Earlier quoted context omitted.
The sad reality is that programming as we knew years ago is going into extinction. The only thing that remains is to work as library integrator and debugger for X, where X is something that is popular this week. All interesting software development left is in open source, and SEs are now just required to integrate existing libraries into a GUI done by somebody else, or a server side component that talks to that GUI.…
This is not true at all. Software engineering is about solving problems. Are you not solving problems with existing libraries?
Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
71–80 of 165 posts
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
The world is far too big for anyone to care as to a minute detail of "Developer John Doe didn't meet my productivity metrics". That's worthy of a (mental) eye roll. Workers in this industry, at the moment, have the leverage, not the employers.
True but the tech world IS small. I’m not coming to the defense of the business or management but there is some truth to it. Everyone is only a degree or two from anyone else in the BA, and you bet your ass people ping old coworkers about candidates that land on someone’s desk. You may eyeroll but if you have a trusted coworker ping someone and they come back with “he was the most unsuccessful junior dev I’ve ever me…
I can't think of any case where someone left a job in tech for any reason (fired for cause for getting in a fight, bridge-burning angry walkout, etc.) and didn't emerge someone else better off. I've always assumed it was because hopping around just pays off, no matter the reason, while sticking around (especially when it's not working out) tends to be bad for your career.
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is not true at all. Software engineering is about solving problems. Are you not solving problems with existing libraries?
You have to be extremely senior these days to be in a position where they actually let you solve problems of any kind. (The paradox is: At that level of seniority, you are no longer capable of actually seeing the problems). I'm a software engineer with a Ph.D. from an elite university and 10 years experience. For me it has consistently gone like this for the past 10 years, and that was in a huge variety of different…
In your scenario, the "better" way appears to require the same time anyway so just present that as the only way to do it.
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is not true at all. Software engineering is about solving problems. Are you not solving problems with existing libraries?
You have to be extremely senior these days to be in a position where they actually let you solve problems of any kind. (The paradox is: At that level of seniority, you are no longer capable of actually seeing the problems). I'm a software engineer with a Ph.D. from an elite university and 10 years experience. For me it has consistently gone like this for the past 10 years, and that was in a huge variety of different…
I am oficially the "Head of IT" for a small industrial company, but in reality i plan networks, program my own tools or whole systems for the company... or simple hire someone who i need. Its really nice, though not really good paid.
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#75Please don't assume the question is "disingenuous." It's an invitation to talk about what's going on, and bring the manager into the loop. Most managers really do want to help! More concerning to me is the "I always lose my job or quit." It sounds a lot like you're running into a pattern in your life which causes you to underperform. If it's emotional or mental, please consider seeking counseling. Brain chemistry can…
Even the greatest rock-star or sports celebrity spends the majority of their time doing hard, repetitive or tedious work leading up to their moments of glory.
I personally find that when I set my expectations appropriately, and find ways to link the tedious work to a larger goal/milestone that I am at least somewhat invested in that it helps with motivation. It doesn't have to be finding the cure for cancer, it could be hitting your sales goal for the month, improving the customer experience, or saving up for a new electric guitar.
Another trick that helps is researching things you are going to need for upcoming work, before they are urgent and become a dreaded deadline. It's kind of a mind trick to say to yourself "Hey, I'm looking into this stuff because I'm interested, not because I HAVE TO". I've done this for school exams and work related projects.
Failing that, there are other time management strategies like the Pomodoro technique.
Obviously there are limits and it's not a bad idea to pursue more meaningful work,but it shouldn't be a frequent pattern.
Regardless, engage with your manager as suggested, show that you are trying to succeed and hopefully you will find a solution together.
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#76Please don't assume the question is "disingenuous." It's an invitation to talk about what's going on, and bring the manager into the loop. Most managers really do want to help! More concerning to me is the "I always lose my job or quit." It sounds a lot like you're running into a pattern in your life which causes you to underperform. If it's emotional or mental, please consider seeking counseling. Brain chemistry can…
> Please don't assume the question is "disingenuous." It's an invitation to talk about what's going on, and bring the manager into the loop. Most managers really do want to help! ^ That's a very important reply. Whenever I send one of those messages like OP quoted, what I really mean is to ask if there's anything I can do to help. A manager is not an old-school "boss" responsible for cracking the whip. Managers exist…
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#77Not everyone needs this, but in most companies you could just say what's wrong.
Eg. In Belgium, it wouldn't be a valid reason to fire someone and i don't think it's in the benefit of the employer.
Say what's wrong and try to get a solution.
If the company is bad and you don't trust them, look for another company :)
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#78Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just a heads up to anyone reading this and feeling like they can't speak to their manager when they're having issues with burnout or stress: not all managers will react the way parent's did, and depending on where you live (pretty much any first-world country outside the US?) it may be outright illegal to fire you like that.
I didn't get fired on the spot or anything. He put me on a PIP (performance improvement plan). If you fail that then they use it as the paper trail to fire you.
Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#79Re: Ask HN: What should I say to my manager when my performance starts suffering?
#80See a psychologist and/or psychiatrist. This is something you can work through. Whatever issue you’re dealing with, there’s people who are very experienced in helping you figure out what it is and how to start dealing with it.
For what it’s worth, you might have ADHD if you’re always quitting or being fired because of an inability to perform to your own abilities. Or you might have some other different issue. But life doesn’t have to be this way. For most people, it isn’t.
Many people are scared of seeing mental health professionals because they don’t want to be put on medication. Getting better doesn’t necessarily require medication, but it might be an option. Not all ADHD meds are stimulants. Some like guanfacine, for example, will just improve your executive function and emotional stability without much in the way of side effects. But no one is gonna put you on a chemical cocktail without your consent, and you are free to say you want to try non-medication options before even considering that route.
Life doesn’t have to be so hard for an intelligent and capable person. If you work through this you can be happier, more fulfilled, less stressed. That can literally mean extra years on your life. You don’t have to suffer alone.
This comment thread is great but beware. People without a mental health issue do not understand what it’s like to have one. They can usually only think about your experiences through analogy to their own normal struggles. Most mental health symptoms, even schizophrenia, exist in some de minimis way in most people. But normal people can’t recognize that the symptoms are so different in severity in people with a disorder that normal function cannot be willed. A normal person is really bored, procrastinates for a bit, and eventually gets it together. They certainly don’t lose job after job at great personal cost to themselves. But someone with ADHD might feel something almost like pain at the prospect of working on a boring task. They might spend hours trying to work on something but just can’t make it happen. Only the intense adrenaline of a new deadline, maybe the third or fourth new deadline for the same task after blowing past previous ones, can make them finally overcome their issues and get to work. That is no way to live, and you don’t have to live like that.
Finally, if losing this job would be a serious problem for you, be very careful what you tell anyone at work. You might want to talk to an employment lawyer. As plaintiffs’ lawyers, they will almost certainly charge you nothing for just a quick consult.