news.ycombinator.com
Ask HN: Better places to work for burntout SWE?https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46211822I've tried my share of startups and megacorps, FAANGs. I am in a stage where I cringe on hearing a mission is so important that it needs a 996 culture. I also hate work getting stolen in the name of collaboration and politics in general thats daily business in Megacorps. I just want to bang out code, mentor juniors and deliver value in a small team that doesn't have an unhealthy obsession with growth or overworking. Maybe with rich founders who don't want to get more rich.Where can I find good places to work, especially in the US that offer: 1. Remote first setting 2. Mission oriented like Privacy, non-profit background etc (or Open Source with proven history) 3. Holocracy/Flat structureI think the above 3 criteria will really narrow down places that prioritize mission over growth/profits and automatically not pay a lot yet have a higher technical bar that deters a lot of folks who would end up optimizing for things that lead to a mess. Am I looking for a Unicorn?Dec 9, 2025 10:50 PM


