Why Developers Get Fired

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Posted by Soulskill on Sunday September 20, 2009 @05:42AM from the failure-to-meet-tps-report-quota dept.

jammag writes "Other coders get canned — but never you, right? From a developer who's now a manager (and who admits to being fired himself) comes the inside story on how the Big Ax might sneak up on you. To prevent it, he recommends some strategic bragging, keeping a CYA (Cover Your ...) folder to document your efforts, and making sure that your talent isn't frittered away so much that even your most mediocre colleagues look good. "

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the three dots by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-20 06:26 · Score: -1, Troll

it means ass
This article doesn't help me by IronChef · 2009-09-20 06:35 · Score: -1, Troll

I want to GET a developer fired. Any tips?
Re:Doesn't help. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-20 06:50 · Score: -1, Troll

Sorry but you are late. M$ attitudes have infected most workplaces. Gone are the days where skill and result will get you anywhere, no matter how good results you product directly or via your colleagues.
Re:From My Simpleton Point of View by eldavojohn · 2009-09-20 07:34 · Score: 1, Troll

Yeah, except it doesn't actually work that way.
Actually, yes that is how Jeopardy works. Both on TV and in corporate America: Stupid people get something wrong and lose.

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My work here is dung.
Re:From My Simpleton Point of View by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-20 07:39 · Score: -1, Troll

God damn, you're an arrogant prick. It's made worse by the fact that you seem glaringly incapable of functioning in a real world environment. Guess what, sunshine, the world isn't looking out for you. You need to look out for yourself. Go ahead and keep your head down and your headphone on so you won't hear the oncoming train. Then when it's your turn under the ax you can sob a story about how unfair everyone else is and how they're all incompetent idiots for not recognizing how awesomely talented you are. Don't forget to shake your pasty fist and tell them they'll regret firing you too. Then, after you pack up your cardboard box you can go home to read your comic books. The X-Men would never fire you, no way.
Life doesn't work that way, cupcake. Even if you can't sell yourself, you at the very least can't let other sell you out.
Re:Bragging by radtea · 2009-09-20 10:51 · Score: 1, Troll

Great, now my manager knows I'm getting projects done and knows what I'm currently working on,
Why do you think that? I've rarely had a conversation with a manager that has actually changed their state of knowledge. Just because you've had a conversation with your manager doesn't mean your manager has had a conversation with you.
Furthermore, your manager's statement that he needs $otherModule is simply because he just got off the phone with someone who mentioned it, not because there is any actual business urgency.
You're touchingly naive about what is going on, and maybe in your small company you've got good people, but in any large organization you are necessarily dealing with mediocrities who have no interest in what you are doing and no clue what is important.

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Blasphemy is a human right. Blasphemophobia kills.
Re:From My Simpleton Point of View by pcardno · 2009-09-20 20:00 · Score: 0, Troll

Maybe they noticed but seeing as you clearly didn't care to write your evaluation properly or take it seriously, they ignored both the evaluation form and you as an employee for a few years. Next time take some responsibility for your own evaluation instead of dicking around and then maybe they'll be willing to invest some time in you.

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--- Band: Joey Ultra