In a situation that has left many questioning conventional notions of merit, a full-stack developer recently shared his experience of being laid off while a colleague, whose mistakes he repeatedly corrected, received a promotion. The incident, recounted in a Reddit post, highlights the often opaque dynamics of office politics and workplace recognition.
Career Setback Despite Dedication
The developer, 31, revealed that he was let go from a startup where he had invested significant effort in supporting both the team and the product. “I really cared about the team and the product,” he wrote, noting that he frequently stayed late to fix errors in the work of his colleague. From correcting buggy pull requests to quietly applying hotfixes before client demos, he described a pattern of consistently cleaning up mistakes that were not his own.
Adding to the sting, the colleague who struggled with his work received a promotion, triggering disbelief and frustration. The Reddit post notes, “Yesterday, I saw his big LinkedIn post saying he got promoted, grateful that he can lead a team, and had the audacity to say ‘Hard work pays off’ in his post caption. I'm like, WTF?” The developer’s account paints a picture of a workplace where personal connections influenced advancement, noting that the manager who approved the promotion shared a golf club membership with that colleague and often joked about it during meetings.
Reactions and Reflections
The post drew a wide range of responses from Reddit users, many reflecting on the realities of corporate culture. One commenter observed, “Unfortunately the social brown nosing is a huge factor in promotions and job safety in general.” Another suggested, “Also you will do better posting on LinkedIn than sending out apps alone, that's how recruiters find you.”
The developer acknowledged the lesson learned from the experience: “Right, if I stayed there, I would still be stuck late at nights cleaning up his mistakes.” He also expressed relief at moving on, saying, “It feels annoying but at the same time relieved that I got out of there soon enough. I don't think I'll be successful with him leading the team.”
Other commenters reinforced the point that workplace success is not always tied to merit. One noted, “A mid-high producer vs someone connected to the boss can’t win,” while another warned, “Don't fix others’ errors without letting your supervisors know who should get credit.”
Despite the setback, the developer is continuing his job search, maintaining a disciplined approach of submitting multiple applications daily while focusing on staying positive and healthy.
Career Setback Despite Dedication
The developer, 31, revealed that he was let go from a startup where he had invested significant effort in supporting both the team and the product. “I really cared about the team and the product,” he wrote, noting that he frequently stayed late to fix errors in the work of his colleague. From correcting buggy pull requests to quietly applying hotfixes before client demos, he described a pattern of consistently cleaning up mistakes that were not his own.
Adding to the sting, the colleague who struggled with his work received a promotion, triggering disbelief and frustration. The Reddit post notes, “Yesterday, I saw his big LinkedIn post saying he got promoted, grateful that he can lead a team, and had the audacity to say ‘Hard work pays off’ in his post caption. I'm like, WTF?” The developer’s account paints a picture of a workplace where personal connections influenced advancement, noting that the manager who approved the promotion shared a golf club membership with that colleague and often joked about it during meetings.
Reactions and Reflections
The post drew a wide range of responses from Reddit users, many reflecting on the realities of corporate culture. One commenter observed, “Unfortunately the social brown nosing is a huge factor in promotions and job safety in general.” Another suggested, “Also you will do better posting on LinkedIn than sending out apps alone, that's how recruiters find you.”
The developer acknowledged the lesson learned from the experience: “Right, if I stayed there, I would still be stuck late at nights cleaning up his mistakes.” He also expressed relief at moving on, saying, “It feels annoying but at the same time relieved that I got out of there soon enough. I don't think I'll be successful with him leading the team.”
Other commenters reinforced the point that workplace success is not always tied to merit. One noted, “A mid-high producer vs someone connected to the boss can’t win,” while another warned, “Don't fix others’ errors without letting your supervisors know who should get credit.”
Despite the setback, the developer is continuing his job search, maintaining a disciplined approach of submitting multiple applications daily while focusing on staying positive and healthy.
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