[mtski]

Hello Software Developers,

I am new to dreamincode.net and am looking for some advice from those with experience in Software Development as a profession. I am currently a student in college looking to receive my Associates Degree in Software Development and had a few questions regarding this career path.

First some background, I have taught myself everything I currently know about programming. This includes experience with Python and GML (Game Maker Language). All of my programming experience is in designing and setting up games of sorts. With this experience I can say that I do enjoy programming when I understand what I'm doing and am really interested in becoming more experienced in it. This is the motivation that has brought me to school.

I am currently looking into writing a report regarding some of the issues one might face as a Software Developer and have noticed that burnout is a real problem with developers. I was wondering if anyone here might be able to comment on this or provide me with insight as to why burnout occurs and one might prevent this from occurring. Also, any other pointers or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for taking the time to review my post.

[modi123_1]

As with all professions - burn out happens. The winds are not where they used to be, life changes, and people change with it. Sometimes it is a string of bad projects, management, long hours, or the like.. but as I said - all those are equal factors in other careers.

[Bench]

modi123_1 has summed it up perfectly; every job can suffer burnout, and the reasons are always the same.

There have been a lot of newspaper headlines in the UK recently about teachers, doctors and nurses suffering "burnout" in their chosen profession - all of it is down to long hours, stressful working conditions, bad management, excessive paperwork/regulations, difficult colleagues, feeling underpaid/undervalued for difficult work, anxiety about job security, etc. That's life really; even people in mundane low-paid jobs (e.g. cleaning toilets) can suffer burnout if they're treated poorly by their employer.

[mtski]

Hey guys thanks a lot for your input here! It's encouraging to see there are active users here. Do you currently work as software developers or a related field?

I myself am currently in school to become a software developer based on my experiences as a coder (which isn't much) but I feel I have certainly challenged myself as a novice programmer. Are there any other forms of hazard one might face as a Software Developer that can make the job prove difficult?

I am looking into this for myself as a future developer and as a school project. From what I have read in the past, burnout was a big topic for some developers.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you guys like the job and how did you find yourselves to become software developers?

[Bench]

I've been working as a software developer since leaving University (my goal in going to university was to make myself employable as a software developer); I find it hugely satisfying, and I couldn't really imagine myself doing anything else. It's not an "easy" job; if it were easy, then everybody and their grand'ma would be doing it, and we'd all be paid in peanuts.

The job simultaneously gets easier and harder as time goes by; when you start out as a junior developer, you'll probably have some help from other engineers, and the hardest thing anyone is going to make you do is reproduce and fix a weird intermittent bug, whose root cause is buried deep in some hideous mess of old "spaghetti code", and only ever affects one customer on one specific computer, with one particular configuration.

Once you get several years more 'real world' experience under your belt, you will still be finding/fixing "weird" bugs, but you'll be in a position to do many more interesting things too; managing complex systems, teams of engineers, customer demands, management expectations, etc. It's a job where you're never going to run out of new things to learn, or new things to try - eventually you'll reach a point where the hardest part of your job is having time to do everything you need/want to do.

Burnout is no more or less of an issue in software than it is in any other profession. It happens to people everywhere in the modern world; the trick is firstly not to volunteer yourself for more than you're really willing/ready to do, and secondly to be smart enough to avoid the kinds of mis-managed companies who give their developers impossible tasks with impossible deadlines.

With that aside, I can think of other jobs (at least in the UK) which are much worse for stress/workload, including Air Traffic Controllers, Doctors and Teachers. Whatever kind of stress or pressure you might be under as a software engineer, it's probably no worse than spending all day preventing large planes crashing into each other, or performing open-heart surgery, or standing in front of a class of 30 unruly children.

Mis-managed software companies tend to fold eventually (or get scooped-up in a buyout which removes the incompetent management structure), so in reality the majority of successful software companies are better than that. If you ever find yourself stuck at a bad company, you might eventually find yourself reaching breaking point. The way to deal with that is just to get out and find a job elsewhere before it affects your health.

Aside from that, don't let your career choice become all-consuming. Keep time for your own health (eat properly, do exercise), spend time with your friends and family, take holidays, go outside and get fresh air every day, take up other hobbies, i.e. lead a "normal" life, don't become a workaholic. Don't imprison yourself in your office or your bedroom, don't drink or smoke too much, don't shut yourself off from the world. If you stay healthy and keep a good work/life balance, then you're much less likely to suffer burnout.

[mtski]

Thanks for your thoughts on this Bench. I'm really excited to eventually obtain my degree in Software Development. Some day maybe ill be able to come on to boards like this and help others.

I think I will continue to do my paper on the "burnout" subject of Software Development as I have to pick something that has to do with the field of study I am going in for and I have had this issue before in the past with just about every office like positions I have been in. ie. Tech Support.

