Question from newbe - the contracting life

[DimPrawn]

The software development world is certainly tougher. You used to get asked how you would add value to the project, what experience you can bring etc. Now you get asked for your software development blog, a list of open source project you have on github, what your level and username is on stack overflow etc. You need to live and breath software dev, and the open source movement. And look like a hipster helps.

[cntl1]

The software development world is certainly tougher. You used to get asked how you would add value to the project, what experience you can bring etc. Now you get asked for your software development blog, a list of open source project you have on github, what your level and username is on stack overflow etc. You need to live and breath software dev, and the open source movement. And look like a hipster helps.

My thoughts exactly.

This may be fun when you are in your twenties, but when you get older, have family, mortgage and life outside work, things get tough. There also seem to be more exploitation nowadays with ridiculous rates more pervasive.

I have no kids, no major obligations or liabilities, but even then I found it tough in my (then) 30s to go home after work and have the mental energy and time to catch up on the latest. Things are moving so fast in this industry, if you don't specialize and find your niche, you are buggered. And even then there are no guarantees.

There are so many buzzwords and BS nowadays in this industry. Once you get to a certain age, it is nigh comical to look at it from a "bird's eye view". Well it would be comical if it didn't affect you. I feel I need to pick up with more surgical precision the tools I want to work with, there is simply no way to stay current on most things and still have a life.

This is probably one of the key reasons I am willing to starve myself working out of a garage on my own projects rather than face this BS everyday at a job.

[heyya99]

The software development world is certainly tougher. You used to get asked how you would add value to the project, what experience you can bring etc. Now you get asked for your software development blog, a list of open source project you have on github, what your level and username is on stack overflow etc. You need to live and breath software dev, and the open source movement. And look like a hipster helps.

Yea, I'm pretty tired of claiming I read tech blogs in interviews - never read one on my life. Software development is split into two types; those who'll bore you to tears about the latest book/article they've read and the others who deliver for the client.

[jmo21]

Yea, I'm pretty tired of claiming I read tech blogs in interviews - never read one on my life. Software development is split into two types; those who'll bore you to tears about the latest book/article they've read and the others who deliver for the client.

I don't claim to be the best dev in the world, and certainly ain't the type to bore everyone with what I've read, but it's not exactly difficult to read up on the latest tools, techniques in your chosen stack or the industry in general.

The internet has given everyone access to an incredible amount of information and it's all available on a wee device in your pocket 24/7.

It's almost impossible NOT to keep up with the latest relevant stuff in your chosen subjects. And I have a busy life with kids.

[MrMarkyMark]

I don't claim to be the best dev in the world, and certainly ain't the type to bore everyone with what I've read, but it's not exactly difficult to read up on the latest tools, techniques in your chosen stack or the industry in general.

The internet has given everyone access to an incredible amount of information and it's all available on a wee device in your pocket 24/7.

It's almost impossible NOT to keep up with the latest relevant stuff in your chosen subjects. And I have a busy life with kids.

Agreed, certainly in the product I do development in, I always keep up to date.
The quality of the advice and problem resolutions given to the client, often means you get extended where others don't.

You can also advise them to upgrade, if appropriate, has proved very lucrative for me.

Yea, I'm pretty tired of claiming I read tech blogs in interviews - never read one on my life.

Each to their own, I suppose

[northernladuk]

Yea, I'm pretty tired of claiming I read tech blogs in interviews - never read one on my life. Software development is split into two types; those who'll bore you to tears about the latest book/article they've read and the others who deliver for the client.

Same go for contracting articles I guess?

[SlipTheJab]

Same go for contracting articles I guess?

Ouch

[heyya99]

Same go for contracting articles I guess?

Yes and considering how successful I am, my approach is working.

[northernladuk]

Yes and considering how successful I am, my approach is working.

You don't find stand up scrum meetings humiliating anymore then?

[heyya99]

You don't find stand up scrum meetings humiliating anymore then?

Utterly detest them. I raised it recently in a retrospective, how pointless I find them, having to justify my work to our BA-cum-PM. Don't think it went down well but I didn't give a tulip