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How To Behave At a Software Company?
dawilcox writes "I'm a recent grad and am going to begin work at a software company. I want to make a good impression on my boss and coworkers. I know that performance is usually tracked, but there are also innate personality traits of good software developers that bosses just want to have around. What are those personality traits? What should I be trying to do in order to make a good impression on the people at my work?" (Appropriate side question: What behavior traits would you like your co-workers to exhibit?)
Be confident without being overconfident.
Know how to communicate and also when to leave other people alone.
Don't be too pessimistic or too optimistic when setting goals.
Don't be a pushover, but don't be a dick, either.
Be productive, positive, and competent.
Always work to improve yourself.
Also, read this: http://samizdat.mines.edu/howto/HowToBeAProgrammer.html
Those three things would put you immediately ahead of me as a coder (and ahead of 99% of the coders in the industry). And, for fucks sake, let go that stupid stapler.
Now, jokes aside, it all depends on what company you are working for. I own a small software (and hardware) company. We develop several solutions, including DVRs/NVRs, digital signage server/client solutions, and other video capturing/processing/streaming/recording/analysis devices. I look for smart, creative people that can truly think out of the box and work in a non-conventional environment. I look for good multitaskers, eager to get things done. I look for good hackers, and good hackers aren't good employees by definition.
There are companies that look for just good employees, other look for the best employees they can get considering they are looking for smart, creative people. There is no recipe for this. Working at Apple-like, Microsoft-like, Google-like, or ID-like companies is radically different.
My advice is: If you are worried about making a good impression, you will end up in management. I am the kind of person that on my first day would be worrying about what new challenges I will face, and what great problems I'll get to solve. If you are truly worried just about making a good impression, and job-security is your main concern, you belong with the soul-less bastards in management, not in IT.
WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
It's worse in my case. I am BOTH a software developer AND an Argentinian. If we could gather energy from my ego, we could solve the world energy crisis.
WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
The most important quality of a good worker, at a software company or anywhere else, is that you show up. It doesn't matter how good your skills are if you aren't working. Wasn't it Woody Allen who said that 80% of life is just showing up?
And going back on topic, talking about your food like that over lunch is a big NO.
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Bullshit.
I have a co-worker who constantly pulls the "dude, RTFM" on everyone like he knows the answer. But when you pin him to the wall, frankly, he constantly doesn't.
He frequently chortles when someone asks a question "dude, didn't you learn this in 4th grade?" but he then gets the same thing wrong the next time he has to do it because he can't ask the same question (having teased someone for asking it before).
Knowing a lot is very different from being a jackass, which is what is implied in the GP's answer.
Asking credible questions incorporating the previous steps you attempted to answer your own question gains you a lot of support and will make you a wiser person in the long run.
Simply being a turd and thinking you already "know it all" just impresses people who don't know any better. Those who do know just roll their eyes and quietly check you off in their head as a know it all turd.
I know this was mostly a joke, but here is a serious bit of advice on tooth care.
0) Floss at least once per day. If you need an incentive, here is one: your breath will smell much less bad if you do this. I don't really like to floss, but I absolutely hate my breath after even one day of skipping the flossing. It makes a difference.
1) I highly recommend a good electric toothbrush. I use a Sonicare, but presumably there are other good brands too. I just happened to start using a Sonicare one month before a cleaning/checkup at the dentist's office; the dental hygienist took one look at my teeth and said "I can already tell you are doing something different, and whatever it is, I like it." I have noticed that tooth cleaning takes less time and is less unpleasant now that I have started using the electric toothbrush. There is just less tartar attached to my teeth. Also, my gums are improved; I'm not sure what the "pocket depth" means with gums or why deeper is worse, but mine improved after I started using the electric toothbrush.
2) You might even want to use a flouride mouthwash. I use Act Restoring (stupid name, but the one I use is the one that is alcohol-based; the other Act has no alcohol). I figure killing germs in my mouth is always good, and the flouride can't hurt.
You might be surprised how hard it is to break such a habit.... Speaking from personal experience it is a lot harder than one may think. ;)
Reminding the guy that he is doing it would be the considerate thing to do. If he doesnt realize he is doing it then he cant at the same time be inconsiderate
You might be surprised how hard it is to break such a habit.... Speaking from personal experience it is a lot harder than one may think. Reminding the guy that he is doing it would be the considerate thing to do. If he doesnt realize he is doing it then he cant at the same time be inconsiderate ;)
Assist him in breaking the habit. Get him one of those novelty electronic shocking pens. For some fun at the office, replace it while he's not looking.
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