programming/software eng. job

[Syntax]

i have a question for those of you that may be in this field.

I'm looking to finally jump into the programmer/software engineering field. I just have a few questions:

1. what does the employer usually expect you to do in the beginning of your job?

2. Is there ever a project you are assigned to where you are unsure about what to do in certain areas? how do you handle that?

As you can see...i'm not very confident with what to expect. however, i know i have the skills and know how. Any information would be greatly appreciated Thank you very much.

[martianvirus]

1. jerk-off.
2. punch him in the mouth.


Sorry, I got nothin.:icon_mrgr

[Syntax]

1. jerk-off.
2. punch him in the mouth.


Sorry, I got nothin.:icon_mrgr

believe me, if i was applying for those job requirements, i wouldn't need any help. but thanks for the info :)

[Bill]

In the beginning, you will be given pretty detailed specs about the programs that you will work on. Depending on what is going on in the shop, you could start out with the really easy stuff that bores other people with more experience. If that happens, work your ass off making sure that you complete that work quickly and accurately. A decent boss will realize that he's wasting you on that work and either give it to another "new guy" or spread it out amongst the entire staff, like he did before you got there.

If there is something that you are unsure about, you will be expected to ask questions rather than just plowing ahead after making your best guess. Personally, I prefer when someone has a question, that they give it a little thought before coming to me. I want them to ask a question and then tell me what they think the answer is and why they think that's the answer. This way, even if they are wrong, I can get a good sense of how they think.

I also expect my people to understand the business needs that they are fulfilling with the programs that they write. That causes them to test better because they know the conditions that need to be tested better.

[nitefly5150]

Where I work a new guy's first assignment is probably a mod to an existing feature, and maybe some bug fixes. No matter who you are you have to learn something about the codebase you're coming into, and the tools you are expected to use - every shop is a little different.

Don't be afraid to ask questions (especially if you're a rookie), but take notes so you're not asking the same question later. And if you don't understand the answer, make that clear. Better to say "I don't get it" right then, than have to do it a day or two later, or worse yet make it obvious you didn't get it with a thousand lines of throw-away code.

Test your code like you are inspecting the brakes on your car. People are not terribly forgiving where a buggy feature is concerned.

[frankjg]

Do you live in India?

If not, go find another line of work.. you will be outsourced before you even touch a keyboard.

[GonzoRadio]

I started a little less than 2 years ago, so I know where you're coming from.

Don't worry too much about it... like most software engineers (or at least good ones), I'm very self conscious about my work, and how my peers (and end users) perceive it. Honestly though, if you're applying for a junior position, they don't expect you to know much more than the basics. Do the best you can and make incremental improvements. Most important of all, keep educating yourself. If you don't understand how to do something, research on the net, your books, and your coworkers. Trust me, nothing you're going to write is going to be earth shattering. They'll be tons of code similar to what you're doing out there for you to use.

Your biggest pitfall won't be what you don't know, it will be that you will begin to think you're better than you really are. Don't fall into that trap, it will cause you more problems than its worth.

If you need help, let me know.

[GonzoRadio]

Do you live in India?

If not, go find another line of work.. you will be outsourced before you even touch a keyboard.

That trend is reversing....

Turns out the work in India isn't so great. My company outsourced to Egypt and its cost us several times what it would have cost us to keep it in house.

[Syntax]

That trend is reversing....

Turns out the work in India isn't so great. My company outsourced to Egypt and its cost us several times what it would have cost us to keep it in house.

i've read that as well. Additionally, this is the first step in some day managing. have to start somewhere. THanks for all the advice guys! Who said o&a fans are dumb?!?

[frankjg]

That trend is reversing....

Turns out the work in India isn't so great. My company outsourced to Egypt and its cost us several times what it would have cost us to keep it in house.

Not from my vantage point.. I'm sitting in meetings all day where we are listening to clients tell us they want 300 resources for this division moved offshore, 500 for that division.. etc.. etc.. We can hire fast enough in India to meet the demand.

3-5 calls a day like this.. I'm actually starting to feel bad about it and I'm a capitalist pig.

We are starting to see higher skilled jobs being moved out to India (Software and Hardware Architecture Design, Project Management, etc..). The skill set is definately getting better in India. Even India is outsourcing coding jobs to China now.