Need advise on getting myself released from project
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
It's 6 months, suck it up and live with it. Mind you I am supporting s system they promised they would retire 3 years ago so maybe you need to do something. Demand more money, the only way forward for indispensable is more money.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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It's 6 months, suck it up and live with it. Mind you I am supporting s system they promised they would retire 3 years ago so maybe you need to do something. Demand more money, the only way forward for indispensable is more money.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
Well, ya I could do that I suppose. Been here for 15 months already. What's another 6 months? Your system was supposed to have been retired 3 years ago? I see that and I raise you - the system I am supporting was supposed to have been retired 4 years ago!
Mycroft Holmes wrote:
Demand more money, the only way forward for indispensable is more money.
That's not a bad idea at all. And its about time too! Thank you!
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
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This in itself is not really such a bad thing if a promotion means going from Developer to something stupid like a Business Analyst or Project Manager...
do or do not, there is no try
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That is a very very scary thought.
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Thanks for your reply. The continuation project has actually been underway for like, 4-5 years now and is finally looking like it might go live next year and for some reason that was built using VC++ 7.0 (which probably explains why it has been in development for about the same time that it took Microsoft to get Vista out; not that I have anything against VC++, in fact I love[^] it - just that VC++ typically requires somewhat above average technical skills). Anyway, I'll probably keep bugging them till they do something about it - or else just start looking for opportunities elsewhere really.
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
Hm, sounds like you will remain in your current position for a long time....
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
I agree that joking aside, you don't want to make yourself look incompetent. The two best strategies for getting out of a stuck position is asking for more money or quitting. Be prepared to call their bluff if they agree to your compensation demands though...if no amount of money could make you stay, then just put in your notice once you find something. I finally got out of my dead-end by telling the client I was burnt out on the year extension and couldn't continue, and delivering the same message to my consulting house. Once they understood that it was an irreperable problem, my consulting house pulled me. The client never did train a replacement and had me doing piddly tasks until the last day, and now they're re-writing the system to remove a core component no one else at the shop understands. But you can only do so much...
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
If you dont like what you are doing, and are in no desperate need for money ... resign...
Edgar Prieto Software Engineer
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This in itself is not really such a bad thing if a promotion means going from Developer to something stupid like a Business Analyst or Project Manager...
do or do not, there is no try
Easy on the PMs man... We're not all lucky enough to have a 100% development position. :((
Mike Devenney
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
If you haven't already, first sit down and have a frank talk with you boss. Tell them of your concerns. Reiterate that you have no problem seeing this project through till end of life, but you feel you are being passed by for promotion and interesting projects in the mean time. There's lots of ways to handle your situation so everybody wins, and a good manager knows that nobody is irreplacable -- no matter how important someone is, there's nothing they can do to prevent them from leaving or dying. If you leave, they have to replace you anyway, and can't bother you for help. If you merely move on to a new position or project, you're available for questions and to lend a helping hand if needed. If you don't like their answer to your concerns, start looking for another job in a new company -- its a race, will your current employeer get you into something more to your liking so you can stop the search, or will you find a new position elsewhere. Whatever you do, don't tell your boss your're doing this. If they find out your looking to leave, they will give all opportunities to someone else, someone who will be sticking around for a while, thus forcing you to have to leave to move on. Whatever you do, I wouldn't play the strategic incompetence card that others have recommended. If you succeed, its because you have instilled a belief that you are less than competent. Is that the kind of reputation you want following you around through that company? Nobody wants to promote the incompetent, nor do they want them working on their project. Being perceived as less than competent is also a good way to ensure you're one of the lucky ones let go in the next layoff.
patbob
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
My contribution to this is.... STRESS LEAVE! You're feeling trapped, underpaided, overworked and not exercising your '.NET-Guru' skills... Don't be a prick about it, just take a few weeks off (I'm sure you Dr and you can sort that out) and when you're employer asks why, just tell them that "You're feeling trapped, underpaided, overworked and not exercising your '.NET-Guru' skills"...
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I agree that joking aside, you don't want to make yourself look incompetent. The two best strategies for getting out of a stuck position is asking for more money or quitting. Be prepared to call their bluff if they agree to your compensation demands though...if no amount of money could make you stay, then just put in your notice once you find something. I finally got out of my dead-end by telling the client I was burnt out on the year extension and couldn't continue, and delivering the same message to my consulting house. Once they understood that it was an irreperable problem, my consulting house pulled me. The client never did train a replacement and had me doing piddly tasks until the last day, and now they're re-writing the system to remove a core component no one else at the shop understands. But you can only do so much...
