My software company job is not what I expected -- what to do?

Question

Six months ago I got a new job at a medium sized software company. Previously I had been developing software for a company as part of a small agile team, I enjoyed the work, it was interesting and I was passionate about creating a quality product but I left after a disagreement over money. The new job was not what I expected it to be and is more of a support role than a development role. There has been no formal process of training or of introducing me to their systems and I would say I've had no more than 4 - 5 hours of training in the entire 6 months since I have been here, time was put in the planner for training but it was never used because it was just seen as expendable. Everyone seems to work in 100% crisis mode all the time there is no time for design or documentation and communication is very poor.

As a result all the passion and motivation I had (I gladly traveled 4 hours a day to get to work and eventually relocated for this job) has entirely gone, I hate coming in to work, I don't really know what I am supposed to be doing and I am fed up of having to say that I can't or don't know how to do things, I feel like I don't contribute anything and am utterly fed up. It is also affecting my life outside of work and my marriage, I am feeling depressed and let down.

Does anyone think I can or should try to turn around this situation? I can't just quit because I can't afford to be unemployed but in the current economic climate I am going to find it difficult to find anything else.

Answer 1

You should try to find anything else before saying it is difficult.... Try to focus on that and you will be more happy

Answer 2

First, I would try to signal this to the person (persons) who can do something about. In a lot of cases I've seen, the "root of all evil" is the mismatch of the expectations. So clarifying them might help. The way you express your feelings about your job is very important, in order to avoid to make that person your enemy, from whatever reason.

Second, if nothing changes, try to look for a new job. Eventualy, you may find one that is better.

As a rule... there is no ideal work environment. There are only work environments that cross/don't cross the limits you set.

Answer 3

"I left after a disagreement over money"

I find this odd. You enjoyed your work with this prior employer which makes me think they had some level of competency. I wonder what sort of disagreement you had with them that you felt couldn't be resolved.

Answer 4

Bite the bullet as you've made a choice between money and work. It happens sometimes when you change your job. But stick on to the job for some more time. Give yourself at least 6 more months and see if you can build expertise on your project.

Yes, it's going to be hard but if getting another job is difficult (as it is in the current scenario), you've to fight. You never know, you may even start liking it.

Answer 5

One thing is certain... you can't be satisfied in all aspects in whatever job you take up. There ought to be something negative in every job. You have said it yourself, that you quit your first job because of some issues with the pay. You might find similar issues if you go elsewhere... so it is advisable to stick to your job right now in this crisis and probably look for a new one once things settle down.

Answer 6

If you can't move, try to change it.

If you think you can't change it, decide if you can mitigate it: just work the minimum hours, get stuck into outside interests and try to subtly instigate change from the inside.

It's just a job. Turn up, put your head down and work, take you lunch break, leave. It's paying your salary.

If you can't change and can't move, just take the coin until you can afford to move.

You can't always turn things around and if you don't feel you can (it's not for us to just glibly say "there must be something you can do"?) then just float for a while. Do the minimum to get by and concentrate on the things outside of work (your life and marriage) that you can change.

Answer 7

OK, this may be more of a philosophical answer than you were asking for and than StackOverflow generally hosts, but I just have a thought (I can't, of course, tell you what to do, but you might consider this to see how applicable it is to your situation). Have you considered that maybe you're shouldering too much responsibility for the shortcomings of the company you're working for? If the choice is between being less responsible and abandoning the job completely, I wonder if you would be better off just taking a more passive approach... do what you can, but don't feel you have to be responsible for making the company operate successfully if they aren't giving you what you need to operate. Sure, make suggestions and explain why you think things aren't going well, but otherwise maybe trying to run with what's available to you might work out.

I too work for a company that seems to be running in crisis mode all the time, especially now. It hasn't always been that way, but everyone everywhere seems to be stretched thin these days. But I enjoy it. I do the work that I can, and accept the fact that that's all that can be expected of me. No point in stressing out over work that can't possibly be accomplished. That's for management to deal with -- given a certain number of resources, only so much work can be accomplished, and if management wants to accomplish more, they are responsible for getting more resources or changing processes. Maybe they like the results they are getting from running in crisis mode... maybe all the formal processes were adding more overhead than necessary.

