26 ms·

This is exactly what I am going through right now. It's been 5 months and I don't have any recollection of my first month. I'm in the middle of a high profile

This is exactly what I am going through right now. It's been 5 months and I don't have any recollection of my first month. I'm in the middle of a high profile project which goes to UAT in two weeks, and I know it is slated to fail. There's just too many issues. I have been working 85+ hours every week constantly for the past ~5 months. Being an Immigrant ( H1B) makes it more difficult. All I do these days is code for 15+ hours everyday with an impending weight hanging over my head constantly that I'll be made a scapegoat if the project fails. I've started to lookout for opportunities, and since it's September, the number of companies offering jobs in my domain are _very_ less. What did you do when things like these happened?

x5n1 10y ago
Not much you can do. It sounds like a terminal diagnoses. So take the hit and keep on rolling.
theparanoid 10y ago
Walk away. I waited too long and lost a year of my life. It took 4 years to get back on track.
- itg 10y ago
  >Walk away H1B folks can't easily do that. One reason why companies love hiring them.
  - outworlder 10y ago
    They can't do it easily. But they still can. It maybe not be easy and straightforward, but they can. L1, on the other hand...
  - 9erdelta 10y ago
    I think this is actually something more people need to be aware of. When I found out a good friend of mine was in this position, a lot of my opinions about immigration and foreign workers changed. To me it is of a similar spirit to the condition of Bangladeshsi workers we hear about from time to time.
  - Swizec 10y ago
    You can always walk away. Always. It's just a matter of the consequences being worth it or not. That's up to each individual. As Jack Sparrow said: "The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do." At least H1B's are transferable. I'm on an O1, which is technically non transferable.
  - tostitos1979 10y ago
    Take a 2 week vacation. I really really doubt you'll get fired for that. If it is such a deal breaker, tell your boss you need 2 weeks, and be okay to go down to 1 week. With the weekend on either side, that is plenty of time to destress. Even if the project is going crazy at the moment, bring this up now so you have relief a month or two away. This also has the benefit of giving you something to look forward to for that time. H1B should not be slavery.
  - curun1r 10y ago
    H1Bs, especially those from poorer countries, are often more able to walk away. They just can't walk away and stay in the US. Being able to return to a place with a lower cost of living means you need less money in the bank to feel comfortable turning in your notice. The world is getting smaller and more companies are realizing that remote workforces are possible. The network of people you build is far more important for finding a job than your location. Coming to the US can be an excellent way to break in and establish that network. But once you've done that, it's not necessary to stay here.
outworlder 10y ago
> All I do these days is code for 15+ hours everyday with an impending weight hanging over my head constantly that I'll be made a scapegoat if the project fails. This is a legitimate question, not a criticism: why do you think that you, specifically, will be the scapegoat? Is it possible that you can find a way to not work 15 hours straight? Since you know that the project will crash and burn anyway, this effort will be meaningless. Trying to carry the weight of a doomed project by yourself is not a good idea. Now, if the project is a high-profile one, expect that some management cuts will happen. In some companies, but not all, this also means "pruning" all the reporting tree. Is the company big enough that you could move to another division, or whatever they call it? If so, you should focus on that. The ship is sinking and all you have is a bucket. Start sending signal flares.
- tequila_shot 10y ago
  > This is a legitimate question, not a criticism: why do you think that you, specifically, will be the scapegoat? Because I am the lead developer on this project and the manager of this project was always unavailable to escalations / concerns. In the end I just think he'd wipe his hands off and say he was never involved in this project ( though he is supposed to be working 50% on this project)
  - Swizec 10y ago
    Sounds like a great scapegoat to me! Hope you have all those email threads stored :) If not -> start producing them.
    - outworlder 10y ago
      Oh yes please build a paper trail. This should be your no.1 job starting now. Doesn't matter what the actual outcome will be, the paper trail is your only defense.
      - jtheory 10y ago
        It's worth emphasizing... the paper trail must show you're doing everything you can to warn the company that this project is currently on track to fail, and (as much as you can illuminate it) what the costs to the company will be. Back up your reasoning as clearly and simply as you can. From the perspective of your employers: because they're paying your salary (and others as well, including half your boss' salary dedicated to this), for a failed end result -- firing you as the scapegoat doesn't leave them with nothing, it leaves them with far less than nothing; all of that time and salary lost, plus the costs of replacing you (whether because they've fired you, or because they've burned you out entirely). Plus costs to reputation, which harms client relationships and hiring both. Being able to say "I told you so" later doesn't really help anyone; but if you can suggest a better path (drastically reducing scope, extending or segmenting the delivery timeline, or even canceling the project), then you should be able to get someone to listen. If your boss really grasps where things are going (and that this isn't just "the usual developer griping"), then he'll get credit as well for saving the situation, and you both benefit.
mgkimsal 10y ago
> that I'll be made a scapegoat if the project fails. Not trying to be rude here, but what is the worst outcome here? What does being made a scapegoat actually mean? Will you be fired? Deported? Or just... have people at work making you feel worse than you already do? Honest question - not trying to trivialize your situation at all.
- tequila_shot 10y ago
  I'm thinking I'll be fired, and then because staying in US without an employer even for a day is illegal, I'll be forced to go back.
  - mch82 10y ago
    Can you enroll in a community college or graduate degree program and switch to a student visa, refresh your skills, and find a new sponsor?
quantumhobbit 10y ago
The more I see in this industry, the more I realize that the key to avoiding burnout is being able to spot these death march projects from a distance and avoid them. Some people have a sixth sense for this; you will see them transfer to different departments or companies before anything seems wrong. Other less ethical people will see the writing on the wall too late to transfer and will maneuver someone else to take the fall. It sounds like they picked you, I'm sorry. Being H1B just makes you an easier target. My advice would be to take any other job you can get.

