Software Development and Programming Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[Sonny Bonds]

I'm back on my Python. I had a coding interview on Friday. I solved the problem, but it took me way too long. There's no way I'm going to the next round.

Yesterday was slow at work, so I did a "password generator" which just generated a random string and allowed you to pick the length. I think for my next project I'm going to make a Hangman game that pulls the possible answers from an API.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

I'm picking up bits of React Native in my spare time, but I don't have the motivation to keep staring at the computer after I finish work. I barely have the motivation during.

Hey breh, I'm sorry to hear that. What do you think is making you feel unmotivated right now?

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

I'm back on my Python. I had a coding interview on Friday. I solved the problem, but it took me way too long. There's no way I'm going to the next round.

Yesterday was slow at work, so I did a "password generator" which just generated a random string and allowed you to pick the length. I think for my next project I'm going to make a Hangman game that pulls the possible answers from an API.

Are you back to studying Python? Or do you mean, you're back to practicing and creating things to get more comfortable and brush off the rust?

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

Hey breh, I'm sorry to hear that. What do you think is making you feel unmotivated right now?

I'm just not having fun. The dudes I used to chop it up with are on different projects or left the company. I like the challenge around SE, buy the only challenges I face at work are shyt legacy code and shyt coworkers. But I know that'll be similar at any other large company .

 

[Sonny Bonds]

Are you back to studying Python? Or do you mean, you're back to practicing and creating things to get more comfortable and brush off the rust?

Both.

I kept taking breaks in my studying, so I’d get rusty. But I don’t see anywhere to go career wise without mastering this stuff. No more breaks.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

I'm just not having fun. The dudes I used to chop it up with are on different projects or left the company. I like the challenge around SE, buy the only challenges I face at work are shyt legacy code and shyt coworkers. But I know that'll be similar at any other large company .

bruh, is the money at least good?

Let me be honest here. If I got a job at a FAANG, I can tell you right here and right now that I would be unhappy. The only pro about that situation that I can think of is the money? Other than that, I would feel like, "what am I doing with my life?"

What keeps me motivated right now in my learning is that I don't want a job. I'm already an business owner, and I want to add full stack development to my skillset. I don't have any desire to work for anyone else. I'm going to work for myself.

Building code for Google? Nah. Building code for myself? Hell yeah.

The ONLY thing that I'm worried about in my journey is that I want to learn best practices in version control (industry standards), and it'll probably be hard for me to learn that until I actually become part of a team. But if I can link with brothas like you and learn that, that would be really cool.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

Both.

I kept taking breaks in my studying, so I’d get rusty. But I don’t see anywhere to go career wise without mastering this stuff. No more breaks.

Yeah, man, I learned that a few weeks ago. When you're in your learning mode, don't take a break for too long, otherwise you'll start slipping. But when you keep going strong with everything and you're seeing it every day, it helps to ingrain it on your brain.

It's like with me and Javascript right now. I don't "know" it yet. I'm learning it, but I don't "know" it. I'm taking in a bunch of information but it hasn't settled just yet. So I can keep going, and I will be good. But the second I take a break for too long, I'm going to start slipping on stuff because I only have a cursory understanding of it, and haven't learned the depth of it yet.

I'm far away from it right now, but I have been interested in Python ever since I found out that IG is built with Python. My dream is to build a social media site somewhat similar to IG, so I really want to learn Python.

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

bruh, is the money at least good?

Let me be honest here. If I got a job at a FAANG, I can tell you right here and right now that I would be unhappy. The only pro about that situation that I can think of is the money? Other than that, I would feel like, "what am I doing with my life?"

What keeps me motivated right now in my learning is that I don't want a job. I'm already an business owner, and I want to add full stack development to my skillset. I don't have any desire to work for anyone else. I'm going to work for myself.

Building code for Google? Nah. Building code for myself? Hell yeah.

The ONLY thing that I'm worried about in my journey is that I want to learn best practices in version control (industry standards), and it'll probably be hard for me to learn that until I actually become part of a team. But if I can link with brothas like you and learn that, that would be really cool.

