What was your first programming job like?

[Distind]

I have, I've made it perfectly clear that each time something supersedes something else that the time line on the other is going to suffer. And it's not as handy as having a brownnoser, slacker or idiot, we have two people here. I typically have to do so daily to explain why something else isn't done yet, as my priority 1, has been rendered priority 1.b by something else, which pushes last week's priority 1 to 1.c, and leaves me answering to whoever requested that. I've most certainly complained, and more than once I was the one to dig through the records and prove what the client was claiming we did wrong, was done correctly per their request, and we had asked the questions that should have gotten the issue aired and corrected if we had ever received answers from the client. Or that I had documented that the item had been delayed based on some other request. Or pretty much anything that involves me pointing out that things don't get done when you don't get time to finish them, or done correctly if you don't get answers to define what correct is. Problem is, and the only reason I got to do the development here in the first place, I'm 50% of the work force. And I've caught at least one airing of them considering cutting the number of people in the department. Which was most of my point, and apparently worth getting one voted. Though I do understand as a lot of people complain here first, I was just trying to warn the guy that getting a dev job without much history may well land you in a job that doesn't let go. If I was ranting about it I could take up pages, but that was not my intention. I will note that I'm sick, and spinning this off while waiting for a load to run so I can go home and rest. I may or may not be coherent in the above.

modified on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 8:00 AM

[S Houghtelin]

In my first “official” position as an associate software engineer I was given the multi-function device from hell, or the project the other programmers didn’t want. The language was in 8-bit assembly. The project consisted of upgrading the microcontrollers to a newer platform (Motorola HC05 to HC08) There were 3 microcontrollers on the device, each one added after a new feature was added. Each new feature programmed by a different programmer and the hardware designed by someone different. Micro 1 was activated using the IRQ pin and communicated via the SPI to micro 2 which was activated through the reset pin which in turn communicated to micro 3 and the keypad via the SCI. All of the micros were run independently as master devices. The micros also were required to be in sync. It was very, very frightening, but I did eventually get through it. Then the real nightmare began with the V&V and documentation. and recoding to QA's interpretation of a certain feature, then recoding the same feature to the interpretation of the project manager. I learned to write a version of code for each and usually the code would end up a mix of both versions. __________________________________ "It was broke, so I fixed it"

[Fabio Franco]

My first programming job was an internship and yes, I started coding from day one like there was no tomorrow. Try to investigate the plans they have for you in this company as not programming will not get you anywhere. To master your skill you need practice and real world challenges. If I were you, I'd be looking for a different job. I've seen stuff like this before and they usually lead to a very long 'get to nowhere' situation. Beware and good luck. Regards, Fábio

[RickRoc]

My first job involved making code changes to a Data General system that was undergoing an OS upgrade. All the code had to be changed just because the OS was changing! :omg: The job was supposed to be only temporary. The work I did and the initiative I showed to do beyond what was expected made me stay on permanently and eventually became IT Manager after only about 5 years. I have learned that going above and beyond what is expected is key to getting noticed and moving up in any profession.

-------------------------------------------- Give me ambiguity or give me something else!

[Dr Walt Fair PE]

My first paid programming job was in 1971 working for a U of Texas professor programming numerical reservoir simulation software in Fortran. I earned a normal student wage, which wasn't much, but it carried me through my last 2 years of studies. When I graduated with my BS and started my MS work I took over part of the project and it turned into my MS Thesis. That's when I expanded into studying algorithms, learned Algol, Basic, etc.

CQ de W5ALT

Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

[ErrolErrol]

Normal? There is no normal! But, if you do the best job of documentation that anyone at your shop has ever seen then you will have fulfilled your side of the employment equation in a manner that will allow you to go to sleep each night with a clear conscience and a sense of accomplishment. Along the way, that is, during the time while you are doing this job that you didn’t sign on to do, you should periodically remind your immediate superior that your talents could more fully effect the bottom line by using you in the role where your passions reside. I suggest that you clearly explain that you are doing everything in your power to write the best documentation on planet Earth, but that you are actually a programmer and that your talents are being underused. Remind them to think of how much value you could bring if only they would cut you loose from the “easy” stuff. Another aspect of your situation is the FACT that you can learn something new in EVERY new situation. Take advantage of this opportunity and it will serve you somewhere down the road.

