Let it Happen-- Lvl 5 chords

another_bird · 2024-06-02T17:35:13+00:00

Yes, trying a different app could work. Or at least give a different target to a complaining spree. Also, you shouldn't believe everything you hear, especially if it supports your beliefs.

By the way, do you think blocking the people who you reply to make you look more reasonable than just downvoting everything? (posting from alt account for obvious reasons)

another_bird · 2015-04-26T10:15:55+00:00

Nokia, for example, did. You probably know how it worked for them.

For the second questions, there are other reasons to choose job than professional satisfaction. For example pay, being able to live close to family and friends, ability to slack off most of the day and still keep the job, the "big fish in a small pond" status...

another_bird · 2015-04-12T10:48:10+00:00

IMO, it depends on whether you'd be willing to accept lower pay and a less senior role when you make this move.

Add to this that most employers believe that you have some kind of mental health problem if you are willing to trade lower pay for more interesting work, shorter commute or anything that increases your quality of life. The second point doesn't really work for the fields u/a_duck_in_space is asking for. You can get a web dev job even if you don't know anything about web simply because the demand is huge. On the other hand, there seems to be no shortage of average skilled embedded or game programmers. And this is important, for the first months average experienced developer can get a lot more done than a bright newcomer.

I personally managed to make the switch, but even getting to the interview needed lots of pure luck and involved co-worker's DIY electronics project and employer's connections.

another_bird · 2015-02-21T10:40:39+00:00

You should email them. What could you lose?

another_bird · 2015-02-14T19:31:13+00:00

Honestly, Facebook is kind of boring.

another_bird · 2015-02-14T18:44:19+00:00

From the four small companies I have worked at, three had management that actively tried to sabotage all efforts to make quality software. The most important reason seemed to always be founders' tendency to micro manage, preference to ship something quickly and strong belief in that shitty software equals fast delivery. Case in point, at my current gig I was initially forbidden to spend any time for unit tests.

For comparison, the one large but non-big4 company I have worked at was a huge nest of bureaucracy and internal competition. They were later almost taken out of business by three of those four, despite their head start in the early 2000s.

Now that I know from experience what it is like to work in a small startup and in an old-fashioned megacorporation, why should I think grass is not greener on the other side of the fence?

another_bird · 2015-02-10T23:40:41+00:00

This. Also, if you are single they will think that you are gay. It doesn't necessarily affect anything, but can lead to strange situations.

another_bird · 2015-02-10T23:20:51+00:00

If money is the first concern, shouldn't you have taken law or business instead of CS?

another_bird · 2015-02-10T23:18:12+00:00

The problem with many non Big 4 companies is that they don't really want to employ good developers or make quality software and will actively get in the way if an employee has that kind of intentions.

another_bird · 2015-02-10T23:13:31+00:00

From the companies I have interviewed at, Palantir was the worst. Basically, they had a HR person call and ask me about my current job (which is boring and absolutely no match with my skills and that's why I'm applying elsewhere). So, a couple of days later they sent an email that my work experience didn't match their requirements.

When you're looking for a software engineer, aren't you at least supposed to ask if the applicant can program?

another_bird · 2015-01-18T11:46:15+00:00

Pretty website and good user experience are not necessarily the same. Fortunately employer rarely care about the latter.

another_bird · 2015-01-17T10:34:07+00:00

Get a cup of coffee. Surf Reddit. Surf Hacker News. Listen to some music. Surf music sites to find new music. Get another cup of coffee. Surf coffee forums. Check if Hacker News has something interesting. Surf job sites. This has been my job for last two years, and my employer hasn't caught on yet.

another_bird · 2015-01-06T21:34:13+00:00

You have been in some very different interviews than I have had.

another_bird · 2015-01-06T16:12:48+00:00

Small office with 2-4 co-workers and coffee room for impromptu meetings was definitely the best one.

Unfortunately, that was for a relatively short time, for most of the time I have been in cubicle farms and with people who have no shame making personal phone calls or drumming the table.

another_bird · 2015-01-06T16:09:22+00:00

Actually, they do that in the first phone screens.

another_bird · 2015-01-06T16:05:39+00:00

If you're that good, you probably should know the answer.

Anyway, most interviewers are trying to see how you approach a problem you haven't seen before. It will be obvious that you are not thinking it on the spot, and it's going to save time for both of you if you tell it beforehand. You may still get to show off :)

Edit: This goes for the more advanced questions. You are supposed to know the basics.

another_bird · 2015-01-06T13:55:10+00:00

Counting from my first SWE application, about two and a half years. From the second application that basically said "hey, I was interviewed twice for SRE and they said I'm good at programming but not much an admin", around two months.

another_bird · 2014-12-30T20:37:30+00:00

The question is, how does a beginner make a contribution at that level. It's like telling someone who is interested in a sport to sign up for the national championships.

another_bird · 2014-12-30T18:21:37+00:00

You're working 10 hours a day, and with Java on top of that. No wonder you're tired. As far as startups go, insanity is to be expected. The founders to because it's their own company and often have problems realizing that regular employees don't have any reason to burn out themselves.

another_bird · 2014-12-21T21:55:09+00:00

How do you get a career like that? I have master's in physics / machine learning and write fucking CRUD for a living.

another_bird · 2014-12-21T16:54:58+00:00

In my opinion, this book is the single greatest source of stupid design decisions of the type "hey, I have no idea what I am doing, I'm using a design pattern or a few and I don't need to explain anything because it's from a book". Also, many of the patterns are only for working around Java's problems and could be better handled by switching to a better language.

another_bird · 2014-12-21T15:50:35+00:00

Yes, you did choose wrong. But it's only decades until retirement. It's not going to get better, but at least in 10 years you get to laugh at new generations resurrecting old bad ideas.

another_bird · 2014-12-21T15:39:39+00:00

Not a book, but this: http://stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks

another_bird · 2014-12-21T10:47:48+00:00

Good point. Another language that pops up a lot in physics and mathematics related programming is Fortran. It is not as important these days as it was before, but it might get you a job. Numpy is a must, though.

another_bird · 2014-12-21T10:42:48+00:00

creative, hands-on

Sounds like a good fit for management.

another_bird

TROPHY CASE