Does anybody actually enjoy the place they work?
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I worked at Infragistics for a while. That was a great job (not that my current one isn't). I liked it because the code was top notch, the products were cool, the co-workers were smart and dedicated (and nice people), and I had a cube-with-a-view. I'm a consultant now, so my job definition is much more fluid. It's hard to define because it might change in a month or three. I like that aspect of my job, too.
:josh: My WPF Blog[^]
Sounds nice. A tools company like Infragistics would definitely be interesting. Most of my work has been in businesses that specialize in something besides IT. But a tools company you specialize in a particular IT area. Maybe I should give that a shot. Consulting's fun too. You don't stay anywhere for too long, but it can be stressful and demanding as well.
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What is it that makes it enjoyable? Do you have a good manager or a poor one but good co-workers? Is the work exciting or is there some other perk to the job that helps you forget how boring the work is? There are a lot of great programmers on this site, I'm curious if you were able to find jobs you enjoyed. If so, how long did it take you to find it?
Mine is the lack of interesting and challenging work, the equipment, the IT security restrictions, and the lack of flexible hours. I could go on, but you get the idea...
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I did work at home for a while and enjoyed it immensely. I missed the connection to people though. Maybe if I could do half and half? :-D
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
Maybe if I could do half and half?
That would rock!
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
I missed the connection to people though
CodeProject Lounge seems pretty alright to me :)
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Sounds nice. A tools company like Infragistics would definitely be interesting. Most of my work has been in businesses that specialize in something besides IT. But a tools company you specialize in a particular IT area. Maybe I should give that a shot. Consulting's fun too. You don't stay anywhere for too long, but it can be stressful and demanding as well.
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
A tools company like Infragistics would definitely be interesting.
I highly recommend it.
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
Consulting's fun too. You don't stay anywhere for too long, but it can be stressful and demanding as well.
Yeah, but it pays really well. ;) I'm currently in a very low-stress environment, but I'm sure it can get hairy. Did I mention that it pays well? :-D
:josh: My WPF Blog[^]
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Richard A. Abbott wrote:
And now UK School holidays have started.
I really enjoy summer vacation. I shift my work schedule so that I can spend the mornings with my son, biking, etc., and make up the time in the evenings after dinner, when my girlfriend is usually prepping for the next day at her daycare. But then again, my son is 15, and he can entertain himself. Actually, he's been able to do that since he was little, mainly because I "forced" him to learn how to occupy himself at an early age, like 4, and without TV or video games. Marc
Some people believe what the bible says. Literally. At least [with Wikipedia] you have the chance to correct the wiki -- Jörgen Sigvardsson
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
On school holidays, my work usually gets shifted to "the midnight hours" thus no disturbances until the following morning. Assuming I am not woken too early through arguments and shouting matches.
Marc Clifton wrote:
without TV or video games
Now that is most unusual in this day and age, and is some achievement. How often were the tantrums?
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What is it that makes it enjoyable? Do you have a good manager or a poor one but good co-workers? Is the work exciting or is there some other perk to the job that helps you forget how boring the work is? There are a lot of great programmers on this site, I'm curious if you were able to find jobs you enjoyed. If so, how long did it take you to find it?
I enjoy where I work most of the time. I have, for the most part, a great boss. My co-workers are mostly great. But, the work is terrrrrrrribly boring at times and I truly dislike coding in JavaScript these days. But, the perks are good and the work hours are mostly to my choosing. So, even though the pay is a bit below market, I can't complain and I am treated well. That being said, I am leaving in two weeks to take FMLA to spend time with my baby boy and in all honesty, I probably won’t be coming back. I plan on focusing on my side contracts and turning them into 20 - 30 hours a week business. With the rest of my time I will be focusing on the boy and my real estate investments that I've been doing for several years now.
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
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Dustin Metzgar wrote:
Maybe if I could do half and half?
That would rock!
