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This is so informational thank you so much!!! >QQ the most popular messaging app from Tencent in the early 2000s had 6,000 Android developers (still does). WeC

by yomly 7y ago

This is so informational thank you so much!!! >QQ the most popular messaging app from Tencent in the early 2000s had 6,000 Android developers (still does). WeChat (also run by Tencent but under a different management style) has only 50 devs. This comment alone almost tells me everything I need to know - my impression is that tech used to be run like giant sweatshops or cost centre (like QQ) but progressively tech is more like a value generator. >A watered down fork of Agile is really common. At both companies, I've experienced poor management. Have you heard of other peers in China faring better? Do managers believe in the whole "Organization Y" self organizing/autonomous philosophy that underpins agile? As a foreign developer (who isn't a research-level programmer) do I bring valuable skills to the table? As someone who didn't do a CS degree would that be career limiting?

cepp 7y ago
> Have you heard of other peers in China faring better? Do managers believe in the whole "Organization Y" self organizing/autonomous philosophy that underpins agile? It depends on the company. The more westernized the better the likelihood for good management. In general I’d assume looser than what you’d expect and then some. > As a foreign developer (who isn't a research-level programmer) do I bring valuable skills to the table? As someone who didn't do a CS degree would that be career limiting? Depends on the company. I can’t speak to all (I have interviewed with quite a few) but China is very meritocratic, meaning that if you don’t have a degree most places won’t even give you the time of day. This might be different at a startup but it is very situational. Also realize that getting a foreigner a work visa puts a huge strain on the company and many will opt to ignore you for that reason alone. Many startups will do this under the table but I wouldn’t recommend that if you want to stay in China as a career path.

by yomly 7y ago

cepp 7y ago

> Have you heard of other peers in China faring better? Do managers believe in the whole "Organization Y" self organizing/autonomous philosophy that underpins agile? It depends on the company. The more westernized the better the likelihood for good management. In general I’d assume looser than what you’d expect and then some. > As a foreign developer (who isn't a research-level programmer) do I bring valuable skills to the table? As someone who didn't do a CS degree would that be career limiting? Depends on the company. I can’t speak to all (I have interviewed with quite a few) but China is very meritocratic, meaning that if you don’t have a degree most places won’t even give you the time of day. This might be different at a startup but it is very situational. Also realize that getting a foreigner a work visa puts a huge strain on the company and many will opt to ignore you for that reason alone. Many startups will do this under the table but I wouldn’t recommend that if you want to stay in China as a career path.