January 25, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The IT Explosion
January 26, 2010 at 2:58 am
I don't begrudge people the chance to make a good living in technology, even if they don't have a passion for it. I would just like to have them to have a positive attitude, put in a little effort, and smile. Especially when you are asking for help.
Do you know what I love about my job? The fact that there are people sittin g out there who are experts in what they do and they take time to create some awesome scripts, articles, ebooks and they hand it out for free to those who want or need it to learn something. People that do not just do the job for the money they make but do whatever they can to help others
To come back to the quote from your editorial, if someone does not have a passion for this job then I'd rather have the newcomer work with me, even if they ask a lot of questions because I know I can help them to get a passion for this job.
:-PManie Verster
Developer
Johannesburg
South Africa
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I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times. - Everett Mckinley Dirkson (Well, I am trying. - Manie Verster)
January 26, 2010 at 5:01 am
After programming for 10 years, going through burn out, and almost being divorced because of the long hours and stress, I have learned that always trying to move forward and stay ahead of the curve is not only damaging to our own health, but the health of our families. For all of you who are just starting out and are still gung ho....great! But for some of us, doing my job and collecting my paycheck so I can spend more time with my friends and family have now taken front and center.
I used to be the guy with the passion to stay ahead. Now I am just the guy that knows what he's doing, does it well, and does it as quickly as possible so I can spend time at home.
But, in a way I guess I have paid my dues. I worked my tail off and am now taking it a little easy. Atleast until the next big project comes up and then I will probably be back in over my head again.
January 26, 2010 at 5:46 am
This is not a phenomenon limited to technology. Most verticals are full of people that have risen to the level of their incompetence. In the binary world of computing it is just easier to spot.
January 26, 2010 at 6:49 am
I don't know, I think those without the passion and going through the motions are wasting their lives--and that's terribly sad. I know that I'm blessed with working in a field I have a consuming passion for, and I'm not saying you have to live and breathe this stuff 24/7, but you do have to *enjoy* it, at the very least.
If you're just surviving then you need to find something else, because this field will kill you from stress eventually if you don't--or cause lots of damage to your spirit.
Reality often sucks, it's true. Not everybody can pick and choose their work. I have no problem answering questions and helping those who want it. But like many of us the demands for a quick fix, or worse having me do some stranger's work for them, gets wearing after a while.
Bottom line, if you don't like doing this stuff, if it's a chore, then *run away*, very very fast. You'll be better off.
January 26, 2010 at 7:03 am
It's kind of analogous to those trying out for American Idol who think they can sing :w00t:
The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away. ~Reagan
January 26, 2010 at 7:28 am
I've founnd that the delimiter is not passion but self confidence. It takes more self confidence to say "I don't know, but I'm willing to find out. Will you show me how?" than to scoff with disdain and say "I know everything else, I'm just too busy to be bogged down with this trivial detail. Now how do I do this again?"
January 26, 2010 at 7:31 am
We see the need for CAPTCHA technologies on various sites to prove the form is filled out by a human and not a computer. We need CAPTCHA-like technology to prove that certain questions are asked after following industry etiquette. I think this "CAPTCHA" is well-encapsulated by the concept of "due diligence." It's a good start, anyway.
I've got a really interesting SQLServerCentral link for you. It's the search for the term "due diligence" on SQLServerCentral: Have a look at it.
First, note that only 65 results are found. Maybe in 2010, we can ramp that up to 6,500. Note some of the quotes from the results: "I have done my due diligence so I would like feedback..." - Now that's good stuff. We need more of that.
My first professional job as a programmer put me in a small (12 or so) group of mid to senior-level programmers. Right away they let me know that there was etiquette when asking for help. Following it seemed natural. I was glad to know and follow the rules. It led to better relationships and made me feel better about learning from others.
The etiquette went something like this:
First, do some due diligence on your own. Second, be prepared to ask informed questions that demonstrate your due diligence. Third, go back and apply the advice on your own to demonstrate you're not asking someone to do your work for you. Repeat if necessary. The positive attitude component was a required given.
I think the etiquette I learned is fairly universal.
Since learning the etiquette, and helping ramp up junior-level team members, I pass this etiquette along - and enforce it - if you will.
That's fairly easy to do in-house. Doing that on the internet is a bigger challenge. But then again, maybe it's a matter slightly tweaking our habits as helpers.
I think it's entirely fair - and, more strongly stated, better for all involved, if a question is asked online which is suspect for lacking the industry etiquette, that a leading question be fired back such as "what due diligence have you done?" Or, "Not seeing your due diligence, I'll give you this: <a little advice>. If you can show me more due diligence, then I'll suggest some more." I don't see this being done a whole lot. Why not?
Some sites offer rank and prestige for answering questions regardless of any lack of etiquette or regardless of the quality of the questions. Some of this has to be seen as feeding the problem.
