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The main reason I see for "working after work" is actually for "learning after work". While companies might try their best to invest in your professional develo

by dkopi 10y ago

The main reason I see for "working after work" is actually for "learning after work". While companies might try their best to invest in your professional development - in the end your career is your own responsibility. While you might have to work hard to convince your employers to let you move from part of the stack to another, no one can dictate what your side projects are except yourself. Working after work is what "saves" a programmer's resume from listing "20 years in <obsolete language> using <obsolete API> until the company I worked at for 20 years shut down".

goldenkey 10y ago
A good job should have you using <modern language> with <modern frameworks> for <efficient code> that makes you <feel like a wizard> But you have to look for jobs like that. Jobs that stifle and make you want to code things after work because the work coding environment is so poor, are jobs that I watch out for now. I've been in the situation you describe before. Never again will I do grunt work.
- dkopi 10y ago
  True, but: A. A good job today might not be A good job in another 3 years. Companies aren't quick to dump their existing code just so they can see "we now use <modern language> and <modern framework">. B. very often <good job> expects you to already be experienced with <modern language> and <modern frameworks>. By learning at home at your own spare time, you reduce the risk and ramp up time for them, making yourself a more desirable candidate. Try working on make files for a while. You'll miss grunt :D
  - goldenkey 10y ago
    Hah, I didn't mean the "grunt" buildtool for node. I meant dumb trivial repetitive work. I am understanding of legacy code. But at the same time, a good job will understand the pain of inefficiency and dull codebases have on a programmer. And so, someone shouldn't have to _just_ work on that shit all the time, they should be able to mix the burden with other developers in some kind of time ratio. For B) yes, of course. But once you get your first job, if you keep going and have good workplaces, you shouldn't need to really do much at home. I'm not trying to knock you, just wanted to put the warning out there for everyone else, because I've shot myself in the foot by joining gigs where a load of shit was dumped on me, and that was the main event. Fuck jobs where the main event is working on something totally unpleasant. No, I'm not a diva and understand that getting paid is to offset that - but still, some workplaces just don't have the understanding that you can't have someone work on sludge 24/7 and not expect them to become bitter.

by dkopi 10y ago

goldenkey 10y ago

A good job should have you using <modern language> with <modern frameworks> for <efficient code> that makes you <feel like a wizard> But you have to look for jobs like that. Jobs that stifle and make you want to code things after work because the work coding environment is so poor, are jobs that I watch out for now. I've been in the situation you describe before. Never again will I do grunt work.

dkopi 10y ago
True, but: A. A good job today might not be A good job in another 3 years. Companies aren't quick to dump their existing code just so they can see "we now use <modern language> and <modern framework">. B. very often <good job> expects you to already be experienced with <modern language> and <modern frameworks>. By learning at home at your own spare time, you reduce the risk and ramp up time for them, making yourself a more desirable candidate. Try working on make files for a while. You'll miss grunt :D
- goldenkey 10y ago
  Hah, I didn't mean the "grunt" buildtool for node. I meant dumb trivial repetitive work. I am understanding of legacy code. But at the same time, a good job will understand the pain of inefficiency and dull codebases have on a programmer. And so, someone shouldn't have to _just_ work on that shit all the time, they should be able to mix the burden with other developers in some kind of time ratio. For B) yes, of course. But once you get your first job, if you keep going and have good workplaces, you shouldn't need to really do much at home. I'm not trying to knock you, just wanted to put the warning out there for everyone else, because I've shot myself in the foot by joining gigs where a load of shit was dumped on me, and that was the main event. Fuck jobs where the main event is working on something totally unpleasant. No, I'm not a diva and understand that getting paid is to offset that - but still, some workplaces just don't have the understanding that you can't have someone work on sludge 24/7 and not expect them to become bitter.