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flexagonI'm trying to imagine what I'd say to a young woman who came to me with my own current concerns about my job.
Fictional person: This fucking sucks! I'm working in a language I don't like, which nobody else around here is really an expert in either, and I'm working my ass off on software that probably won't ship to anyone, in sort of a guinea pig role, with no guidance, and more or less alone.
Me: So you're asking who moved your cheese? Get out there and find another job.
Fictional person: For fiscal reasons I've chosen to stay at least through August. It's not negotiable unless I get really really miserable.
Me: So, what I'm hearing is that you need to find or create some positives in the situation you're in.
FP: I knowwwwww, it's just so hard to feel motivated. *snivel*
Me: Enthusiasm must come from within, lazy thing. Seriously, what are the things you could do in this project that would make you feel useful?
FP: I could try harder to document things, and put together a talk that would help other people get through this crap more easily. I'm the first person going here, but probably not the last.
Me: Uh huh, and?
FP: I can focus on learning C++ better... that's the one thing I have sort of been doing right. And I can try to help nail down some decent interfaces so that future work of this type can go better. God help me with trying to make a real schedule for the upcoming project though. I don't think it's possible, much less by me. So I'm going to mess it up and keep looking bad in front of my boss until this stupid thing is over.
Me: But if you blow that part, while putting together a good interface and great documentation, and giving a talk on the topic that answers a bunch of people's questions and that you've actually done enough research to give confidently... would you have succeeded, in your own eyes?
FP: All that? Yes, that's more than I'm even asking of myself at the moment.
Me: Recharge in California for a few days. Then come back and ask for that.
FP: I hate you sometimes, you smug, annoying person.
Fictional person: This fucking sucks! I'm working in a language I don't like, which nobody else around here is really an expert in either, and I'm working my ass off on software that probably won't ship to anyone, in sort of a guinea pig role, with no guidance, and more or less alone.
Me: So you're asking who moved your cheese? Get out there and find another job.
Fictional person: For fiscal reasons I've chosen to stay at least through August. It's not negotiable unless I get really really miserable.
Me: So, what I'm hearing is that you need to find or create some positives in the situation you're in.
FP: I knowwwwww, it's just so hard to feel motivated. *snivel*
Me: Enthusiasm must come from within, lazy thing. Seriously, what are the things you could do in this project that would make you feel useful?
FP: I could try harder to document things, and put together a talk that would help other people get through this crap more easily. I'm the first person going here, but probably not the last.
Me: Uh huh, and?
FP: I can focus on learning C++ better... that's the one thing I have sort of been doing right. And I can try to help nail down some decent interfaces so that future work of this type can go better. God help me with trying to make a real schedule for the upcoming project though. I don't think it's possible, much less by me. So I'm going to mess it up and keep looking bad in front of my boss until this stupid thing is over.
Me: But if you blow that part, while putting together a good interface and great documentation, and giving a talk on the topic that answers a bunch of people's questions and that you've actually done enough research to give confidently... would you have succeeded, in your own eyes?
FP: All that? Yes, that's more than I'm even asking of myself at the moment.
Me: Recharge in California for a few days. Then come back and ask for that.
FP: I hate you sometimes, you smug, annoying person.
