The lecture I gave to new graduates of HackReactor software engineering immersive
brian boyko
Sr. Software Engineer, Front End - Publicis Sapient
Graduate, HackReactor Austin Cohort #21
@boyko4tx - github.com/brianboyko - http://brianboyko.us
Abridged
Things to keep in mind
wHEN LOOKING FOR A SOFTWARE ENGINEERING JOB
- No Source Control.
- No Unit Tests.
- No Daily Builds.
- No Bug Database (like Jira).
- No Spec.
- No Testers.
- No Code Reviews.
- You were not asked to actually code or whiteboard during your interview.
- Engineers do not have admin/sudo access on dev. machines.
Red Flags Before
YOU TAKE THAT FIRST JOB
This is what happens when you ignore red flags.
Google "The Joel Test." It was written in 2004, it's still applicable.
- Application is written in a in-house, proprietary language that nobody else in the world uses.
- The company has no marketing department. As a result, they are developing a product no one needs or wants.
- The company's website looks like it's from 1998. On Purpose.
RED FLAGS afTER
YOU TAKE THAT FIRST JOB
I AM SPEAKING
FROM EXPERIENCE.
- The company uses the money from new clients for new features to pay developers to fulfill old promises from older clients.
How to tell if you are working for an Accidental ponzi scheme.
- The software you are working on is something that nobody has asked for, nobody needs, and nobody wants, but your company makes it because it shows off the "capabilities" of some fancy vaporware.
In most cases, "ponzi scheme-like" companies aren't breaking the law, or being bad people, but they dug themselves a hole and kept digging.