No - I don't think you're an exception. I too like my job a lot; the manager I work under is quite technically inclined, listens to what I have to say, and is willing to discuss things that he might not agree with.
This is, however, a unique opportunity. I have had managers who were bad, or arrogant, or refused to listen to what "tech heads" had to say. What I DID learn, however, is that sometimes we might not see "politically" what is going on; we rely on managers to perhaps see the political landscape of corporation Y and see how tech fits into that role. Sometimes these people perform admirably; sometimes they are only politically concerned with what affects them ie. "will the tech guy be making more work for me RIGHT NOW?" (never mind about the future).
I guess, more than anything else, I would look for a manager who would be able to sit down and discuss, have some tech background (a lot isn't necessary - that's why he hired me:-) ), and be willing to capitulate when he or she is wrong. In a similiar vein, I have to acknowledge that my way might make the most tech sense, but not the best sense in terms of budgets, political games, etc. that I don't have time to deal with, or even see. It doesn't mean I won't go on record for what I believe in; it just means that I have to sometimes accept the fact that I'm not going to get what I want.
Rant over.
I went from a dot com in Jersey to a period of unemployment, until I got picked up by a medical research company. Lots of friends had a similiar fate, landing jobs doing jsp,php,asp over backend in a pharmeceutical or medical organization. Any similiar experiences, or just a NJ coincidence? My father used to say to work in medicine; people will always get sick. 6 degrees of separation between there and computers, but whatever.
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No - I don't think you're an exception. I too like my job a lot; the manager I work under is quite technically inclined, listens to what I have to say, and is willing to discuss things that he might not agree with. This is, however, a unique opportunity. I have had managers who were bad, or arrogant, or refused to listen to what "tech heads" had to say. What I DID learn, however, is that sometimes we might not see "politically" what is going on; we rely on managers to perhaps see the political landscape of corporation Y and see how tech fits into that role. Sometimes these people perform admirably; sometimes they are only politically concerned with what affects them ie. "will the tech guy be making more work for me RIGHT NOW?" (never mind about the future). I guess, more than anything else, I would look for a manager who would be able to sit down and discuss, have some tech background (a lot isn't necessary - that's why he hired me :-) ), and be willing to capitulate when he or she is wrong. In a similiar vein, I have to acknowledge that my way might make the most tech sense, but not the best sense in terms of budgets, political games, etc. that I don't have time to deal with, or even see. It doesn't mean I won't go on record for what I believe in; it just means that I have to sometimes accept the fact that I'm not going to get what I want.
Rant over.
I went from a dot com in Jersey to a period of unemployment, until I got picked up by a medical research company. Lots of friends had a similiar fate, landing jobs doing jsp,php,asp over backend in a pharmeceutical or medical organization. Any similiar experiences, or just a NJ coincidence? My father used to say to work in medicine; people will always get sick. 6 degrees of separation between there and computers, but whatever.