Continue to keep an eye out for any positions that look better, and if you don't have anything to do, make up something interesting (come to stackoverflow and answer questions :) ). But also try to clarify with management what their expectations from you are and how you and they should expect to fulfill them (don't be outright irresponsible; take less responsibility for the overall operations, but do probe into what the expectations are and how you are expected to operate). If you simply can't deal with something, demand a change. In the end, the worst that could happen is you lose the job, and it seems like that wouldn't be the worst thing if nothing you do improves your outlook there.

Answer 8

It might be worth you having a word with your HR department, or your boss' boss. If they are a compassionate company, and you make it clear you are distressed, they might give you some time to reflect on what you want to do, and might be able to provide guidance on other potential opportunities elsewhere in the company?

Answer 9

In organizations of the kind you describe, it is very rare for any one employee to be able to bring about a substantial change in attitudes because the senior management is only concerned with the profit-making part of running a business.

My suggestion is to remember that you can always change - either yourself or your circumstances. In this case, you are not the deficient party, so it makes no sense to compromise on your principles and passion for your profession. You should instead concentrate on exploring other prospects. Don't believe that you cannot change your job - you can always do that. It's when you take that decision that opportunities will begin to present themselves.

So, keep fulfilling whatever responsibilities your present job requires of you and keep your options open for other opportunities. Except this time, be more discerning about the job you take up. ;-)

Answer 10

If you are unhappy, get out. Don't wait. Find a job that makes you happy. Life is too short to waste it on companies that don't get it. They won't ever. Go somewhere else fast. Don't worry about the economy, if you are talented, you will find a job.

Answer 11

Switch off. Ignore the B/S and just make sure you don't get sacked.

Answer 12

Firstly, Find out by the way Analysis that is the situation as bad as you are thinking of?

If YES:

• Try to educate people about the worsening situation.
• Try to bring in Agile Mentor to discuss/access the situation and educate senior management to adopt Agile.
• Don't be over ambitious and try to change the situation slowly
• Most important Keep patience, Be courageous

If NO:

• Check what wrong are you doing? Why are you not able to fit in?
• Discuss in healthy way with your colleagues and seniors about what you think and what needs to be changed.

Answer 13

I will support Geoff in saying don't think about the crisis and especially about the company. They usually want 200% commitment from an employee but will easily switch him to the next guy if it's cheaper or otherwise more convenient.

Loyalty is nonsense. You may spend 7 years at IBM, work there day and night and at weekends and tomorrow be laid off because they move work to India to save money for the bonuses to the managers.

It's market you know. They choose, you choose. Simple as it is.

Answer 14

Two options:

(1) Change the company - find another company where to work and resign from your current job.

(2) Change the company - keep working in the same company, but introduce change to it from the inside and make it a better place to work in. Maybe the book Fearless Change: Patterns for Introducing New Ideas can help, or other questions at Stack Overflow related to introducing change.

Answer 15

Have you spoken to your current employer about this? Talk to them first. If they are spending the whole time fire-fighting and not enough time planning, then the chances are that they won't want to lose you. Speak to you line manager and get a formal plan drawn up to improve the situation - for both you and the company.

Answer 16

I don't think you (or anyone inside) will be able to change a company that's this broken. I've had that experience where a company is severely dysfunctional but revels in it, even "pats themselves on the back" for it. Here in St. Louis, it's a good time to be in IT. There's lots of work and companies are hiring. Some are not, of course. They haven't been able to adapt quickly enough to flourish in the current economy, but there are jobs here. You might find that to be the case where you are, too.

Here's what you might do. First, do what the other poster said about not shouldering too much burden. This will save you some energy and enthusiasm for something else. Now, use that energy and enthusiasm, and apply it to a project of your own. I have two: an open source project and a web site. Both of these let me learn some technologies that I want to know better - GWT, Hibernate, and Mina. I put these on my resume. The opensource project lets people download my software and see firsthand whether they like my coding style or not. Having these on my resume has caught potential employees' attention, and now I have the job I want.

So, the benefit of doing these projects is two-fold. First, it's a creative outlet that's there when work doesn't fulfill. Second, it's good stuff to have on the resume.

Answer 17

Yes... I have been there and done that at a point in time in life but honestly, I needed the money at the time and wasn't a smart thing to do at the time to leave the job. However, now I look back and think that was stupid thought. ... I should have moved on and found another job as doing the work we IT Professionals do... if we are not happy and dont enjoy then basically we are likely to keep on digging ourselves into a variety of holes.. and starts getting to our volume of mental stress. So before you get out find something else but do look for an option really hard...Good luck with it ... Andy

Answer 18

I would agree with many of the comments above. Maybe it is just a matter of living with the hassle for now and keeping an eye out for better opportunities - something will come along in time.

