Ask HN: Who is hiring? (November 2024)

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Compensation and Cost of Living

  • Several comments analyze salary ranges relative to local costs:
    • A Swiss robotics role (100–140k CHF) is described as standard for software in Switzerland, but some argue 140k in Zurich is not “high income” for buying a house or supporting a family.
    • A Taiwan role listing “80k NTD+” is clarified as monthly (~$2.5k USD). Commenters note this is “pretty good” outside Taipei and “doable” within the city.
  • Multiple reminders that certain US jurisdictions (NYC, Colorado) now require salary ranges in postings. Some users point out non‑compliant listings and ask companies to update them.

Hiring Practices and Candidate Experience

  • Some roles require video submissions; at least one commenter reacts negatively (e.g., a 30‑second video requirement is called off‑putting).
  • Users complain about:
    • Broken or missing application links.
    • Posts that changed from “remote considered” to “onsite required,” asking companies to clarify.
    • Difficulty contacting posters who leave no email or DM mechanism.
  • A few companies are praised for unusually clear, thoughtful hiring processes and documentation.

Remote, Onsite, and Time Zone Constraints

  • Frequent questions around:
    • Whether “remote” roles are limited to specific countries.
    • If hybrid jobs are open to nonlocal candidates.
    • How much time‑zone overlap is acceptable; one company centered in CET will consider people up to ~5–6 hours away if they can attend core calls.
  • Some users are disappointed when otherwise appealing roles are onsite‑only or tied to a specific city.

Thread Rules and “Ghost Jobs”

  • A new explicit rule is highlighted: only post jobs you intend to fill and commit to responding to every applicant.
  • Users discuss “ghost jobs”:
    • Repeated identical postings over many months with no responses.
    • Companies allegedly ignoring applications despite posting each month.
  • Opinions:
    • Some are skeptical enforcement will be strong.
    • Others argue reputation, public complaints, and downvotes already penalize offenders and may deter future bad behavior.