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Author Topic: Your Job: The Movie  (Read 178063 times)

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Thad

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2160 on: June 18, 2012, 07:41:03 AM »

So apparently the higher-ups have decided most of what I've worked on for the last year will not be used in the product after all.

I have mostly resigned myself, at this point, to the possibility that absolutely anything I do is subject to being completely thrown out at a moment's notice.  I've gotten pretty good at shrugging it off.

Also, I constantly get screwed off job opportunities because I can't name design patterns or methodologies and have mostly learned programming by programming.

This, on the other hand, I have not learned to be sanguine about at all.  This pisses me right the hell off.
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Brentai

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2161 on: June 18, 2012, 10:02:14 AM »

The inconvenient truth about software-engineering-not-computer-science is that it's more important to be able to communicate what you're doing than it is to actually be able to do anything.  If you're going into an implementation rather than an R&D position then it's fair for your manager to want you to be able to speak roughly the same language.

The propensity for most managers to themselves be terrible candidates for the position and weigh heavily in favor of people who only sound like they know what they're talking about is a separate issue.
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Thad

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2162 on: June 18, 2012, 10:21:58 AM »

Weeeeell, I don't think that it is.

Christ knows I understand the importance of a shared lexicon, but if I can explain what I'm doing, coherently, in plain English (and I can), then I question the importance of buzzwords like "agile development" and "LAMP".  (Nebulous fucking horseshit like "the cloud", though, IS a separate issue.)  A convenient shared shorthand is a good thing to have -- it's also something you can learn on the job.

The point, I think, is that interview preparation resembles nothing so much as last-minute cramming for a vocab test, and is just about as accurate a gauge of actual knowledge and understanding of the material.

Stross had a post not long ago about the importance of editors being a lot more than simply correcting typos.  A commenter said something along the lines of "But if you don't know what the phrase 'Oxford comma' means then you shouldn't be looking for a job as an editor."

While I think it's probably a good idea to know vocabulary like "Oxford comma", I am viscerally opposed to the notion that it should be make-or-break.  If you're looking for a job as an editor I think it's pretty much a certainty that you're familiar with the question of whether to put a comma before "and", and that matters a fuck of a lot more than whether you know what it's called.
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Thad

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2163 on: June 18, 2012, 01:00:44 PM »

...while I would definitely rather be me than a FedEx support guy right now, it is FUCKING INCONVENIENT having to write these labels out by hand.
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R^2

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2164 on: June 19, 2012, 10:54:59 AM »

One thing about being cut down to part-time hours is that it gives me plenty of time to look for a job that won't do that. My first interview since I started looking is on Thursday -- less than a week after I started looking. This is somewhat encouraging, usually it takes me at least a month of jobsearching to get even one interview.
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Mongrel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2165 on: June 20, 2012, 09:39:58 AM »

I got an automated HR request to fill out a 10-question survey on our HR website. I get these a lot, but usually ignore them, figured I'd do one for the hell of it.

Easily the best question: "Would you recommend our HR website to other employees?"

I don't know, would I recommend, say, working here to other employees? Would I recommend getting paid to other employees? Would I recommend BREATHING to other employees?
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Ted Belmont

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2166 on: June 20, 2012, 10:24:03 AM »

Well, would you?
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Mongrel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2167 on: June 20, 2012, 12:18:56 PM »

Sommmmmmmmme of them, yes. Others, not so much.
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TA

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2168 on: June 21, 2012, 12:11:56 PM »

The man I migrated to Windows 7 this afternoon has a Confederate flag hanging on the wall of his office.
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Shinra

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2169 on: June 21, 2012, 12:15:43 PM »

I got an automated HR request to fill out a 10-question survey on our HR website. I get these a lot, but usually ignore them, figured I'd do one for the hell of it.

Easily the best question: "Would you recommend our HR website to other employees?"

I don't know, would I recommend, say, working here to other employees? Would I recommend getting paid to other employees? Would I recommend BREATHING to other employees?

I think that's convoluted HR speak for 'do you think our website is terrible for the people who have to use it?

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Lottel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2170 on: June 21, 2012, 05:56:38 PM »

So, uh, someone tried to mug me again today. First time in Decatur!
I got out of my car and crossed an alleyway to get to the apartment and two guys were getting high in the alley. One guy goes "YO. YOU GOT SAMMIES?" I gestured to the uniform and bag of sandwiches in my hand. And then it happened. The dude pulled out a fake gun and said "Gimme the sammies or I shoot you so fast you freak." I just laughed and shoved him out of my way and kept walking.

It didn't occur to me later I should've said "Don't shoot. I have an imaginary wife and kids."
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Silversong

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2171 on: June 21, 2012, 06:43:43 PM »

Does Lottel's existence really count as "real life"?
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Mongrel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2172 on: June 21, 2012, 08:11:54 PM »

So just how fake was this gun? Did it still have an orange plastic cap on the muzzle?
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Lottel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2173 on: June 21, 2012, 08:16:36 PM »

No. It was pretty realistic. To the point where when I got into the apartment, I paused and thought "Wait. Was that a real gun?" 90% sure it was fake judging by the way the guy waved it. Also, it was shinier than the other guns I've seen on the job.
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Büge

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2174 on: June 21, 2012, 08:33:26 PM »

it was shinier than the other guns I've seen on the job.

 :pop:
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Mongrel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2175 on: June 21, 2012, 10:32:00 PM »

Lottel's current avatar is about as appropriate as it gets!

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Kayma

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2176 on: June 22, 2012, 08:05:11 PM »

Does Lottel's existence really count as "real life"?
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Lottel

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2177 on: June 28, 2012, 08:06:35 PM »

One-oh-five in the shade today with 60-70% humidity. I get called in 3 hours early and have no back up on apparently one of the busiest days of the year so far. Took roughly 40 deliveries between 3 and 8. Since I was just starting and stopping all the time, my air conditioning wasn't doing much and having windows down didn't do anything.


On the plus side, I got a silver-backed $2 bill, which is sort of neat I guess.
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Classic

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2178 on: June 28, 2012, 08:18:31 PM »

Always look for the silver backing, eh?
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Beat Bandit

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Re: Your Job: The Movie
« Reply #2179 on: June 29, 2012, 07:47:37 AM »

I'm not sure at what point "get loss payee added to that form" turned into "broker peace talks with equipment rental company".
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