RR 322: Finding a Great Job

This episode of Ruby Rogues the panel is Dave Kimura and Charles Max Wood. They discuss Finding a Good Developer Job. Tune in to learn more about this topic!

[00:02:08] Internal Clock With Jobs

Dave believes that within the developer community, people have a one to two year internal clock. This clock tells them it is “time to find another job.” It confuses him that people go through jobs in a short amount of time. He explains that this is largely due to the on boarding time: it takes a while for developers to go through this process.

Charles has switched jobs more frequently than Dave. He explains that his internal clock has been set of either by necessity or simply it being time to move. His reasons for switching jobs have been due to him not being happy and there being a substantial pay raise that he could not afford to turn down. He believes employers need to do more to keep people engaged because it is a loss to get somebody up to speed then have them leave.

[00:08:30] Developers Want Challenges

People he knows that are in the development career are there for challenges. A lot of them he speaks with state they get to where they aren’t being challenged. Their employer won’t invest in helping them get to the next level, whether it is paying for trainings or conferences. People he has interviewed said that when they are starting to switch, it is for growth.

[00:11:12] Are you encouraged to or allowed to figure out how to do things better at work?

Dave said that because he’s over the project, he is able to do so. He tells others he works with to do the same. He doesn’t look at it as wasted time, but as time that is spent getting better. This time will be made up when the information learned is used later on with different projects with the company.

[00:13:40] Self-care

Some companies are short sighted and want employees to spend the least amount of time possible doing things. Most successful teams are developers that want to feel like part of the team. You need developers to believe in the mission and the team. If your manager is telling you to work 80 hours a week something is wrong. It is healthy for a company to recognize limitations.

The humane development principle that Ernie Miller that says developers are humans, not machines. Often managers forget developers are humans. They need to be treated as people. Companies have to give them downtime. They have to take care of themselves.

[00:20:00] What do you tell people to do if they feel burnt out?

First look and assess the situation. Is the issue a self induced issue? Or is the employer forced this issue onto you? Misunderstandings can occur. Communicate with your boss to discuss the issue. Sometimes, it’s a simple that you like your job and push it too far.

Learning boundaries are important. There needs to be a physical separation between work and relaxation area. There also needs to be boundaries around your time. Schedule work time as well as family time. Don’t break your own boundaries!

Planning is important. What can you fit into the schedule? There is almost a guarantee that you will work too much if you don’t schedule. Backlog items that you want to accomplish. Meet with your team about it. Once you have a plan, don’t exceed what you plan. This will show you whether you are working too much or not enough.

[00:28:40] Mentors

It is important to find a mentor. Learning is your responsibility. It only benefits you and your career. The company’s benefit is a side affect of your effort. Your company may not have the resources to help you. Where you will find a mentor is worth considering when you take a job. There are many resources for finding good mentors. railsmentor.org is one for the Ruby community.

Dave doesn’t have a mentor but highly advises getting one. He believes that you can be your own mentor if you have a self-teaching capability. It is just a harder way to go. Charles has a mentor. Business people will pay for co