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
I missed the connection to people though
CodeProject Lounge seems pretty alright to me :)
PaulC1972 wrote:
CodeProject Lounge seems pretty alright to me :)
Well, that's a given. :)
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I enjoy where I work most of the time. I have, for the most part, a great boss. My co-workers are mostly great. But, the work is terrrrrrrribly boring at times and I truly dislike coding in JavaScript these days. But, the perks are good and the work hours are mostly to my choosing. So, even though the pay is a bit below market, I can't complain and I am treated well. That being said, I am leaving in two weeks to take FMLA to spend time with my baby boy and in all honesty, I probably won’t be coming back. I plan on focusing on my side contracts and turning them into 20 - 30 hours a week business. With the rest of my time I will be focusing on the boy and my real estate investments that I've been doing for several years now.
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
Chris Austin wrote:
pend time with my baby boy
Congrats :-D
Chris Austin wrote:
I plan on focusing on my side contracts and turning them into 20 - 30 hours a week business
Best of luck to you :)
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PaulC1972 wrote:
CodeProject Lounge seems pretty alright to me :)
Well, that's a given. :)
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
CodeProject Lounge seems pretty alright to me :) Well, that's a given. :)
Yep. Thanks a million to Chris for starting this site :-D
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Chris Austin wrote:
pend time with my baby boy
Congrats :-D
Chris Austin wrote:
I plan on focusing on my side contracts and turning them into 20 - 30 hours a week business
Best of luck to you :)
Thanks I've been trying to build the pipeline for about a year and half now. It looks like it's almost ready :)
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
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Thanks I've been trying to build the pipeline for about a year and half now. It looks like it's almost ready :)
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
Chris Austin wrote:
I've been trying to build the pipeline for about a year and half now.
That is really sweet. Trying to do that myself right now :)
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I enjoy where I work most of the time. I have, for the most part, a great boss. My co-workers are mostly great. But, the work is terrrrrrrribly boring at times and I truly dislike coding in JavaScript these days. But, the perks are good and the work hours are mostly to my choosing. So, even though the pay is a bit below market, I can't complain and I am treated well. That being said, I am leaving in two weeks to take FMLA to spend time with my baby boy and in all honesty, I probably won’t be coming back. I plan on focusing on my side contracts and turning them into 20 - 30 hours a week business. With the rest of my time I will be focusing on the boy and my real estate investments that I've been doing for several years now.
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
Sounds a lot like my job. Good people but really boring work. Good luck with your side contracts. I get the feeling that most people that work for themselves enjoy it. (Well, at least enjoy it more than working for "the man").
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Sounds nice. A tools company like Infragistics would definitely be interesting. Most of my work has been in businesses that specialize in something besides IT. But a tools company you specialize in a particular IT area. Maybe I should give that a shot. Consulting's fun too. You don't stay anywhere for too long, but it can be stressful and demanding as well.
I've thought this over more. Forget about IT. IT is for the birds. Companies like Infragistics are software shops, not IT shops. IT is the mire that people sink into because it's ubiquitous and pays well - reports, LDAP, authenticating users, invoices, blah, blah, blow my freakin' head off plz. If you want to get into a shop with really great devs where you work with great code, don't go to a shop that calls itself an "IT shop." Go to a place where they make software. Software. Not IT. Perhaps I'm just hung up on the acronym. :)
:josh: My WPF Blog[^]
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Mine is the lack of interesting and challenging work, the equipment, the IT security restrictions, and the lack of flexible hours. I could go on, but you get the idea...
I don't like the office pettiness. We sit by accounting and they run to the GM with any grievance. Like, they saw me reading the news one day. The most recent complaint is that my neighbor spends too much time in the lunch room making tea. Why has time to record this stuff? We have to meet with HR now next week to get this resolved. My boss is a really great guy, but his programming drives me crazy. I had a post about programming standards because he had one file 10k lines long, one function being about 5k. Stuff isn't commented. He doesn't keep track of changes. The other annoying thing is people who don't understand that programming takes time. It's not like I have magic jellybeans and can fix your issue instantly. Life is great, except for the people.:-D
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I've thought this over more. Forget about IT. IT is for the birds. Companies like Infragistics are software shops, not IT shops. IT is the mire that people sink into because it's ubiquitous and pays well - reports, LDAP, authenticating users, invoices, blah, blah, blow my freakin' head off plz. If you want to get into a shop with really great devs where you work with great code, don't go to a shop that calls itself an "IT shop." Go to a place where they make software. Software. Not IT. Perhaps I'm just hung up on the acronym. :)
:josh: My WPF Blog[^]
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Sounds a lot like my job. Good people but really boring work. Good luck with your side contracts. I get the feeling that most people that work for themselves enjoy it. (Well, at least enjoy it more than working for "the man").