Meanwhile - try to leave your work at the office - enjoy the other aspects of your life and put your job into its proper perspective.

Trying to change your company from within will work if the mechanisms are there and can be used to improve your position WRT training and equipping yourself to do the work, but sometimes it is just a matter of being as personally professional as you can (as long as it isn't to your own detriment, see previous paragraph) and looking for the best chance to move on to something better.

And yes - I know it is easier said than done, as someone else said...

Answer 19

Jobs are often not what one expects, it all sounds so great in the interview however when you start you see that often the truth is another. I think you have two options, either look for another job with the risk of being disappointed again or try to change things little by little. This can be something as simple as starting to write unit tests for existing applications, do some utility that helps your work or start documenting etc. Going to management trying to get through some major changes is too much work and after all you are not paid for it. Instead by incrementally improving your surroundings it may also start affecting other people in the team and who knows maybe after a while changes will come. Just remember start small as to not consume too much energy.

Answer 20

I recommend a hypnotherapist with a cardiac condition. See if he can hypnotize you into being in a constant state of happiness with a dash of disregard for authority. Then pray he keels over before the countdown from 5 to 1.

Answer 21

Wow what a lot of kind souls. Now for a different point of view let's see so far you have tried two companies, neither worked for different reasons. Both reasons come down to you were not happy with what you already agreed to. Maybe you have too high of expectations? Or maybe you just were not cut out for the employee life? Try consulting? Starting your own business? Also, as far as this affecting your home life. THis is all on you. I am sorry but unless your new employers are beating you or something really heinous then man up. WE have all been miserable from time to time, what gets us through those miserable times is THE WIFE AND KIDS.. relish your time with them, forget about work while you are home, after you all you are now making "Good" money so take it easy and relax when you get home. Do not bring your problems hoem to them and quit being so whiny...Seriously you didn't want happiness, you wanted money. Well now you got it an quit bitching.

Answer 22

First off, you must stay at least one year. Jumping jobs after six months looks really shady on a resume, and I know I throw out most resumes where thats the case. And if you do get past the resume screen, I'll ask you about it on the phone and if your answer isn't something to the effect of "My mother had cancer and I left my job to care for her while she was dying", I'm going to cross you off the list.

Job jumping is a red flag, and there are too many qualified people out there for me to hire people with red flags. Therefore I vehemently disagree with everyone on this list who is telling you to leave.

That leaves you in a state where you know you'll be leaving your job in another six months, which accomplishes two things. First, man can tolerate almost anything if he knows how long the pain will last. Second, once you decide that a place is absolutely beyond saving, you can focus on developing yourself. Who cares if you get a mediocre review? You're not staying. So spend some of your time at work doing personal development, only mask it as actual work(this shouldn't be terribly hard to do in a place that isn't very organized).

Answer 23

I would try to concentrate on how to communicate your concerns in the company.

How do I win more ppl in the company over to my idea

should be the motivation.

I'd suggest reading something like:

• How to win friends and influence ppl by Dale Carnegie. And don't just look at the wikipedia entry or some resume of the main points, it really helps to read the full text, its full of examples of how it will not work. A real eyeopener for me, I immediately saw what faults some managers/ppl make in communicating their ideas. Communicating is a lot of the time more about how you say it than what you actually say.

also

• Code Complete by Steve Mcconnell has a chapter about how to talk to management. And lots of real world data (with references) that prove some techniques are better and more importantly that some techniques cost less. Very useful arguments imho.

Answer 24

From what you say about everyone there working in 100% crisis mode all the time, it sounds like its part of the work culture there and your stuck with it. For it to be causing you the problems you told us i would definately start looking for a new job.

Of course, i would still stick it out briefly as you look for that new job and take holidays when you get an interviews (or a sick day at a push). Hopefully when you find a new job you will be able to hand your notice in and say good bye.

ps. Have you asked about you old job? would you consider going back to your old pay. (for now)

Answer 25

what can i really say... may be you are having difficulties integrating with the Company people here's an article from Paul Graham that may help http://paulgraham.com/nerds.html