The money is good. Below market, but I'm nowhere near close to struggling. And as incompetent as my coworkers can be, I've generally been working with good people. I don't play the TLR go to work and live in a bubble game, I don't mind being cordial and having conversations with people. I actually have a friend from college that works here too that I bytch and moan with every now and then makes the time pass.

Don't get me wrong though, I'll dable in things that interest me occasionally. I just haven't felt like it much lately. When I get the freedom to tackle a problem at work I usually flex some creative muscle and try to pick up something new but it's probably been a year since I've done that.

I think it's easier to learn best practices than you think. It's actually kind of hard to implement them in a corporate setting if people aren't on board. Simple things like code style - just keeping basic formatting - is hard. Best chance is to get a new project and lead by example. Anything new I write I try to comment and document as much as possible because I step into legacy stuff with zero comments and vague ass documentation.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

The money is good. Below market, but I'm nowhere near close to struggling. And as incompetent as my coworkers can be, I've generally been working with good people. I don't play the TLR go to work and live in a bubble game, I don't mind being cordial and having conversations with people. I actually have a friend from college that works here too that I bytch and moan with every now and then makes the time pass.

Don't get me wrong though, I'll dable in things that interest me occasionally. I just haven't felt like it much lately. When I get the freedom to tackle a problem at work I usually flex some creative muscle and try to pick up something new but it's probably been a year since I've done that.

I think it's easier to learn best practices than you think. It's actually kind of hard to implement them in a corporate setting if people aren't on board. Simple things like code style - just keeping basic formatting - is hard. Best chance is to get a new project and lead by example. Anything new I write I try to comment and document as much as possible because I step into legacy stuff with zero comments and vague ass documentation.

Wow. I honestly thought that it would have been the other way around. I thought big companies were leading the way on best practices, especially since they have such massive databases, etc. that it would make it hard for new developers to manage, especially when they're coming into it blind, and can't tell right off what's happening. Man, if I had to work on legacy stuff that had no comments and vague documentation, I'd be complaining too


I can imagine how that would suck up your motivation. You're expending all your brainpower just trying to figure out what the hell is going on at your job

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

Wow. I honestly thought that it would have been the other way around. I thought big companies were leading the way on best practices, especially since they have such massive databases, etc. that it would make it hard for new developers to manage, especially when they're coming into it blind, and can't tell right off what's happening. Man, if I had to work on legacy stuff that had no comments and vague documentation, I'd be complaining too


I can imagine how that would suck up your motivation. You're expending all your brainpower just trying to figure out what the hell is going on at your job

We have internal "best practices" that are usually lagging behind industry best practices. It's not a FAANG company but it is a Fortune 15 company. A lot of inertia when it comes to change. Most of our new developers are offshore contractors . Them dudes ain't trying to really learn something and they're often being brought up to speed by other contractors that don't give a damn. So the documentation all around is subpar. A series of knock on effects of higher ups not wanting to treat things like other software companies do.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

We have internal "best practices" that are usually lagging behind industry best practices. It's not a FAANG company but it is a Fortune 15 company. A lot of inertia when it comes to change. Most of our new developers are offshore contractors . Them dudes ain't trying to really learn something and they're often being brought up to speed by other contractors that don't give a damn. So the documentation all around is subpar. A series of knock on effects of higher ups not wanting to treat things like other software companies do.

Is there a lot of competition between stateside developers and offshore contractors?

I hate that countries like India are going all out teaching their young ppl tech, while over here, it's marketed as something for "really smart ppl". Not saying you don't have to be smart, but I'm saying, imagine how having coding as standard high school curriculum would drive the industry forward. More people = more brainpower = faster progress.

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

Is there a lot of competition between stateside developers and offshore contractors?

I hate that countries like India are going all out teaching their young ppl tech, while over here, it's marketed as something for "really smart ppl". Not saying you don't have to be smart, but I'm saying, imagine how having coding as standard high school curriculum would drive the industry forward. More people = more brainpower = faster progress.

