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You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

theregister.co.uk

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Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#51

Post by dinkumthinkum »

jrockway wrote: post #21
dinkumthinkum wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, honestly, for many of the work environments the author refers to, which may not be ones you are I would want to work, the author is correct. The CEO of XYZ corp doesn't care and is not interested in your explanation about how optimizing the thermocouplers makes things better. Even if you tried to relate to how it does save the company, he won't think you know what you're talking about. This is more about playin…

Why work for a CEO that "doesn't care and is not interesting in your explanation about how optimizing the termocouplers makes thing better"? There are plenty of companies run by people that do understand the low-level details that make their businesses successful. Work there instead. Remember, they need you more than you need them. They already admitted that they don't understand their own business!

I agree, which is why I wouldn't work there. But that is the reality many face in our industry. Not everybody works at a hip startup. Many work at those "enterprise" places.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#52

Post by skrebbel »

patio11 wrote: post #49

I wish I had written this. If the humor/cynicism gets to you please power through and look at the actionable tips which will earn you more money . There is approximately no-one on HN, not even at the best managed firms with the least BS imaginable, who would not experience positive ROI from "Congrats guys, we just shipped X, let's have a celebratory dinner at $FAVORITE and I'm buying." That idea is freaking genius .…

Come on, seriously. A team of 20 ships a product and some junior engineer buys everybody a dinner out, incl all the bosses and their bosses?

Yeah, OK, that's one way of making all your peers feel really awkward and uncomfortable. And wondering what the little suckup is up to.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#53

Post by hef19898 »

kiba wrote: post #2

Very cynical view. If this is what's happening across companies, than the market system wasn't efficient enough or was impeded to make a change. We all know that the local cable or telephone companies aren't trying their damn hardest and we are not pleased with the services we're getting. However, we can't do anything about it. To me, it's incomprehensible that we can sit on our hand and not make things better. Inste…

No, not cynical only realistic and maybe a little bit sarcastic. The whole system is oscilating towards mediocracy (if such a word doesn't exist, I already apology for my English), and it seems a lot of companies, espacialy the big ones, have reached a point where the only choice left is either playing the game or try to get things done. The latter won't work.

Regarding the pie picture, people care too much about the relative size of the piece they get and not about getting a ton or a mere 10 gramm...

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#54

Post by vacri »

skrebbel wrote: post #52
patio11 wrote: post #49

I wish I had written this. If the humor/cynicism gets to you please power through and look at the actionable tips which will earn you more money . There is approximately no-one on HN, not even at the best managed firms with the least BS imaginable, who would not experience positive ROI from "Congrats guys, we just shipped X, let's have a celebratory dinner at $FAVORITE and I'm buying." That idea is freaking genius .…

Come on, seriously. A team of 20 ships a product and some junior engineer buys everybody a dinner out, incl all the bosses and their bosses? Yeah, OK, that's one way of making all your peers feel really awkward and uncomfortable. And wondering what the little suckup is up to.

"The ramen and kool-aid's on me!"

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#55

Post by marvin »

skrebbel wrote: post #52
patio11 wrote: post #49

I wish I had written this. If the humor/cynicism gets to you please power through and look at the actionable tips which will earn you more money . There is approximately no-one on HN, not even at the best managed firms with the least BS imaginable, who would not experience positive ROI from "Congrats guys, we just shipped X, let's have a celebratory dinner at $FAVORITE and I'm buying." That idea is freaking genius .…

Come on, seriously. A team of 20 ships a product and some junior engineer buys everybody a dinner out, incl all the bosses and their bosses? Yeah, OK, that's one way of making all your peers feel really awkward and uncomfortable. And wondering what the little suckup is up to.

Wow. I didn't realize there is actually peer pressure in IT companies not to use knowledge of social relationships and human nature for your own benefit. In my opinion, the general unwillingness of computer workers to stand up for their own rights and interests is keeping our entire profession back from getting the money and respect it deserves. If we actively sabotage efforts of people who are trying to improve things, I don't see that there is much hope. Being nerds does not have to imply being clueless nerds.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#56

Post by kamaal »

patio11 wrote: post #49

I wish I had written this. If the humor/cynicism gets to you please power through and look at the actionable tips which will earn you more money . There is approximately no-one on HN, not even at the best managed firms with the least BS imaginable, who would not experience positive ROI from "Congrats guys, we just shipped X, let's have a celebratory dinner at $FAVORITE and I'm buying." That idea is freaking genius .…

True,

Blow your trumpet and blow it louder. That always helps.

Your accomplishments are nothing until you successfully explain it to others and let them know you did it.

Keeping things to yourself and telling no one appreciates your genius never works.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#57

Post by gaius »

mopoke wrote: post #43
parfe wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Why do we do such a bad job of developing people who are good managers/leaders AND understand technology? From my experience I think the issue stems for looking at management as the next rung on a ladder. A good developer might never gain or want the experience needed to make her a good manager. A manager might never learn what it takes to be a developer. But the idea of moving up to management ignores the real issu…

But there's no reason a good developer can't be a good manager. They may not have the skills in their current role, but everyone should be able to acquire those skills. I see no problem with developers becoming managers in theory. But something goes wrong in that transition. Management skills are just like learning any other skill. Skill-learning is something that developers (or the good ones) typically excel at. So…

Anecdata: I was a programmer transitioning into management. In my first "management" role, I was successful, but I had to fire some people. I went back to being purely technical as soon as I could because I just don't want to do that again.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#58

Post by itmag »

I found this article very enlightening, in an odd way. I've committed several of the errors mentioned in it (out of blithe naiveté, I might add). Very interesting take on Machiavellian job hacking, this.

Personally, I would rather be myself always. Even if I could speed up my career by X% using methods like this, it would still take years upon years to get where I want to be, and by that time my soul would be a burnt out husk.

If you have the intelligence, patience and willpower to put on a mask for that long, I would think that doing a startup is a saner and more enjoyable pursuit in any case.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#59

Post by skrebbel »

marvin wrote: post #55
skrebbel wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come on, seriously. A team of 20 ships a product and some junior engineer buys everybody a dinner out, incl all the bosses and their bosses? Yeah, OK, that's one way of making all your peers feel really awkward and uncomfortable. And wondering what the little suckup is up to.

Wow. I didn't realize there is actually peer pressure in IT companies not to use knowledge of social relationships and human nature for your own benefit. In my opinion, the general unwillingness of computer workers to stand up for their own rights and interests is keeping our entire profession back from getting the money and respect it deserves. If we actively sabotage efforts of people who are trying to improve thin…

Serious question: how is sucking up to your bosses by giving them treats "trying to improve things"?

Note, not trying to be cynical here. Maybe I'm so ingrained with this culture you describe that I can't see your point.

Re: You're crap and paid too much for the little work you actually do

#60

Post by wisty »

There's no law against refusing to promote weasels. And it's really not too hard to detect them, if you spend any time with them - psychopaths are superficially charming, but always trip up with their continuous and inconsistent lies.

But businesses think "he's a weasel, but he's our weasel". Yeah, right.

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