[Lost User]

Count me as the 5th (or maybe 6th by now!) Back in '78 I worked for a company called Energy Management Associates. We had a FORTRAN IV program called PROMOD III which simulated electric power generation utilities. All our development was done on a PRIME system. (I think the actual logo was PR1ME). We could emit executables for Prime Minicomputers and IBM 360/165 systems. -Max

[Joseph Mango]

I started so long ago we only had one's no zero's. :-D

[BrainiacV]

I'll get to my programming job after the following saga... My first IT job was billed as being an operator. It was more data tech. Decollating, bursting, card sorting, duplication and interpreting. They took me up to the computer room door and let me peer in. If I was good they said, they'd let me in there in a year or two. Two months later I took a job as third shift computer operator at the University of Iowa Physics Research Center. Was responsible for two Univac 418s (Model I and Model II, pick your level of obsolescence). This was when Pioneer 10 was just going past Jupiter and it was operating in "high data rate". So my job was to start a program, mount a tape, and find something to do for the next 8 hours, since it was going to crank all night long generating 35mm plots of reading for Dr. Van Allen (of the radiation belts). My agreement was that any computer time left over after running my assigned jobs I could use as my own. I used to rewrite the programs to make them run faster. :) My first programming job was doing assembly language programming on IBM-370. My co-workers were totally clueless. One named all his routines after Disney characters. Another advised me not to waste time with comments since the instructions would tell you what the program was doing. Yet another railed against all the different opcodes, he couldn't see the use of them. I guess he was a happy camper when RISC came along. The largest program ever written until I showed up was 2.5" thick (of computer cards). My first program was a card box and a half (around 3000 lines), it was capable of parsing database maintenance commands (back when databases were flat files) and 2/3rds macro generated. After a year, I left to work for a microcomputer store. The day after I quit, the company announced bankruptcy. I guess they figured they couldn't go on without me. ;P

Psychosis at 10 Film at 11

[MidwestLimey]

So it comes down to: is your boss incompetent, or is it further up the chain? Either way, time to leave me thinks. Huh - replied to myself?!

062142174041062102

[MidwestLimey]

So it comes down to: is your boss incompetent, or is it further up the chain? Either way, time to leave me thinks.

062142174041062102

[Lysander Vibar]

Small companies are less likely to be able to afford separate QA staff, so they get the programmer to fill those shoes. That also leaves fewer opportunities for moving up any ladders, because when you're hired by a small company as a programmer, there's already a chance that you're the head programmer.

[fglenn]

You're suffering from a common programmer's malady called: "I can't say no". Of course, one really never says no, but the correct form of answer is: "Yes, but which of my other priorities may I drop?". If you get the reply: "None of them." :omg: , then run fast and far, your employer has no empathy for your welfare, and will suck you dry and then drop you. And they will probably try to cut your pay in the process.

Fletcher Glenn

[fglenn]

I was fortunate to be able to back my way into programming. I was already an established Electronic Engineer, and my employer wanted to integrate an Intel 8008 (not a typo) into their product. So I began programming in 8008 assembly language. Every succeeding job involved a higher and higher percentage of programming in a multitude of languages until, in 1986, I switched over to the dark-side and became a full-time programmer.

Fletcher Glenn

[autowire]

I worked in a warehouse for a mail marketer. I worked on a system 370 mainframe running dos vse with 1 hard drive (i think it was 50 meg). we had green tubes with a molded in keyboard that weighed a couple hundred pounds. Mind you everyone else gave us their old equipment so they didnt have to pay to get rid of it... tubes broke all the time, you had to climb the shelves in the back, pick a new one and carry it down. Yes i dropped quite a few... I had to run the wires to have a phone at my desk, i had to share a line with 5 other people... there was no documentation, no nothing. we did have shag carpet though. backups, were never done, not even when upgrading the system we have come a long way from my mainframe assembler days...