x5n1 10y ago

Not much you can do. It sounds like a terminal diagnoses. So take the hit and keep on rolling.

theparanoid 10y ago

Walk away. I waited too long and lost a year of my life. It took 4 years to get back on track.

itg 10y ago
>Walk away H1B folks can't easily do that. One reason why companies love hiring them.
- outworlder 10y ago
  They can't do it easily. But they still can. It maybe not be easy and straightforward, but they can. L1, on the other hand...
- 9erdelta 10y ago
  I think this is actually something more people need to be aware of. When I found out a good friend of mine was in this position, a lot of my opinions about immigration and foreign workers changed. To me it is of a similar spirit to the condition of Bangladeshsi workers we hear about from time to time.
- Swizec 10y ago
  You can always walk away. Always. It's just a matter of the consequences being worth it or not. That's up to each individual. As Jack Sparrow said: "The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do." At least H1B's are transferable. I'm on an O1, which is technically non transferable.
- tostitos1979 10y ago
  Take a 2 week vacation. I really really doubt you'll get fired for that. If it is such a deal breaker, tell your boss you need 2 weeks, and be okay to go down to 1 week. With the weekend on either side, that is plenty of time to destress. Even if the project is going crazy at the moment, bring this up now so you have relief a month or two away. This also has the benefit of giving you something to look forward to for that time. H1B should not be slavery.
- curun1r 10y ago
  H1Bs, especially those from poorer countries, are often more able to walk away. They just can't walk away and stay in the US. Being able to return to a place with a lower cost of living means you need less money in the bank to feel comfortable turning in your notice. The world is getting smaller and more companies are realizing that remote workforces are possible. The network of people you build is far more important for finding a job than your location. Coming to the US can be an excellent way to break in and establish that network. But once you've done that, it's not necessary to stay here.

outworlder 10y ago

> All I do these days is code for 15+ hours everyday with an impending weight hanging over my head constantly that I'll be made a scapegoat if the project fails. This is a legitimate question, not a criticism: why do you think that you, specifically, will be the scapegoat? Is it possible that you can find a way to not work 15 hours straight? Since you know that the project will crash and burn anyway, this effort will be meaningless. Trying to carry the weight of a doomed project by yourself is not a good idea. Now, if the project is a high-profile one, expect that some management cuts will happen. In some companies, but not all, this also means "pruning" all the reporting tree. Is the company big enough that you could move to another division, or whatever they call it? If so, you should focus on that. The ship is sinking and all you have is a bucket. Start sending signal flares.

tequila_shot 10y ago
> This is a legitimate question, not a criticism: why do you think that you, specifically, will be the scapegoat? Because I am the lead developer on this project and the manager of this project was always unavailable to escalations / concerns. In the end I just think he'd wipe his hands off and say he was never involved in this project ( though he is supposed to be working 50% on this project)
- Swizec 10y ago
  Sounds like a great scapegoat to me! Hope you have all those email threads stored :) If not -> start producing them.
  - outworlder 10y ago
    Oh yes please build a paper trail. This should be your no.1 job starting now. Doesn't matter what the actual outcome will be, the paper trail is your only defense.
    - jtheory 10y ago
      It's worth emphasizing... the paper trail must show you're doing everything you can to warn the company that this project is currently on track to fail, and (as much as you can illuminate it) what the costs to the company will be. Back up your reasoning as clearly and simply as you can. From the perspective of your employers: because they're paying your salary (and others as well, including half your boss' salary dedicated to this), for a failed end result -- firing you as the scapegoat doesn't leave them with nothing, it leaves them with far less than nothing; all of that time and salary lost, plus the costs of replacing you (whether because they've fired you, or because they've burned you out entirely). Plus costs to reputation, which harms client relationships and hiring both. Being able to say "I told you so" later doesn't really help anyone; but if you can suggest a better path (drastically reducing scope, extending or segmenting the delivery timeline, or even canceling the project), then you should be able to get someone to listen. If your boss really grasps where things are going (and that this isn't just "the usual developer griping"), then he'll get credit as well for saving the situation, and you both benefit.

mgkimsal 10y ago

> that I'll be made a scapegoat if the project fails. Not trying to be rude here, but what is the worst outcome here? What does being made a scapegoat actually mean? Will you be fired? Deported? Or just... have people at work making you feel worse than you already do? Honest question - not trying to trivialize your situation at all.

tequila_shot 10y ago
I'm thinking I'll be fired, and then because staying in US without an employer even for a day is illegal, I'll be forced to go back.
- mch82 10y ago
  Can you enroll in a community college or graduate degree program and switch to a student visa, refresh your skills, and find a new sponsor?

quantumhobbit 10y ago

The more I see in this industry, the more I realize that the key to avoiding burnout is being able to spot these death march projects from a distance and avoid them. Some people have a sixth sense for this; you will see them transfer to different departments or companies before anything seems wrong. Other less ethical people will see the writing on the wall too late to transfer and will maneuver someone else to take the fall. It sounds like they picked you, I'm sorry. Being H1B just makes you an easier target. My advice would be to take any other job you can get.