I've worked for the government (NASA), large public companies, and small startups as a software engineer. They all have something in common.
Yes, and the thing that all your jobs have in common is you.
If you continue to look outward at your situation and wonder why things aren't getting better with each new job, then maybe looking outward isn't the solution.
I find myself putting all my energy, both mental and emotional, into a project only to be disappointed by decisions made by management.
Repeating the same behavior and expecting different results = insanity. It isn't management's fault you feel disappointed, is it?
I really feel like management at my current employer is disconnected from what is actually going on. They manage a project, but not the people.
I feel for ya here, as people management isn't something you can really teach; either you've got it or you don't, like good customer service. And if you don't have it, it takes a lot of stumbling and trudging (and desire, for that matter) to get good at it. But, regardless of that, people management doesn't occur in a vacuum; if you want your boss to be more mindful of you as a person, don't wait for them to take interest and then kvetch when they don't notice you. That is a setup. You can choose a different, more healthy attitude instead of waiting for the perfect management team to arrive at your door.
I'm curious, what happened recently that brought this submission about?
They also seem to lack any real vision. Direction is constantly changing and proper time is not given to engineer these changes correctly. This leads to mandated quick and dirty solutions that end up being maintained with great pain for long periods of time.
This sounds like you're intolerant of imperfection and change. (Gee why would I notice that?;-) If you were in charge, would things always go according to your vision? If you had to manage you, what would that be like?
What I want to know is, how can I feel good about the work I'm doing if I don't have confidence in my management?
LOL - if I were coaching you, I would ask you that same question. You have the answer. There is no magic recipe to this; if you don't have confidence in your management, why would you expect to feel good about your work?
Let's put it this way: If your boss walked up to you right now and asked how you felt about your work, what would you say? What would you want to say? If you were your boss, what would be easy to hear? What would piss you off?
My point is: I've been where you are right now (and I've worked for my dad, small agencies, private companies, large non-profits, higher-ed and now the federal government). You sound like you're stuck, and when I get stuck I tend to get adversarial and blame "them" instead of looking within and being constructive. I'm sorry this all may sound like gloppy encounter-group bull-hockey, but it's worked for me. I'm really happy with my job, and I know that part of that has to do with me communicating a lot with my boss, trusting his direction, forgiving his mistakes (and owning up to mine;-) and being willing to fsck up a lot; and part of it has to do with him being a good listener and a good geek. So, don't lose heart. Just start asking yourself some basic questions and wait for the answers to come.
I think it's just an isolated, strategic press piece. Note that this was in USA Today a/k/a "The Greatest Hits of the News!!!" and not e.g. WSJ, NYTimes, etc. This way, HP, Compaq and the media get to play both sides of the story.
It's similar to the time when the media reported that the media was allegedly overreporting the terrorist attacks, or when the media reported that some stations were overplaying the Twin Towers footage. They'll find a story in anything. Genius was never so pathetic.
Neither the VisorPhone nor the pdQ2 would be The Way To Go for this power user:-) because they both use circuit-switched data connections = SLOW connection times of around 30 seconds.
I tried the VisorPhone at an FTC-sponsored wireless conference last week in DC. The sales rep (from Handspring) had received the unit the night before and couldn't get it to complete a call, even though the screen showed that there was an active call. The software didn't even know the VisorPhone was turned off!!!! We tried a couple of different SIM chips, used the unit in different Visors. No dice. Even so, the whole unit seemed a bit bulky to me.
Would rather use a packet-based solution like CDPD (which you can get for the Visor) or GPRS, and even then, for me these would be integrated with the telephony portion of the phone.
I just don't see any reason not to have a PDA/Phone combo that doesn't do both circuit-switched and packet-based connections. The success of the Ericsson R280LX is clear evidence that such a combination is a good idea. If Ericsson can pack dual-band TDMA, AMPS and CDPD into that little phone, why can't somebody come out with a Springboard that does GSM900, GSM1900 and GPRS?
Besides, you won't get circuit-switched data speeds of 14.4 unless the network is setup for it. I don't think any of the USA GSM networks are running that fast.
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, and the thing that all your jobs have in common is you.
If you continue to look outward at your situation and wonder why things aren't getting better with each new job, then maybe looking outward isn't the solution.
Repeating the same behavior and expecting different results = insanity. It isn't management's fault you feel disappointed, is it?
I feel for ya here, as people management isn't something you can really teach; either you've got it or you don't, like good customer service. And if you don't have it, it takes a lot of stumbling and trudging (and desire, for that matter) to get good at it. But, regardless of that, people management doesn't occur in a vacuum; if you want your boss to be more mindful of you as a person, don't wait for them to take interest and then kvetch when they don't notice you. That is a setup. You can choose a different, more healthy attitude instead of waiting for the perfect management team to arrive at your door.
I'm curious, what happened recently that brought this submission about?
This sounds like you're intolerant of imperfection and change. (Gee why would I notice that?
LOL - if I were coaching you, I would ask you that same question. You have the answer. There is no magic recipe to this; if you don't have confidence in your management, why would you expect to feel good about your work?
Let's put it this way: If your boss walked up to you right now and asked how you felt about your work, what would you say? What would you want to say? If you were your boss, what would be easy to hear? What would piss you off?
My point is: I've been where you are right now (and I've worked for my dad, small agencies, private companies, large non-profits, higher-ed and now the federal government). You sound like you're stuck, and when I get stuck I tend to get adversarial and blame "them" instead of looking within and being constructive. I'm sorry this all may sound like gloppy encounter-group bull-hockey, but it's worked for me. I'm really happy with my job, and I know that part of that has to do with me communicating a lot with my boss, trusting his direction, forgiving his mistakes (and owning up to mine
And don't take yourself so damn seriously
It's similar to the time when the media reported that the media was allegedly overreporting the terrorist attacks, or when the media reported that some stations were overplaying the Twin Towers footage. They'll find a story in anything. Genius was never so pathetic.
Fourth Class mail is pre-paid. All you would succeed in doing is pissing off your local mail carrier, who is required to deliver the stuff.
I tried the VisorPhone at an FTC-sponsored wireless conference last week in DC. The sales rep (from Handspring) had received the unit the night before and couldn't get it to complete a call, even though the screen showed that there was an active call. The software didn't even know the VisorPhone was turned off!!!! We tried a couple of different SIM chips, used the unit in different Visors. No dice. Even so, the whole unit seemed a bit bulky to me.
Would rather use a packet-based solution like CDPD (which you can get for the Visor) or GPRS, and even then, for me these would be integrated with the telephony portion of the phone.
I just don't see any reason not to have a PDA/Phone combo that doesn't do both circuit-switched and packet-based connections. The success of the Ericsson R280LX is clear evidence that such a combination is a good idea. If Ericsson can pack dual-band TDMA, AMPS and CDPD into that little phone, why can't somebody come out with a Springboard that does GSM900, GSM1900 and GPRS?
Besides, you won't get circuit-switched data speeds of 14.4 unless the network is setup for it. I don't think any of the USA GSM networks are running that fast.