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Ask HN: What realistically changes for a developer when taking a corporate job?

2 pointsultrasandwich11y ago8 comments

After years of working freelance and with smaller agencies, I have just been offered a really well paying front-end developer job at a huge multinational tech corporation. Since I've never made this leap, I'm of course suspicious of the corporate structure, and worried that the freedom I've enjoyed outside of it will dry up. Additionally, I'm worried that the constant learning experience of being a freelancer will somehow stop when I'm focused on just one product. Has anyone been through this transition, and gotten through with any kind of insights? I'm trying to stay open minded.

8 comments

7 comments · 3 top-level

icedchai11y ago· 3 in thread

you'll have a lot more time to browse the web and get paid for it.

ultrasandwichOP11y ago

Yikes, this sounds like a personal nightmare. Maybe I can use the time to work on other projects or open source stuff.

_RPM11y ago

Be careful not to write code for personal projects on company property, or they might be the owner of your code / product.

nostrademons11y ago

It's dangerous - check your IP agreements before you do any outside-work stuff at work.

andymoe11y ago· 1 in thread

The good health insurance can be nice and that 401k matching is powerful. Compound interest is pretty awesome too. It can be nice to work with others and have proper design and product management support and if you can seek out the best managers you can learn a lot from them but all of these things are hit or miss. I sure liked it better than my stint as an IT consultant and Network Engineer years ago but I don't think I'll ever be able to convince myself go back after start my own thing. That said, change can be good for you.

ultrasandwichOP11y ago

> The good health insurance can be nice and that 401k matching is powerful

Indeed the 401k matching seems pretty great. But part of me wonders if retirement investment really just comes down to being smarter with setting aside the income I'm currently earning.

> It can be nice to work with others and have proper design and product management support and if you can seek out the best managers you can learn a lot from them

Honestly I've found this to be true with my agency work as a freelancer too. Great project managers and some other devs who are badasses and mentors.

Thanks for sharing!

nostrademons11y ago

Depends on the company. At some of the better ones, don't underestimate the opportunity to work with really smart peers. Even some of the not-so-hot ones like IBM or Yahoo have really smart engineers locked up inside them.

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