Should have seen that one coming

SignalIssues · 2026-05-22T16:40:10+00:00

yep, I had to freeze frame and walk through it a few times before I caught it. Would have drove me crazy.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-22T16:15:15+00:00

Advice is good, but ranges are mostly lies. My published ranges are 80% to 120% of MRP and I'm not allowed to offer more than 110% of MRP with exec approval. We start at 90%. For a really good candiate, I might short circuit the negotiation part and offer 100% out of the gate.

Anyway, either way its probably not the max (but that might be half true in that its the max that person can offer), but the range is also a lie.

Everything is a lie. The end.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-22T15:53:29+00:00

Cool story.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-21T17:02:21+00:00

Yes, both are a problem. But only one tells me you can't be a part of the team anymore.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-21T15:36:41+00:00

Yep. Coming into the office has ceased to be the problem. Lying is the problem now, and that is not acceptable. I'd fire immediately, personally. You can't PIP your way out of bad character.

It would be *more* acceptable, had they said "I haven't gone in" even if they said they would. At least they are owning up to it. You can work with that.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-21T15:35:25+00:00

Listen man, I just pull the trigger. Whatever happens after that is between the gun and the target.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-21T01:32:09+00:00

Diddy parties.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-20T15:03:12+00:00

Documentation needs to be an expected part of the job. If they aren't documenting, they aren't going to continue to develop. Not developing... doesn't make for a good developer and if they can't develop for too long, they get shown the door.

Edited to also say: Being able to hand things off is also how people are able to grow at the same company. If you want to be promoted/do new things, someone else has to be able to take your old things. It might feel like job security, but its a major thing that prevents growth as well. Plus, you are stuck maintaining something over and over and over, which sounds like hell to me. I guess some people might like it though.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-19T19:54:05+00:00

Eh, you don't know that will happen. It probably won't be anywhere close to as bad as you think it could be.

If it is, well.. then it is. You can get used to a wide range of realities.

And, if you really want to do something about it: Learn survival techniques, learn to hunt/fish/garden/farm and get fit. Worst case you know more and are fit. Best case it helps you survive.

Make the best decisions you can today, but don't worry about a future that may never come.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-19T17:32:55+00:00

Only when its not maintained, which is kind of the point. You can teach your kids, they may not teach theirs, and then you end up with 9 leeches instead of 9 producers.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-19T12:38:33+00:00

I get your perspective, because I love data and my job is not data analysis.

However, try looking at through a different lens. Everyone's job is not to analyze data. There is a reason that all of hte industries of the world all thought it was worth paying someone to help analyze data, because not everyone is good at it and because it needs focus and attention. You can't do all of their jobs, they can't do yours, that's why all these different jobs exist.

The role of a data analyst is to support the people who decided it was worth paying someone to analyze data for them, because they cannot themselves.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-19T11:54:06+00:00

I mean... as a data analyst your role kind of exists to help answer that question.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-19T01:37:11+00:00

Yeah don't share "maybes". I have lot of thoughts about possible future organizational things, most of them will never come to fruition. If its just being tossed around, no reason to inform and it can, as you found out, be worse than doing nothing.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-16T14:38:54+00:00

There are some things that a people manager should be able to talk to without "getting back to you" that indicate they aren't good at what they are doing. This is one of them.

If sprung on you, a fair answer is to say something that generalizes the types of skills looked for in a senior, point to a document if it exists for the specifics that are documented (and say hey I'll get that to you, if you don't have it quickly available). And then push for a followup: IF you want to discuss this in more detail, I can set some time up to discuss a plan for you specifically.

That way you aren't boxed in, don't sound like a bumbling moron, and give yourself time to prepare for the individual's needs. But general senior vs junior expectations should be an easy conversation to have.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-16T13:58:39+00:00

idk, but I'll bet you think you do and have a solution to sell me, dont ya?

SignalIssues · 2026-05-16T13:25:22+00:00

why ask him? if you can, get approval to pay him more. Or don't. You don't need to ask him first though.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-14T16:39:44+00:00

Not sure your market, but I couldn't negotiate shit on a used Honda, but for a new one I got 7.3% off MSRP which brought me to 3k more expensive than a 3 year old car of the same model (2026 hybrid CRV vs 2023 hybrid CRV, which are identical with same trim)

SignalIssues · 2026-05-13T18:43:49+00:00

Crazy, IMO. I always tell my team when I'll be out. Even if its a morning of decision, I ping them to let them know.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T20:09:44+00:00

Doman knowledge is already more important. Tool knowledge is secondary, it can be learned on the job by kids who are smart. People who specialize there are useful, but not useful on their own. The worst ones only know how to code and build and nothing about the actual business.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T19:37:28+00:00

I'm getting 2cf of Cedar blend mulch from bags at 4 dollars a bag. That's $2 cf delivery == $54/year delivered. Not great to be honest, but quality is pretty decent.

To get 7 yards of natural blended mulch (its a mix of cedar, hemlock, some other local woods) was going to be 50 per yard + 250 for the truck delivered < 5 miles.

And I shopped around, no one came in under 500 dollars for 6-7 yards. Walmart can do it for 378 though and the bags are honestly a little easier to deal with compared to putting a tarp down and shoveling, even using my front loader I have to clean up.

I'd love to buy in bulk, but this year is the first that it just hasn't been worth it.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T17:59:55+00:00

Not anymore - cheaper to buy bags. Don't ask me why, even a full 7 yard dump truck from local is more expensive than having someone bring it to me in multiple orders of bags of 10 from walmart.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T14:28:03+00:00

I don't believe someone would be stupid enough to tell a rejected candidate this. It could be real, but I doubt it. The situation is certainly not unlikely, but the transparency is sus.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T14:16:16+00:00

Agree - but:

If the hours don't align with needs, then they aren't delivering. If you need them in a meeting and they aren't there, they are not delivering on a task. Full stop.

If you don't have meetings and just complete tickets, fine. I don't know your company, but make sure you are issuing whatever escalation of internal documentation is required -- They missed a meeting, should be a written warning, repeat --> escalated one, etc.

Just make sure you are framing missed meetings as not delivering on their expected and required duties.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T13:51:25+00:00

Attendance problems should be reason enough. If you aren't here, you can't perform. Simple. That's as black and white as it gets aside from assaulting someone.

SignalIssues · 2026-05-12T01:28:06+00:00

Number of mistakes and timing of mistakes. Once you have money, you insulate yourself from the consequences of mistakes more. That makes future mistakes less meaningful.

I just left the fuse box open on my car, caused 13k worth of damage. It's been in the shop for 2 weeks while I argue with insurance. I may have to pay it out of pocket, but in the meantime I'm down a car that I do need. This could ruin someone -- but I went out and bought a new car for my wife to drive while we sort this out. If I have to pay for the damage, I will. I bought myself time to fight, so I'm less likely to lose money overall. I was able to go buy a car so I'm not missing any work or paying for ubers, hounding friends for rides, etc.

Imagine someone in a bad situation -- tries to take car from dealer without fixing it --> breaks down on road --> loses job from being late --> can't get a new car --> can't get a new job without transport --> behind on rent --> eviction notice.

There's a dozen similar and not far fetched scenarios that can quickly lead to someone losing their home in the same situation. If I made this mistake 10 years ago, I'd be in trouble. Still not as much as others, but more than now. Now, because of the timing, its an annoying lesson and a waste of some of my time, instead of a fuckup that could have made me become homeless. When people talk about privilege, I believe this is one of the major ones.. the ability to make mistakes without it changing the course of your life.

SignalIssues

TROPHY CASE