[Update: Hired!] Startups and I don’t fit: got let go yesterday

[gigatexal]

[Update Oct 18 2018]
Tons and tons of unearned support from you all -- I really, really appreciate it.
I got an offer! Will be hearing about what they think salary and such at 5PM today.
See this post for more info: #79

[Update Nov 11th 2018]
I took a job as a senior python developer at Figo.io -- It's great!
Thanks a ton to everyone who reached out and went out of their way to lend a helping hand. The STH community is second to none. I just hope that I can pay it forward. If anyone is in the same boat let me know I am sure there's someone in our collective networks that can help you out. I am taking the lessons learned from my last startup and doing everything I can to go above and beyond to prove myself everyday at this job -- to prove to myself that I know what I am doing and to my employers for giving me a job. #104

i wasn’t really given a solid reason why the logistics startup I moved to Hamburg,Germany from the US for didn’t want to keep me on. It could be the move fast write terrible code in service of the MVP, my reminding them of the huge technical debt, and my skills in DBs going unused. Either way I’m in the stages of grief just posting this for no other reason than you guys seem cool and if I fall off the map for a bit it’s because I’m trying to find work to stay in Germany or will have to decide pretty quick to move back to the states.

 

[fohdeesha]

Sorry to hear that man. From your posts here over the years you're clearly a smart dude. Their loss!

 

[Marsh]

I spent 7 years worked for 4 startup, moved on after 3 months in 1 startup , 9 months in another startup.
2 startup paid out. I considered myself lucky.

Lots of friends tried startup route , eventually going back to a job with steady paycheck.

 

[gigatexal]

I’m just not the 10x developer everyone aspires to be. Yet anyway.

 

[Marsh]

Working for a small startup , writing bad code in a 32 hours day , is just part of the job.
Today, when I looked back my own experience, I must be crazy.

 

[gigatexal]

it was my first startup and the founders first as well. No budget, no direction, and not enough money. Also I was hired knowing that I would take a while to get up to speed (hired as jr dev from a non dev role but looking to get into it) and fired after 6 months for unclear reasons.

 

[Marsh]

If you don't mind my suggestion.

In the beginning, Only take the role if you could do your job remotely. Much less financial and personal risk.
Get to know the team, leadership , technical skill set , culture , business plan, equity part of the equation.
Then committed 200%.

 

[gigatexal]

If you don't mind my suggestion.

In the beginning, Only take the role if you could do your job remotely. Much less financial and personal risk.
Get to know the team, leadership , technical skill set , culture , business plan, equity part of the equation.
Then committed 200%.

I did none of those things. Ugh. Next time for sure.

 

[vl1969]

In my 20+ years of a carrier I worked for 5 start ups.
Never more than one or two years straight. Move on my own every time to a seemingly better situation just to find out that it was a lie. Than I thought I finally found a decent workplace.
Been there for 7 years. Guess what it closed in January. After 8! Month of searching got a new job 2 weeks ago. But I never even considered to move across the ocean for a job.

 

[Patrick]

Sorry to hear about this.

 

[BLinux]

Dude... That's a real bummer. I like to believe that every door that closes means new doors are opening in unexpected ways... Stay positive, keep your head up, and move forward.

I know not really knowing the "why" sucks, but i think of it as dating some emotional and irrational girl; it's not worth knowing why. I don't know how things work in Germany, but maybe if they gave you a reason it would put them at risk for lawsuit so their lawyers tell them to not say anything? Either way, move forward and good luck with the job search!

 

[kapone]

Damn dude. It sucks, but chalk it up to getting experience and move on. Nothing in life is 100%.

I have my own company and I still worry about something happening.

 

[Patrick]

I have my own company and I still worry about something happening.

I am fairly sure this is why I sleep 4.5 hours per night.

 

[kapone]

I am fairly sure this is why I sleep 4.5 hours per night.

Yup.

 

[Robert Fontaine]

The other thing about committing to a start-up is that most fail and the exit strategy for ownership is to sell.
In almost all cases you are in for a good time not a long time.

If you have no equity carrot then you need to be sure you are getting out of it what you need to satisfy you; experience, money, personal satisfaction... etc.

 

[_alex]

Damn, this sucks to read after you made the move over

But should not be to hard to find a job in an established company in germany - at least everybody claims all the time that there are not enough skilled devs on the market.

Also, doing some freelance on long-term projects can be a viable way to go. Has anybody told you that you could look at gulp for such Jobs?

 

[i386]

Sorry to hear that

I don't know how things work in Germany

fired after 6 months for unclear reasons

That was probably the probation time. In Germany people can be fired in the probation time without a reason ._.

 

[marcoi]

Always sucks having to deal with something like that.

Some suggestions that popped into my head.
Find all software and IT companies in your area and send a resume out. You never know.

Maybe do some of those online websites that you can sell your IT skills to try floating by until new job or direction.

Look for companies in US that have a branch in Germany and see if they need local people.

If your not tied into an area maybe move to a location closer to businesses that do IT or need IT support.

Spin the experience on your resume in a positive way. IE took chance but start had money flow and had to downsize.

 

[BackupProphet]

Sorry to hear that! Moving to another country and to be fired after 6 months must be horrible. Luckily it shouldn't be hard finding another position as the market for developers is really hot these days in EU. If you willing to move to the Nordic countries, you will find an even hotter market and better salaries.

 

[nthu9280]

Sorry to hear that. Keep your positive attitude. It's their loss.

I have not worked for a start up but after 17 years with fortune 100 company, they decided to outsource.. 500+ folks and much of the business knowledge was out few years ago. Adding insult to injury was training our replacements and it was a condition for severance.