Why aren’t young tech workers more satisfied with their jobs?

Most professionals get into their chosen field out of a passion for a topic. And, hopefully, as entrepreneurs in that field who create something that can and will be used by others. But what about the work itself? Not just the meaning of work, but what you do every day. If you’re working in the tech industry, the answer is obvious. There’s no better place in the world to be a programmer. But again, what about the job itself? More specifically, what about the quality of work? Have you heard the “I hate my job” bit, or are you still blissfully unaware? It’s time to figure it out, perhaps while we enjoy placing some bets on new casino sites that came online in 2020/21…

“Silicon Valley still is a problem-solving and innovative place. Most jobs that exist are creative and challenge people to think differently. There’s definitely an air of innovation here,” said Andres Fonseca, co-founder and CEO of Muse, a tech and design jobs platform.

We’ve all heard the tale of the grumpy engineer who finds himself at the end of the phone with a customer, but as co-founder of tech startup Quox, Corben Piontek discovered, not all tech workers are miserable. “The worst thing I can say about my job was that I was not satisfied with my work,” he told me. “Working for Quox was exhilarating, but by the end, the money didn’t live up to the satisfaction of the work.”

Piontek, now CEO of Innovative Strategy Solutions, also experienced the classic “bump in the road,” when a business move caused a client to fall through, or not develop its product as planned, sending the team back to the drawing board. In both of these cases, the “crash and burn” of the work was actually an opportunity for learning.

“When you make a mistake, it forces you to look at your assumptions,” he said. “You need to look within yourself and decide if the next move makes sense for your company and your position in it.”

By admitting his mistakes, Piontek managed to reinvent himself and the company, earning himself not only a promotion but also what he considers a sweet start to a future career as an investor.

“I’ve also enjoyed learning about the world of investing and the various jobs that exist there,” he said. “It’s exciting to think about how I could add value to a company in a different way.”

An investment in Piontek’s company, Quox, turned out to be an investment in his own future, as well as the future of tech, he explained. “The lessons I’ve learned in Quox and other companies have been valuable for my career as an investor. I have a better sense of how a company and its team grows. The companies I invest in and help build have given me a broader perspective of the tech industry and technology business overall.”

The tech industry may very well be the most innovative in the world, but many of its workers are looking to break the mould and create a new generation of companies.