Dustin Metzgar wrote:
Good luck with your side contracts.
Thanks, I am trying not to get into a panic because it is a bit of a scarry step. I don't expect to get automaticly successful but it wouldn't hurt :)
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
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I don't like the office pettiness. We sit by accounting and they run to the GM with any grievance. Like, they saw me reading the news one day. The most recent complaint is that my neighbor spends too much time in the lunch room making tea. Why has time to record this stuff? We have to meet with HR now next week to get this resolved. My boss is a really great guy, but his programming drives me crazy. I had a post about programming standards because he had one file 10k lines long, one function being about 5k. Stuff isn't commented. He doesn't keep track of changes. The other annoying thing is people who don't understand that programming takes time. It's not like I have magic jellybeans and can fix your issue instantly. Life is great, except for the people.:-D
leckey wrote:
Why has time to record this stuff?
I wondered the same thing at one place I worked until I found out how little people do in a day... :)
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Dustin Metzgar wrote:
Good luck with your side contracts.
Thanks, I am trying not to get into a panic because it is a bit of a scarry step. I don't expect to get automaticly successful but it wouldn't hurt :)
Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that? - Jack Burton
Chris Austin wrote:
I don't expect to get automaticly successful but it wouldn't hurt
Success is nice and it is also a relative term. Success depends on who you talk to. I have a roof over my family's head and a full fridge, so I must be successful to some degree :)
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On school holidays, my work usually gets shifted to "the midnight hours" thus no disturbances until the following morning. Assuming I am not woken too early through arguments and shouting matches.
Marc Clifton wrote:
without TV or video games
Now that is most unusual in this day and age, and is some achievement. How often were the tantrums?
Richard A. Abbott wrote:
Now that is most unusual in this day and age, and is some achievement.
It's strongly encouraged if you have your kid go through Waldorf kindergarten up to and including 8th grade.
Richard A. Abbott wrote:
How often were the tantrums?
What tantrums? Ian would have tantrums as an infant during changing and feeding, but quickly learned that tantrums got him nowhere except banishment in his room until the tantrum passed. Coddling children during a tantrum was not in my book. Of course, there's the difference between a tantrum and a truly understandable "ouch, I really hurt myself" cry. And certainly, it didn't stop his infant tantrums, I mean after all, infants are not the pinnacle of self control, but the lesson was learned so that I never, ever, have experienced tantrums with Ian after about the age of 3. Frankly, I'm the one who still has tantrums. :sigh: Marc
Some people believe what the bible says. Literally. At least [with Wikipedia] you have the chance to correct the wiki -- Jörgen Sigvardsson
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
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Richard A. Abbott wrote:
And now UK School holidays have started.
I really enjoy summer vacation. I shift my work schedule so that I can spend the mornings with my son, biking, etc., and make up the time in the evenings after dinner, when my girlfriend is usually prepping for the next day at her daycare. But then again, my son is 15, and he can entertain himself. Actually, he's been able to do that since he was little, mainly because I "forced" him to learn how to occupy himself at an early age, like 4, and without TV or video games. Marc
Some people believe what the bible says. Literally. At least [with Wikipedia] you have the chance to correct the wiki -- Jörgen Sigvardsson
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
Marc Clifton wrote:
But then again, my son is 15, and he can entertain himself. Actually, he's been able to do that since he was little, mainly because I "forced" him to learn how to occupy himself at an early age, like 4, and without TV or video games.
That's how I grew up, my Mom being a doctor and single there was no one to watch me so i was usually home alone till about 8 yo, that's when my grandparents decided i should live with them Roswell
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA