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Their expertise was not in React either, yet somehow it didn’t prevent them from using it on this project. Turns out in this field we can learn quickly and don’

Their expertise was not in React either, yet somehow it didn’t prevent them from using it on this project. Turns out in this field we can learn quickly and don’t have to be razor sharp focused in what we are able to do. A somewhat charitable explanation could be some internal politics which in large organizations are always baffling to me.

coldtea 4y ago
>Their expertise was not in React either, yet somehow it didn’t prevent them from using it on this project. Yes, because React is still front-end. He expanded his front-end skills with a new front-end skill. Sounds like job functon, role, and area of experise don't matter, and everybody should do anything in your mind ("they're programmers, so whether they do front-end, server side, or program embedded software for artificial hearts, they should just jump to it and like it too"). >Turns out in this field we can learn quickly and don’t have to be razor sharp focused in what we are able to do. Turns out people have specific preferences for the areas they like to work at, and have specific job functions they were hired for (say, "front-end engineer" or "data scientist") and whether they can learn another kind of role is moot. They might if they want to, or if they have to because they need the money. But it's a totally disfunctional organization one that has them do something they weren't hired too, just because "it's all programming, surely you can learn it". If you hire a systems programmer you shouldn't expect them to do UI or data science, just because your company didn't bother to have someone else for that. If you do have that need, ask for a "fullstack" engineer, or be upfront that you want people to wear many hats. Programmers are not just "do whatever/replacable cogs" they have specific preferences, skills and expertise, and career goals. Actually that's true for any profession, not just programmers.
- anileated 4y ago
  Well, in extraordinary circumstances it may be warranted… Help out a colleague, then both leave ASAP on good terms after victorious delivery.
lowercased 4y ago
> Turns out in this field we can learn quickly and don’t have to be razor sharp focused in what we are able to do. Turns out this is how many orgs end up with mountains of half-baked copy/paste that sorta works-because-it-didn't-break-yesterday, written by people that have jumped ship to the next shiny-tech-of-the-month company and never have to suffer the consequences of their "quickly-learned non-razor-sharp-focused" actions.

coldtea 4y ago

>Their expertise was not in React either, yet somehow it didn’t prevent them from using it on this project. Yes, because React is still front-end. He expanded his front-end skills with a new front-end skill. Sounds like job functon, role, and area of experise don't matter, and everybody should do anything in your mind ("they're programmers, so whether they do front-end, server side, or program embedded software for artificial hearts, they should just jump to it and like it too"). >Turns out in this field we can learn quickly and don’t have to be razor sharp focused in what we are able to do. Turns out people have specific preferences for the areas they like to work at, and have specific job functions they were hired for (say, "front-end engineer" or "data scientist") and whether they can learn another kind of role is moot. They might if they want to, or if they have to because they need the money. But it's a totally disfunctional organization one that has them do something they weren't hired too, just because "it's all programming, surely you can learn it". If you hire a systems programmer you shouldn't expect them to do UI or data science, just because your company didn't bother to have someone else for that. If you do have that need, ask for a "fullstack" engineer, or be upfront that you want people to wear many hats. Programmers are not just "do whatever/replacable cogs" they have specific preferences, skills and expertise, and career goals. Actually that's true for any profession, not just programmers.

anileated 4y ago
Well, in extraordinary circumstances it may be warranted… Help out a colleague, then both leave ASAP on good terms after victorious delivery.

lowercased 4y ago

> Turns out in this field we can learn quickly and don’t have to be razor sharp focused in what we are able to do. Turns out this is how many orgs end up with mountains of half-baked copy/paste that sorta works-because-it-didn't-break-yesterday, written by people that have jumped ship to the next shiny-tech-of-the-month company and never have to suffer the consequences of their "quickly-learned non-razor-sharp-focused" actions.