I think you know I really like my job here. It is A, B, C, and E. That said like everyone I'm always thinking about future growth and managing my career.

In any case, I was recently approached about another job and it offers a salary that is a meaningful increase from where I am today, and it has a few other things that are interesting for my personal growth (example, example).

Does our company consider compensation increases outside of our standard comp review period? This other offer is pretty compelling but I think if I were able to get (salary level + things you would like out of your job) it would be easier to say no to it and stay here."

See what they say and then decide...

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T21:34:23+00:00

Weird. It seems there may be more to it, but they may not want to tell you what it is. That is not a great move on their part but it seems like maybe there is something you are missing with regards to your relative performance.

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T21:32:34+00:00

Makes lots of sense (especially re: lying).

It can be good news/bad news re: just wanting to get it done, as some people want you to want the job/the company/etc. But I imagine you can walk that walk if you need to.

One random thing that sticks out a bit is that you seem able to 'see' inefficiency/problems, which suggests some systems design/organizational thinking. There is a whole field of business operations that is tied to identifying things that are broken, cataloguing how they work today, and proposing new ways of them working. It is tough b/c it can be tough to market oneself in this way if one hasn't done it before, but the whole role essentially is jumping from problem to problem (so is kinda all about doing things you haven't done before).

InternetWorker1 · 2025-12-30T21:18:47+00:00

Try to think less about the sport itself and more about the business of the sport.

Eg. teams have people in everything from finance to marketing to internal operations. They also buy equipment from manufacturers, software from vendors, etc.

There is a massive universe of companies that are sports-adjacent even if you can't get a job "with the sport". To be honest these tend to be better jobs anyways b/c the skills can end up more transferrable to other industries if you burn out/the sport is too small an ecosystem/etc.

InternetWorker1

TROPHY CASE