[Vinay Varghese]

During my high school I learned C & C++, during my bachelors degree I was programming using visual basic 6 before comming to .net. It was all during the year 2003, when we had to do our final project and one of our clients, St Mary Syrian Church(they had schools/shops/church etc), they wanted to have a accounting package to manage there accounts as currently they were using pen & paper(using registers). That was my first programming job, to develop an accounting package developed using Vb6.0 and MS Access. After developing the whole application the client was impressed and they paid us some money and eventually for all the enhancement further on they paid us. It took around one year to fine tune the application. The best thing is still they use the application.

Vinay

[RodrigoMattosoSilveira]

I was studying Math and had to take a few classes on programming, FORTRAN IV and Algol. Without knowing what was going on I aced my classes. My friends noticed and started asking me to help with their assignments. I spent the next few years making money tutoring CS and helping them write their assignments. In the mean time someone who learned about this offered me a job as and RPG II programmer (if there is such a thing); one night, driving back from going to work at 2 AM to fix a disk allocation problems on a JCL deck, I dreamed up of writing a program to deal with disk allocation. It was then that I discovered operating systems. Shortly thereafter I came to the US to study OS and worked with operating systems from '78 to the mid eighties; those were the best years of my programming career. Recently I found a link to a course on how to write and OS from scratch. I'll do it. Back to the start I go! Rodrigo Silveira

[richard_k]

Larger consultancies are set up around the idea that folks will move on to other jobs between 2-5 years after starting. So generally they will never look out for your own career goals, and look to leverage you when/where it is convenient for them. Anyone going to such a business can get valuable business experience, but what you learn technically can vary greatly. I actually quit a job after 8 months in 1985 for making promises of me coding and then not delivering on that promise. If you were promised one thing in an interview, and it is clearly not delivered, then its up to you to determine whether there are other overriding benefits to you staying. Assuming this is a US company: No matter what ANY manager says to you, your contract with any company is paycheck to paycheck. 99% of all companies in the US will lay you off at will if things truly go south, regardless of job performance. No guarantee is implied when you go to work for someone. It is all voluntary for both parties. I WISH loyalty was still alive from a company perspective, but that ain't reality. Only act loyally when its VERY clear that the company is going to reciprocate those actions (this must be via a proven track record with examples from peers, not promises from managers who may not have your best interest at heart AT ALL). All business relationships must be mutually beneficial. If they are not, then just like marriages sometimes a divorce is the correct (though painful) action. And since I'm talking divorce.. remember that even though there are a lot of programmers in the world, the community is still fairly small.. so if you must terminate a business relationship, do it politely and without rancor. What you do now can affect future employability. I've actually had the opportunity later in my career to hire folks I knew from before.. and I took ethics into account for folks that were 'less than ethical'.

[SBGTrading]

My first programming job was Fortran on a Vax...did a LOT of code making a DECforms interface into a flat binary file database for quality collection data. This was a little rough on me, a newbie fresh out of college...basically they threw me to the wolves on it and a few other projects. I learned a ton...but it was very stressful. ...and in my free time, I wrote a blackjack strategy simulator and a solution to the "Jump-the-peg" wooden triangle puzzle. What could I do? This was 1990, many years before TopCoder hit the net!

[dpminusa]

First Ancient Job: Intel Z80 Assembler for a Large Telco. Had to work from 9P till 6A to get access. Pretty paleontological. No one understood what I was saying, just it does or does not work. So not much user feedback or input. First Modern Job: Wang VS COBOL for a Distributor. Dream system for COBOL. Customer did not understand the process of specification. analysis, design, programming, testing, and acceptance. Again worked from o'dark thirty to o'dark thirty-two. Almost impossible to phase project and keep on budget. They loved what they got but did not understand the effort needed and the costs that we incurred. Current Jobs: Customers are a lot more literate in programming and technology. Easier to get the understanding needed. Still people and emotional issues of course. It's is a lot more fun now. Open source, lots of tools and the net for an infinite reference tool. People and bosses will always be somewhat the same. The rules have changed in the positive direction but it will never be ideal.

"Coding for fun and profit ... mostly fun"