Employed Computer Programmers....?

Question

I had a question for the Computer Programmers that were good or lucky enough to land a job, can you tell me, what is an honest days work like for you, do you think its worth the time you spent in school (or if lack of do you wish you would have spend time or more time in school?). Do you like/love/hate your job?

TELL ME!!!

Answer 1

In addition to what ZahirJ said (his answer was spot on)...

I love my job. To me, writing code is like doing a puzzle. I'm getting paid to do puzzles!

There's plenty of "alone" time when you can just put on headphones and work away and there's also plenty of time you'll spend in meetings with your clients, users, and other techies.

This job lets you work in almost any industry. You can work remotely in many cases.

I've been a developer since '92. I have a BA in Economics and a MS in Computer Information Systems. I "discovered" IT too far into my undgraduate years so as soon as I graduated I went back to school for IT.

Answer 2

There was a recent survey which indicated that IT workers (programers in particular, and over 90% of them) find the average days work to be somewhat traumatising. Traumatising is a harsh word, but I think programming attracts the kind of personality that is best managed by well a fellow programmer. If you find yourself in a team that doesn't fit your personality you're not going to enjoy the job at all.

The stress comes from unrealistic demands and too tight project deadlines being imposed upon you. Of course the latter might be a function of your ability to estimate how long something might take and communicating the whats, the whens and hows in the right way, but you know to begin with figuring out the friggin' requirements out is just about a very tough thing.

You need to be quite a communicator and not lose it with those 'marketing types'.

The average day?

Well think documentation, loads and loads of it. Stuff you either have to read through, have clarified, or produce yourself. And meetings upon meetings (most of them pointless), half the time attended by people who don't can't make decisions further delaying things for you.

Then there's the whole personality thing. Because you work with some really bright people who as bright goes are quite ermm technocratic. There might be a million ways to do something, but "my way is the best way and I don't care how long it takes we'll do it my way." So again, communication and people-skills is important.

Lastly, I'd say the best thing that could prepare you for a job like this is developing your people skills really early on. And you need to be a methodical thinker, not necessarily a bright spark but if you think logically and analyse things then you're off a good start.

If you picked programming because you thought you wouldn't have to interface with people think again.

All that said, I wouldn't have it any other way. I get bored pretty quickly unless my mind wasn't constantly exercised - trying to figure how best to apply my ever-increasing knowledge (yar, you never stop having to study and adapt to changing technology) to really cool problems that those "marketing types" have no clue of.

Programming is something you're born to do.

Answer 3

23 years in the trenches here.

If you have the correct mindset, there is nothing like it.

If I became a multi-millionaire today, and never *had* to work again, I would keep my present job. And I am not blowing smoke here - I could be retired today, but don't want to.

It took me a while to get the right job - I have a PhD in Engineering and some good math skills. I didn't find the "right" job until I was 34. This company paid me to what I consider to being play all day, while paying me well for it. I make certain that they received good value for money paid, and over time (6 years) my pay increased, as well as the ability to choose my own work.

I now work from home, but put in about 60 hours a week all told. I can't stop thinking about work because I love it so much. I have a life too, but work is fun.

Absolutely no question, it is the right field for me, but it is a question of finding the right job for your set of skills. It is not too much fun just being a "code jockey" in a pool of 200 similar jockeys. No interesting work there. Take a chance, and try to do work that nobody else wants to do, and do a good job of it. Over time you will get to choose your own work.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I have been in the software biz for the past 5 years, entered it right out of college. And to be honest, very little of what I learned in school is what I apply to my daliy work load.

Everything I use regularly was learned on the job, and on my own.

However, oddly enough I would not have gotten this job if it weren't for my BS. So stay in school!

Answer 5

wow!

I love programming, i can't believe im getting paid for just programming!

in my opinion, no better job in world. somewhat like what said by EricCartman00 it is just like doing puzzle, even more fun!