31–40 of 123 posts
I thought the general advice is to call yourself a software engineer.
The sad part comes when some bright, young up-and-comer leaves off their interesting personal projects in less used languages in order to focus on only mainstream stuff.
I thought the general advice is to call yourself a software engineer.
I hate the trend of calling people who code 'engineers.' It's just not a good title for anything to do with software. And invariably people who embrace its usage seem to be trying to compensate or ignorant of what a real engineer actually does or is.
I don't call myself a programmer because software development is not programming, probably not even mainly. Moreover, programmer gives other people a false impression of your work. Outsiders consider a 'programmer' to be a 'trained monkey that does the typesetting'. Software developer, in an all-encompassing sense, is the best description I have found for my work.
The negative association with the word "programmer" is an industry-specific thing.
There's a major point in this article that not many commenters seem to be picking up on: there's a fork in the road of careers. To one side is a multilane highway over fairly level ground leading straigh to predictable suburbia. To the other side is an uneven dirt path leading through mountains and countryside to parts unknown and has many forks of its own. Neither path is right for everyone. And hardly anyone needs…
There's a major point in this article that not many commenters seem to be picking up on: there's a fork in the road of careers. To one side is a multilane highway over fairly level ground leading straigh to predictable suburbia. To the other side is an uneven dirt path leading through mountains and countryside to parts unknown and has many forks of its own. Neither path is right for everyone. And hardly anyone needs…
Its also sad when some bright up and comer ends working for lots of little small companies, on a tiny wage when they could be earning a seriously better life working for a large company.
I don't agree with the point about later stage options: But what this misses is that you don't get paid in percentage points - you get dollars. A $100 share going up 20% to $120 means you make $20 per share. A $5 share going up 100% to $15 means you only make $10 per share. If you join a larger company, the shares will be more expensive but you will own less of them. Percentage growth is definitely the way to measure…
I don't agree with the point about later stage options: But what this misses is that you don't get paid in percentage points - you get dollars. A $100 share going up 20% to $120 means you make $20 per share. A $5 share going up 100% to $15 means you only make $10 per share. If you join a larger company, the shares will be more expensive but you will own less of them. Percentage growth is definitely the way to measure…