Another question for you all, I am familiar with Python and GML (Game Maker Language) currently, however, I am far from an expert and find it difficult to motivate myself to learn coding outside of school. GML was great because I love video games and I have spent so much time trying to create little games and feel this has really given me some good experience coding. GML is great and all, but I do not see many companies looking to hire anyone with experience with this language. Probably because most companies are not designing video games.

My question is, what other ways can I apply programming to real life situations? What other motivational factors could I use to continue doing my own form of education? Also, are there any other issues to be aware of as a Software Developer? Ethical, physical, or mental?

[mtski]

Hello everyone,

I am currently in college to becoming a software developer and am very motivated to do well in school. I am highly motivated to get to that point in my life to where I can say I'm a Software Developer and just had a few questions for those that currently do this for a living.

1) Are there any hazards, difficulties, or risks involved with Software Development? I ask because I am having troubles coming up with a topic for an informational report regarding this subject. So far, I can only think of "burnout" as a possible focus for my assignment.

2) I have taught myself some python and GML(Game Maker Language). I mostly enjoy creating little games. I really have a good time doing this, though, my lack of knowledge limits me to what I am capable of creating. My question here is, what languages are most valuable to know as far as getting a job goes? I am interested in getting a head start while I'm in school before my programming classes start.

3) Do you enjoy Software Developing? What parts do you enjoy and what parts do you not enjoy and why?

4) How did you decide Software Developing is what you were wanted to do?

5) What kind of education did you have before landing a job? Did you take on an internship?

Thank you all for taking the time to read my post.

[TechnoBear]

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1) Are there any hazards, difficulties, or risks involved with Software Development?

Short of burnout, as explained by others already I can't think of much beyond carpal tunnel to be fair. There's also the occasional desire to go postal, but that's more of a risk to others than yourself... />

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2) I have taught myself some python and GML(Game Maker Language). I mostly enjoy creating little games. I really have a good time doing this, though, my lack of knowledge limits me to what I am capable of creating. My question here is, what languages are most valuable to know as far as getting a job goes? I am interested in getting a head start while I'm in school before my programming classes start.

It depends on your sector and your market. Every company has their own idiosyncrasies, however i would recommend Java, Swift (Not a language I want to know, but marketable), .Net (VB/C#/ASP), C++ (Not a language I know, but I should) as these allow you into the mobile, desktop, web, and embedded markets.

Though, to each their own in all honesty. Most of the mainstream languages are marketable and jobs in this field are not hard to find right now.

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3) Do you enjoy Software Developing?

I do, I've been doing it commercially for about 5 years now. Graduated with my AAS and just got to work. I've had jobs, like this one, that I'm not super fond of but they pay well.

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What parts do you enjoy and what parts do you not enjoy and why?

I enjoy the ability to create something from scratch, the fact that I can't stop learning something. This is why I chose the field. I'm not so fond of the jobs, like this one, when they have me automating people out of a job or in some other way not being a benefit. Management can be rough, especially when you first start out, as they generally have no idea what you are doing or how long it takes to accomplish.

EDIT: I'd Like to amend my answer... Documentation, despise it.

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4) How did you decide Software Developing is what you were wanted to do?

Honestly, I moved to the states chasing a girl (that later decided she wasn't into girls). One of the easiest ways to get out here was the student visa - I was a bar tender back in England, so I figured why not try something - I applied to do an Associates in Network Administration, computers were always a hobby of mine so I figured it'd at least waste away the time I was at college. When I was taking the classes I kind of started getting bored of them, that is when I started taking my programming electives.

I took to it like a fish to water, my brain could just work on all this stuff without even trying and it was so much fun. It was pretty much then that I decided that was my calling. Graduated with my AAS and got a job as a developer, the rest is history.

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5) What kind of education did you have before landing a job? Did you take on an internship?

I did not take an internship, complications with visa status and what not, and I graduated with an Associates of Applied Sciences with a focus on Network Administration.

This post has been edited by TechnoBear: 03 March 2016 - 06:33 AM

[Skydiver]

Along the same lines of carpal tunnel syndrome, there's others associated with poor ergonomics: back, neck, shoulder aches if you have poor posture or don't take enough breaks and don't have your workstation setup properly. Vision issues are also common for people who like to work with displays that are not properly configured, and again lack of breaks to exercise the distance vision.

In my opinion, there is also a tendency to write code deep into the night. I now think this more with the fact that there are less interruptions during those hours, rather than my original thought that developers are natural night owls. Setting up a habit of working late into the nights can lead to insomnia for some folks.

[mtski]

Wow, thanks for all the responses. I'm glad to hear your story as it is kind of inspiring to me TechnoBear and thank you for the ideas on the hazards Skydiver.

The input is great and the more the merrier.

Thanks again all.