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Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

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Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#1

Post by danielPort9 »

I have worked as a software engineer for over a decade. I would describe myself as someone who cares but not all the time. For example, I can provide a high quality solution for a task that requires it… but I cannot do it for every single task in our board.

I used to work in places in which I was giving myself 100%, let’s say, one sprint (2 week’s duration) every 3. It worked great. The other 2 sprints I was doing a good enough job.

I now work for a so-called “high performing” team, and I hate it. Everything must be done with a high quality standard and it must be done “on time” (there are no deadlines, but the moment your task is taking more time than it was estimated, you need to provide evidence of why that’s the case).

Not sure if that’s how things should be, or perhaps I am too picky or if simply I don’t fit the company culture. I like to do great things, but I cannot be a “high-performant” engineer all the time.

Re: Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#2

Post by SCUSKU »

It’s fine not to like that position, and it’s good you’re aware of and are acknowledging it head on. I would say first talk to your team to see if you can get them to ease up and make your current situation better (assuming you want to stay).

If that doesn’t go well, or is not possible, then it’s probably time to start looking elsewhere. And when you interview ask about WLB and gauge how much is expected of you.

Plenty of places where you can coast once you’re settled in.

Re: Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#3

Post by rvz »

Do you think your time is worth giving your 100% dedication to this “high performing” team? It appears that they care much less about you and more about code golfing olympics.

Remember, you cannot get those decades back or the time that you're spending and if you are unhappy then it is time to do something about it before it goes wrong.

Re: Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#4

Post by uberman »

Are you being extra compensated for being on the extra demanding team? In many contexts the type of constant demand for high performance is also called a death march or at least a crunch.

It is poor management in my opinion and when a team constantly gives 110% every sprint then there is nothing left to give when you encounter a true crisis.

Remember, it almost assuredly the case that your employer does not give a rat's ass about you and will fire you with crocodile tears in their eyes proudly telling the world that they regret having to make the hard choices leading to their retention bonus and your dismissal.

As an example, Musk just fired the entire charging team to prove a point to other team leads.

Re: Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#5

Post by tcsenpai »

You are simply used to a different (and in my opinion much healthier) way of working. Have you been in your new role for a long time? You may either get used to it, or find the right fit in the company. Or you might not and need to look for a better job. There is absolutely no shame in considering how you work when choosing a job.

Re: Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#6

Post by caprock »

I've worked on teams where I felt outpaced, and also worked on teams where I wished everyone else would give things more energy. It's hard to find good matches and also find a good group pace that is sustainable for delivering value over the long term. It's also normal to ebb and flow.

With that said, it seems like the key to your current situation is to increase your estimates to match your reality. Don't worry about what other devs think. Many product folks (or whomever is applying pressure) appreciate consistency and reliability just as much, if not more than, high velocity.

Re: Ask HN: Am I being too picky?

#8

Post by al_borland »

I always pad my estimates by quite a bit. I'd rather get done early than have people asking why something is late. Generally speaking, the things I think are going to be hard end up being easy, and the things I think will be easy end up being hard (usually for really stupid reasons). So it's all a crap shoot.
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