
Ask HN: Being Highly Sensitive (HSP), can I find fulfilling work in tech? - stbn
»A highly sensitive person (HSP) experiences the world differently than others. Due to a biological difference that they’re born with, highly sensitive people are more aware of subtleties and process information deeply. This means they tend to be creative, insightful, and empathetic, but it also means they’re more prone to stress and overwhelm. Although being highly sensitive is completely normal — meaning, it’s not a disease or a disorder — it’s often misunderstood, because only 15 to 20 percent of the population are HSPs.« [0]<p>»Do you get rattled when you have a lot to do in a short amount of time? (...) Do you make it a high priority to arrange your life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations? (...) If you notice everything, you are naturally going to be overstimulated when things are too intense, complex, chaotic, or novel for a long time.« [1]<p>After my studies I have worked for 2 years in one of The Big Five. I take this as a proof that I have sufficient intellect for the field, but the time has also pretty much burned me out and badly damaged my professional confidence. Because I&#x27;m accurate but also kinda slow, sorting through the load of corporate e-mail alone I found overwhelming. Add a demanding environment, with time pressure, peer reviews and the like, and you have enough to brake me. Later, I co-founded a start-up and participated in another, both as a tech lead, and I enjoyed that time and role — but both companies failed. Since then, I have the occasional freelance work and earn a ridiculously little amount of money. I find it depressing that I tried different types of work (corp., start-ups and freelancing), and none seem to be able to provide a sane environment combined with appropriate income.<p>Now I wonder whether I have chosen the right industry. As an HSP, can one be a good fit for the tech world? If yes, what would be a fitting environment or role?<p>[0]: https:&#x2F;&#x2F;highlysensitiverefuge.com&#x2F;<p>[1]: https:&#x2F;&#x2F;hsperson.com&#x2F;
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framebit
I'm not terribly familiar with the language and framework around HSP, but I
can identify with many of the traits listed here: rattled by pressure,
accurate but quite slow, having to steel myself very deliberately to get
through PR reviews, etc. I've been doing a lot of work with the Enneagram
(highly recommend it, it's about understanding the trap and coping mechanism
that is your personality and transcending it to get to your true self) and I
definitely come down as a 4.

You can succeed in tech. Tech is so, so vast. There are so many areas and
facets to it that have nothing to do with FAANG or the Big 5 or whatever.

What's worked for me, and what may work for you, is to stay away from "sexy"
tech. I'm at a relatively unsexy tech company in an office on the east coast,
and I've found a group that's working on cool stuff without the pressure and
ego of stereotypical SV ("move fast and break things"). The environment and
culture is rigorous but much more relaxed, and my team places a lot more value
in correctness and runtime speed over development speed.

Not everyplace in tech is pressure cooker. Not every person is ego driven.
Even though I'm in a relaxed environment, I still struggle with comparing
myself to my colleagues and dealing with feelings of inadequacy, but because I
can recognize that tendency in myself I can do things to address it. Many of
those things end up being spending my time away from work _truly_ away from
work and finding my identity outside of my job. That might be antithetical to
running startups, or it may not.

My emotional intelligence is ultimately a benefit to my team if I can keep it
in check, just as the drive to get things done from one of my colleagues is a
benefit if kept in check, and the cautious nature of another if kept in check,
and the devil-may-care optimism of another if kept in check, etc.

We all need the strengths of each other, and your sensitivity, if kept in
check, will be a benefit in the right environment.

~~~
jackgolding
I agree with this, there are a lot of businesses which do interesting things
without the pressure and stress big 5 bring.

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dangerface
> I'm accurate but also kinda slow

Quality or speed you cant have both, there is lots of work in the tech world
for people that can produce quality. You also talk about wanting to be
organised, lots of work for organised people in the tech world. All of your
personality traits that make you feel overwhelmed are probably your greatest
assets if you can find work that makes use of them.

You have tried a lot of different types of work in the tech sector but there
are more still, lots more. Try smaller businesses and other less corporate
overlord tech companies.

In my experience there is more shitty work than there is good work, keep
trying shit until you find something that works for you.

~~~
stbn
Thank you for instilling some optimism. Of course you're right, one has to
keep looking.

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itronitron
You haven't yet tried a university system which may be a good fit for you.
They typically operate at a slower pace, are much more detail oriented, and
accommodate a wide range of employees.

~~~
stbn
Thanks for the suggestion! That would be something in the context of either
education or administration, right? Ironically, I always had the idea that
people end up in the university system if they're »not good enough to work in
the real world«.

~~~
itronitron
You'll probably want to look for research engineering related positions, a lot
of universities have associated research laboratories that do R&D work for
various organizations. Regarding the quality of people, I have one friend who
just went from a university position to Google and another that went to Apple.

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zunzun
Because this devastating condition is biologically determined, as has been
scientifically determined and the causative genes identified, you should be
able to apply for disability.