You'll get mixed responses to that. I don't think there is for my company because the individual roles aren't typically handed to contractors. They'll basically wipe out an entire team and contract that work out. We're in a bad cycle of do more with less, and inevitably, that picks up the high performers. We lost a few heavy hitters around this time last year. Cut with no replacement. The boss they moved me under at that time, probably half of his people were contractors. One of the applications I work on now is all contractors who just took over from another group of contractors barely a year and a half ago.

India and China are playing the smart game. Nations typically go from agriculture to industrialization to exporting services. Both of them have enough people to fill all 3. The US should be exporting services mainly, but middle America wants to hold on to the industrialized life and it holds us back. And that's not to say that stuff isn't necessary, it just shouldn't be our main focus.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

You'll get mixed responses to that. I don't think there is for my company because the individual roles aren't typically handed to contractors. They'll basically wipe out an entire team and contract that work out. We're in a bad cycle of do more with less, and inevitably, that picks up the high performers. We lost a few heavy hitters around this time last year. Cut with no replacement. The boss they moved me under at that time, probably half of his people were contractors. One of the applications I work on now is all contractors who just took over from another group of contractors barely a year and a half ago.

India and China are playing the smart game. Nations typically go from agriculture to industrialization to exporting services. Both of them have enough people to fill all 3. The US should be exporting services mainly, but middle America wants to hold on to the industrialized life and it holds us back. And that's not to say that stuff isn't necessary, it just shouldn't be our main focus.

So let me ask you this. How often do these companies hire American contractors? Like a whole team, similar to how they might hire a whole team of Indian programmers?

I'm wondering if I built a team under my company, how viable would it be for me to look for contracts?

And yeah, I think it's safe to say that the West is in decline. I credit Biden with actually having a decent plan, but nowhere in his plan did I hear anything about the tech industry (unless I missed it). Like you said, the US is missing out on huge opportunities right now. But middle America is necessary for any President, and them hicks ain't trying to hear nothing about technology. China, Russia, and India are going to pass the US by, it's only a matter of time. Look at this whole pipeline deal. It blows my mind that we still aren't putting a focus on tech and software dev and programming, when everything that we've been dealing with for the past 4 years has been a result of America being behind when it comes to tech. These folks are taking our lunch at will. smh.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

Soon as you are able to create a profile search for this club, and follow: " Black in Tech".

They have weekly official club meetings every Tuesday at 6 pm EST. But once you are following that club any official member who creates a room under that club's disguise you will be notified of it in case you would like to join in on the chat (Rooms can be about various topics).

(FYI - Following the club does not make you a member automatically, so do not worry about people creating spammy rooms, etc)

Advice: Follow Moderators within these rooms who are about their business. You will be notified about their rooms once you do.

I hope that's a bit more clear, there's a slight learning curve for this app.

I'm finally on Clubhouse as of today.

Funny thing is, the first thing i did when I got on there was start searching for tech rooms and I discovered Black in Tech before I even saw your post, breh

Thanks for letting me know the schedule because I kept checking it out waiting for someone to go live but it didn't happen. I will definitely be tuning in next Tuesday.

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

So let me ask you this. How often do these companies hire American contractors? Like a whole team, similar to how they might hire a whole team of Indian programmers?

I'm wondering if I built a team under my company, how viable would it be for me to look for contracts?

And yeah, I think it's safe to say that the West is in decline. I credit Biden with actually having a decent plan, but nowhere in his plan did I hear anything about the tech industry (unless I missed it). Like you said, the US is missing out on huge opportunities right now. But middle America is necessary for any President, and them hicks ain't trying to hear nothing about technology. China, Russia, and India are going to pass the US by, it's only a matter of time. Look at this whole pipeline deal. It blows my mind that we still aren't putting a focus on tech and software dev and programming, when everything that we've been dealing with for the past 4 years has been a result of America being behind when it comes to tech. These folks are taking our lunch at will. smh.

I'm not too sure really. Probably not as much because of the cost. I imagine that the dudes in India are being paid peanuts and the company is pocketing the rest, so it's easy to undercut. But contracting out one or two heads at a time should be viable. I've mostly seen IBM, Accenture, and Tech Mahindra around and I'm sure there's a handful more.