Ask HN: Who is hiring? (December 2024)

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Role and Industry Patterns

  • Very wide range of roles: full‑stack/web, backend, frontend, DevOps/SRE, data/ML/AI, security, mobile, product, PM, design, marketing, and sales.
  • Strong presence of:
    • AI / LLM / data infra companies.
    • Healthtech, fintech, and legal/enterprise SaaS.
    • DevTools, observability, infra/cloud platforms.
    • Mapping, robotics, hardware/IoT, gaming, and crypto/Web3.
  • Many postings emphasize “founding engineer” or very early‑stage roles, with high autonomy and broad responsibility.

Remote vs Onsite and Geography

  • Mix of fully‑remote, hybrid, and strictly on‑site roles.
  • Remote roles are often constrained by:
    • Country (e.g., US‑only, Canada‑only, EU‑only).
    • Time zones (e.g., UTC±3, US time zones, EU time zones).
    • Legal/employment reasons (e.g., specific US states, countries where company has payroll/tax presence).
  • On‑site roles concentrated in major tech hubs: SF Bay Area, NYC, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Toronto, etc.

Compensation, Equity, and Seniority

  • Many posts list explicit salary ranges (often high six figures for senior US roles), but some omit comp, leading a few commenters to question seriousness or hiring intent.
  • Equity is common, especially at startups; some emphasize “meaningful” or “sizeable” grants.
  • Most technical roles target mid‑ to senior‑level engineers (5+ years), with fewer entry‑level or junior spots; a smaller number of internships and part‑time/contract roles are mentioned.

Application Process and Candidate Concerns

  • Several candidates note applying previously and ask whether to re‑apply for new roles or follow up; some companies explicitly invite direct email if applications stall.
  • A recurring concern is companies that appear to be “always hiring” or posting every month; some commenters characterize these as potential “ghost jobs,” while company representatives respond that they are genuinely hiring but filter many applicants.
  • Some questions around visa sponsorship and remote eligibility receive nuanced answers (often “it depends” on role/seniority or specific countries).

Meta Discussion and Moderation

  • Moderators occasionally step in to:
    • Detach off‑topic subthreads (e.g., complaints, personal messages to companies).
    • Remind participants of thread rules (no general discussion; keep it to job posts and concise clarifications).