I think that along with systems for ranking answers - there should be a system for ranking the questions themselves - so we can let poorly-formulated questions fall to the bottom and let well-formulated questions bubble up to the top.
So ultimately the "industry etiquette CAPTCHA" is in the hands of the helper to put in place.
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January 26, 2010 at 7:49 am
Steve,
Great post. I learned a long time ago that there will always be someone who know more than I do. But being the competitive person that I am, I strive to learn as much as I can so that I can be considered an expert. I know I'm a long way from there, but it's the drive that keeps me going;) So many times that means asking the 'dumb' questions that everyone else is too embarrassed to ask.
January 26, 2010 at 9:04 am
I was thrust into the world of database administration/usage/development several years ago. Someone in our office had a coupon for a free Microsoft exam for SQL Server 2005 Administration and Implementation. She offered to anyone, but I was the first to snatch it up. Prior to that, I had no interest really in databases, I was content to manage the helpdesk and do my job. But that was the problem. I was content. I had no desire to expand my knowledge beyond my spehere of influence. But for some reason, when I saw that email, I figued what the heck. I received it and 6 months later, I had passed.
Now, I can't get enough. While still not a true database admin or developer, I'm working with these things every day. I'm on SSC everyday, I've got the SQL magazine subscription and I'm trying to study for other cert tests. My biggest problem now is what area to focus on; Straight up administration or BI/Data Analysis. Both interest me a great deal, but with such vast arrays of information to suck up, it's impossible to do both I think...not to mention keep up with my current responsibilities.
So to that end, I just try to learn what I can both on the job and on my own. My IT future is uncertain for sure, but at least I know I'm gaining skills that I can apply somewhere.
The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success.
January 26, 2010 at 9:17 am
A great post from Steve, as always.
But I do have sort of a related complaint about the technology community. It seems to me that in the IT world, many folks in management positions expect most IT workers to be jacks-of-all-IT-trades (for evidence, look at some of the job advertisements for software developers). Many of us are expected to provide network/PC support, be usability experts, web designers (familiar with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and/or Flash) program web and desktop apps (going back and forth between Java and/or .NET and/or PHP), and perform DBA work (sometimes in SQL Server and/or Oracle and/or MySql). General contractors would never higher a plumber to wire the house or to lay the foundation, but in the IT realm, insanity reigns. I strongly believe that this jack-of-all-trades attitude is a huge factor in the reason that so many of our applications are so buggy, if not downright defective. Deep expertise and specialization are rare privileges that many of us are not granted, and as a result, we're running around like proverbial chickens with our heads cut off just trying to get something up and running in the ridiculously short time frames requested by management.
Bottom line, I think folks would have a lot more passion if given the opportunity (or directive) to specialize in one or two related areas (e.g. I prefer .NET web development and SQL Server database development), and I'm confident that consumers of IT services would benefit if they'd stop asking their developers to build their servers or their DBAs to design their websites (I've seen both scenarios in my workplaces).
January 26, 2010 at 10:10 am
I have to agree with the earlier post that this isn't limited to IT by any means.
I've known too many burned out salespeople, accountants, managers, etc., to think it applies only to technical jobs.
It's definitely a part of the human condition that some people are more eager, more willing, etc., more enthusiastic than others. (Some go too far that way, but I'd rather that than apathy.) There are things that can be done about that, but those are pretty much outside the scope of a simple post on a forum like this.
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January 26, 2010 at 10:33 am
I guess I would like to know what you mean by "haven't paid their dues"? I think one thing that is important to avoid is to be completely thrown off your career path. In my last position, I was interviewed and hired to be a report developer. Unfortunately, the position never really existed and was the manager's best guess of what the job is. During the interview I was warned that the person that I would be working with "was somewhat difficult to work with". Given this plus the fact that this person turned out to be a control freak that didn't want anyone else's input or help, I was left out in the cold. Instead of dealing with this, "managers threw" other stuff at me. This team I was in had 5 managers in 14 months.
I was exposed to things that I wasn't qualified to do nor wanted to do but I worked at them anyway. They were totally unrelated to my career path. So, how far do I go to just "keep a job"? Apparently, it wasn't enough.
Now as I sit here unemployed, the only thing that has come out of this is the fact that my relationship with my family is a lot stronger - probably the best it has ever been.
January 26, 2010 at 11:10 am
Nice editorial. I too have seen this apply to other areas beyond IT. From my experience, I think it is more prevalent in I.T. I also think that another quality of those that succeed after being thrust into the position is the ability to know that they don't know everything, some humility, and admitting when they are wrong.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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January 26, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Just an FYI for anyone who gets the editorial via email... the book "Protecting SQL Server Data" is advertised for sale from amazon below the editorial, but you download it free from redgate. Link here http://www.simple-talk.com/books/sql-books/protecting-sql-server-data/
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