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Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

chadfowler.com

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Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#91

Post by LiveTheDream »

tobtoh wrote: post #15

If you liked the article, you should also read this blog post: "How to keep someone with you forever" - http://issendai.livejournal.com/572510.html It's written from the opposite point of view and goes into more details - ie if you were a manager, you can do X, Y and Z to encourage Stockholm Syndrome and keep your employees emotionally bound to you. It's a pretty scary 'how-to' guide!

The additional reading links at the end are also interesting and relevant[1]. Also, this strip illustrates a horrible example of an abusive workplace[2].

[1] http://www.liberatedthinking.com/data/Library/SATANISM/Satan...

[2] http://bigbigtruck.deviantart.com/gallery/9680890#/d24ih85

Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#93

Post by cookiecaper »

dev_jim wrote: post #8

I don't know why anyone would put up with this nonsense. The market for tech is amazing right now and has been for years. It's inexcusable that anyone worth their salt should feel trapped in a dead-end job.

There's a lot to these things. And also, the tech market for real, salaried jobs often depends on locality; the market in Kansas City (almost exclusively corporate IT staff with a handful of generic chop-shops) is not as good as the market in Salt Lake City (a lot of corporate stuff a la KC, but many more tech-specific companies using not-Java out there), and that is not as good as the market in San Francisco.

Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#95

Post by ks »

kirubakaran wrote: post #66
patio11 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did three years of maintenance programming on a proprietary enterprise Java Big Feaking Web App framework, fighting fires and making minor changes. I learned more about engineering in those years than in college, first job, and building two software businesses from scratch. Possibly combined. YMMV.

You always learn a lot in your first job, whatever it is.

I think the job he referred to was not his first job

Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#96

Post by Florin_Andrei »

sudont wrote: post #62
edw519 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They forget how to actually program because their work involves very little development, and becomes all about knowing how the specific piece of software works (and the company's admin procedures) so that they can fight fires and make minor changes. Great point. Perceived value of a programmer at a start-up: Quality & quantity of software built and shipped. Perceived value of a programmer in a legacy enterprise IT de…

I think we need a new name for these type of jobs, then. They're not actual programming positions, since development tends to be about solving problems. Maintenance and production are two lexicographic options that somewhat relay the scope of the position: higher than data-entry, lower than engineering. Much in the same way that a front-end is not necessarily a web developer. Maintenance is what the current discussio…

Code Janitor.

Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#97

Post by Florin_Andrei »

throwaway_plat wrote: post #82
SandB0x wrote: post #12

Dead end jobs destroy transferable technical skills. I've witnessed miserable scenes. Many people are stuck maintaining large pieces of poorly written software. They forget how to actually program because their work involves very little development, and becomes all about knowing how the specific piece of software works (and the company's admin procedures) so that they can fight fires and make minor changes. Escape in…

This assessment is spot on. I'm in this situation now. While I haven't forgotten how to program, my skills have plateaued and have been at this level for far longer than I'd like to admit. I eventually realized that I needed to get out. I've sent out my resume and interviewed, but have had little success. I really had no idea how bad off I was until I started interviewing at other companies. I can't overstate the val…

There's a whole lot of Lexapro at the other end of that tunnel. Get out as soon as you can.

Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#98

Post by turar »

encoderer wrote: post #7
edw519 wrote: post #2

I once worked at a company that managed to pull off all four conditions with one brilliant but devious hack: The warehouse uniform was a t-shirt imprinted with, "The beatings will continue until morale improves." Perceived Threat This implied that problems were the workers' fault, not the boss's. Subtle, but effective. Small Kindness Believe it or not, many people were actually glad to be given their own t-shirt by t…

Oh yes, I recently escaped from a company like this. I'm not afraid to name names: ClickBooth.com, a Sarasota company in the affiliate marketing space. Myself and other programmers that once worked there all feel so grateful, we all get together on a regular basis and feel so lucky to have gotten out. Here's a funny anecodote. They were having a hard time finding new developers. About 9 months ago, if you look throug…

I wonder how the HR woman ended up seeing the HN post in the first place.

Re: Dead End Jobs: Are You Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome?

#99

Post by nostrademons »

ecounysis wrote: post #81
dominostars wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"* Fear of failure is a great motivator. When you quit without having another opportunity already lined up, you have a lot of obvious motivation to find a new job since your income is $0. I've found it easier than lulling myself into complacency by continuing to get my income from the source I hate" Just remember that you are a more desired candidate if you are actively employed, and that other available jobs might b…

You may be more desirable to a dysfunctional employer if you are actively employed, but working for another one of those is not the goal. A rational employer would judge a candidate on his/her ability to add value to the company, regardless of how they have chosen to spend the majority of their time recently.

Remember that all employers hire based on imperfect information. Being employed signals that you can add value to at least one organization, which is a pretty strong indication that you can add value to them.
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