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Ask HN: How to Quit a Solo Developer Role?

by ravroid on 11/11/21, 5:16 PM with 10 comments

I am currently the solo developer for a small team where I run the technology side of the company.

I work directly under the CEO who has zero technical background. He is constantly asking me for status updates, setting my priorities for me, and overall tends to micromanage. When I worked from home, he would ping me for updates throughout the day, sometimes even scheduling a second end-of-day standup. Now he expects me to work in-office because it's "better for rapid communication", which really just means he can micromanage more easily.

This morning I accepted a great offer for a remote position at a more established tech company.

My current predicament is that my boss will likely be completely screwed when I leave. To make matters worse, our account manager put in her notice yesterday, so he's already scrambling to find a replacement for her.

I am curious how to go about this transition without burning a bridge and screwing over my current team. One month isn't nearly enough to transition somebody into my role.

Has anybody experienced leaving a solo role without screwing over their company?

  • by rudasn on 11/11/21, 6:11 PM

    If you feel obliged to to do so, and it doesn't hurt your mental health or your new job, ask if he's willing to keep you part time to help with the transition on an hourly rate (much bigger than what you're getting now), for a limited amount of time (say a month or so).

    Your team will understand, as probably they are all micromanaged and would like a better deal as well.

    I was in a similar position a while back, but I was the one staying behind after the senior (and only other dev) quit for roughly the same reasons.

    No hard feelings towards the one quitting, on the contrary. Owner just outsourced everything soon thereafter and we all just moved on. (I wanted a break to recover from the burnout - which I later realised it was a burnout - but I got a new job a couple of weeks later, from HN no less!).

    Just be upfront and honest.. If he run out of money he would let you go. It's only logical that if you got a better deal you'd let him go.

  • by new_guy on 11/11/21, 5:28 PM

    Not your problem. Your manager did it to themselves. Just quit, and then say you'll be available to them as a freelance consultant if and when required (for more money obviously).

  • by kordlessagain on 11/12/21, 1:40 AM

    It sounds like you are ready to move on from a company that isn't yours to guide anymore. The CEO's job includes determining the fate of the company when you took the job, whether he knows that or not by now. The company isn't a person, and it has no feelings, but maybe you might be worried about hurting the CEO.

    Of course you may have stock in the company, which would hurt you. In that case, you should help find a replacement if you are a stakeholder!

  • by danielmarkbruce on 11/11/21, 6:54 PM

    Without having all the context - you just have to rip the band aid off. Leave, don't consult, give 2 weeks notice and if the reaction is bad, leave immediately.

    It sounds like you are an employee. I'm guessing you have zero/little equity. If the CEO wanted to make sure this wouldn't happen, he'd have incentives in place (like, a chunky amount of equity). But he didn't. He has to make choices and his choice always left this as a possibility.

  • by nowherebeen on 11/11/21, 7:06 PM

    He is using you like this and you are still worried about burning the bridge? If the CEO can only afford 1 developer, I don't think you need to worry about burning this bridge.

  • by sushsjsuauahab on 11/11/21, 5:23 PM

    Go part time. I've done this a month ago and it is going great.