Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Have I just had a string of bad jobs or am I an awful developer?

2»

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I've seen good and bad and everything in between.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    Something that isn't discussed too often is the changing face of IT. It's a hugely different industry now to where it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. Some of the changes have not been for the better (I'm looking at you, Agile!) to put it mildly.

    Agile is great if it is implemented properly and people buy into it. Most companies and managers switch to releasing every two/four weeks, hold a daily stand up and declare that they have implemented Agile. Agile is a very different way of working and I don't think it is a great fit for a heck of a lot of organisations in Ireland. Irish organisations are very hierarchical by nature.
    Constantly having to keep up with the latest fad, the long hours, etc, doesn't suit everyone.

    Am I the only person who doesn't experience this? For a heavy, very heavy, majority of my career in the sector, irrespective of the level I was working at, I've worked 9-5.
    Main reason lots of us got into software was the challenge and excitement of creating stuff in software. Think that's gone for a lot of people now.

    Working life in Ireland has gone to sh1t for most people. A solicitor I work with was telling me that he has noticed a huge shift in his line of business over the years. He works with HR most of the time and screwing staff as much as possible is his normal mode. HR dictates how managers operate, so they shift their thinking accordingly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭John_Mc


    Might be a bit overstated but you can't deny that a lot of places can be quite toxic , especially corporate IT departments. The truth of the matter is that IT/software doesn't necessarily suit everyone and, also, people get tired of it, burn out whatever.

    Something that isn't discussed too often is the changing face of IT. It's a hugely different industry now to where it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. Some of the changes have not been for the better (I'm looking at you, Agile!) to put it mildly.

    Constantly having to keep up with the latest fad, the long hours, etc, doesn't suit everyone.

    Main reason lots of us got into software was the challenge and excitement of creating stuff in software. Think that's gone for a lot of people now.

    I don't think you're wrong but you don't need to be in IT or software development to be dealing with toxic office politics and personalities. It's the same for those working in marketing, sales, HR etc. I'm sure it's not all rosy for non-office jobs too.

    Even from your use of language calling it a "fad" instead of a new technology to play around with speaks volumes. I'm only doing this professionally for 12 years but the amount of code I used to have to write for basic functionality vs. now is incredible. I'm far more productive and spend more of my time doing interesting stuff rather than copy & paste boring stuff.

    As for long hours - that's up to the employer and employee and it is not unique to software development. You usually only have yourself to blame if you stay with an employer who mismanages/under resources projects and forces you to work overtime to compensate for it on a consistent basis.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    It not unique to IT no. But IT and specifically programming, does attract a certain type of personalities.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭John_Mc


    beauf wrote: »
    It not unique to IT no. But IT and specifically programming, does attract a certain type of personalities.

    Yeah I would agree with that. But then so does sales and marketing. I have many friends working in that industry and it's very well paid but it's also cut throat and dog-eat-dog.

    There are people on here complaining about keeping up to date with technologies and complaining about OT and office politics. I'm just saying other industries are the very same and much of what the OP has talked about would happen working in a different industry


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 991 ✭✭✭TuringBot47


    Berserker wrote: »
    Am I the only person who doesn't experience this? For a heavy, very heavy, majority of my career in the sector, irrespective of the level I was working at, I've worked 9-5.

    Nope, me too.

    But I tend to work avoid customer engineering/support roles, focused on core frameworks/backend work.

    Avoided any roles requiring you to be on-call.

    But there's been times I put in the work for serious issues, weekends, working from home/weekends... very much the exception not the rule.

    But skipping back a few posts... stereotypical good/star developers keep up-to-date on the latest technology stacks.
    You don't have to, and can remain where you are.
    But at some stage, you'll have the career path choice of architecture or management. If you're an average developer you probably won't make architect.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Programmers often think like a 1980s VCR instruction manual. Sales guys don't.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,790 ✭✭✭John_Mc


    beauf wrote: »
    Programmers often think like a 1980s VCR instruction manual. Sales guys don't.

    Meaning Sales guys are automatically easier to work with?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    John_Mc wrote: »
    Meaning Sales guys are automatically easier to work with?

    Meaning different personality types. Sweeping generalization and all that.

    Trying to ask a question on linux forum without getting a RTFM response is another example.


  • Registered Users Posts: 569 ✭✭✭hooplah


    Berserker wrote: »
    Working life in Ireland has gone to sh1t for most people. A solicitor I work with was telling me that he has noticed a huge shift in his line of business over the years. He works with HR most of the time and screwing staff as much as possible is his normal mode. HR dictates how managers operate, so they shift their thinking accordingly.

    This is getting off topic but that's a very interesting anecdote. What does this chap do, advise on contracts? trouble shoot when there are disputes?


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Be interesting to know that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 869 ✭✭✭moycullen14


    hooplah wrote: »
    This is getting off topic but that's a very interesting anecdote. What does this chap do, advise on contracts? trouble shoot when there are disputes?


    HR and all it's minions will be first up against the wall when the revolution comes. Worse than a shower of nazis.

    That's this thread done #godwin


  • Registered Users Posts: 869 ✭✭✭moycullen14


    John_Mc wrote: »

    Even from your use of language calling it a "fad" instead of a new technology to play around with speaks volumes.

    Ah come on, IT has got to be one of the 'faddiest' industries out there. Whole sections of the industry are devoted to the 'next big thing' They tend not to deliver on their promises and much of the good they do is negated by their forced adoption by cargo cult zealots. The basics of good engineering practice don't change much.

    How much of this stuff is actually new but a repackaging of existing technology?

    'Playing around' with the latest craze is one thing but when it gets show-horned into every conceivable situation - whether suitable or not - it tends to reduce its effectiveness.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    'Playing around' with the latest craze is one thing but when it gets show-horned into every conceivable situation - whether suitable or not - it tends to reduce its effectiveness.

    And that is where good technical leadership comes into play in an organisation. Good technical leaders have the ability to determine whether the craze is going to be of benefit or not. They can build a case for or against its use and they can present the reasons for/against using it to the relevant parties.
    hooplah wrote: »
    This is getting off topic but that's a very interesting anecdote. What does this chap do, advise on contracts? trouble shoot when there are disputes?

    Works on the contracts. He is constantly amazed by the lack of attention that employees pay to the contracts they are signing. Reckons that most people don't read them before they sign them. Sales is particularly bad.


Advertisement