Yes. While I appreciate the jokes I certainly wasn't planning on actually carrying them out. My boss is a pretty nice guy actually (yep, believe it or not!) - so I certainly wouldn't want to piss him off. Was just thinking if there was some creative way of diplomatically motivating them to let me go! Bugging them for more money may not be such a bad idea actually. Thanks!
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
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If you dont like what you are doing, and are in no desperate need for money ... resign...
Edgar Prieto Software Engineer
Edgar Prieto wrote:
are in no desperate need for money
That right there is the problem you see!
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
You don't mention your terms of employment or where these other opportunities are. For what its worth, I imagine these things occured to you already... If you're a contractor, it may be time to look into get out of the contract and moving on. If you're an employee, various options. Maybe get a transition now to the newer stuff, and slowly get out of the old maintenance with clear understanding of an end point for it. Is management interested in keeping you happy, or just in keeping the old project nobody wants to do running? More drastic would be to change jobs.
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What do you think about giving notice and telling them you will be available as a paid consultant to help them support the software (at about double the rate they pay now) as long as you can work at home or in your home office ? best, Bill
"Many : not conversant with mathematical studies, imagine that because it [the Analytical Engine] is to give results in numerical notation, its processes must consequently be arithmetical, numerical, rather than algebraical and analytical. This is an error. The engine can arrange and combine numerical quantities as if they were letters or any other general symbols; and it fact it might bring out its results in algebraical notation, were provisions made accordingly." Ada, Countess Lovelace, 1844
Now THAT is a great idea. I'm kinda in the same position and was thinking of ways out and I will certainly consider doing this!
--------- Andre Sanches "UNIX is friendly, it's just picky about its friends"
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
Thanks to everyone who responded, with a joke or otherwise! You guys rock!
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
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I am stuck in a dead-end project supporting a piece of software that was built in the late 90s using VB5 and VC5 which is anyway going to be retired middle of next year and I am supposed to be this .NET guy. Trouble is, I've managed to do a decent enough job of it that the client will not hear of letting me go; and while that might sound like a good thing, it really isn't when you find yourself watching other more interesting opportunities pass you by on a regular basis. I've offered to train a replacement, document things and generally do everything I can to transition to another person, but they don't seem convinced. Sigh! Do you think I should throw a tantrum, pout lips etc. and be a general pain in the wrong part of the anatomy till they agree to let me go? :~
-- gleat http://blogorama.nerdworks.in[^] --
Doing things to make yourself look bad will be detrimental to your career and likely will get you fired. Think about the possible scenarios. 1) The project completes in 6 months. You've done well and everybody is impressed. You have domain and company knowledge. They aren't going to want to let you go. They'll have to move you to another project where you can be best utilized. Or perhaps even promoted to manage another project. 2) The project goes on forever because, realistically, no project ever dies. We still have a client using an old DOS version of our program :{ If it looks like it'll never end and you don't want to work on it then you should approach management about moving you elsewhere. Depending upon the company politics you can convey how you don't really enjoy the job and would like more challenging/appropriate tasks. If they agree then you get transferred. If they don't then you should start looking for a new job. 3) The project is going on forever so you start doing things to get off the project. The company will take one of two actions: fire you or transfer you. If they transfer you then you'll now be marked as that person who will start getting lazy when they don't enjoy the job anymore. How long will you last on your next project (the PM will wonder)? This is the slow, but guaranteed, way to get laid off. In an ideal world you'll get transferred but, based upon your comments, that doesn't seem likely so you are left with getting fired or finding a new job. If you start looking for a new job and your employer gets wind of it then they'll either become more interested in your feelings and probably give you what you want or they'll throw you out. In the former case they'll signify they don't want to lose you (but the problem might occur again). In the latter case they are showing the mantra of "you're with us or against us" in which case you probably shouldn't be there anyway. If you do something to get fired then this will come back to haunt you for the rest of your career. Your current employer will not be a good reference. Furthermore when you are asked why you left the company at future interviews then you can't really lie. At the same time keep in mind that if you do a lackluster job and get transferred to another project then that will leave a mark as well. In future reviews or in job interviews you will be seen as someone who "throws a tantrum" and does poor work when they don't like their job. These types of people are troublemakers and most companies like tig