254
I think you're asking the wrong question. I'm going to go ahead and say that challenge was probably designed for you to fail it:
You've been given a really impromptu test, which is kind of weird outside of an interview setting. I've never heard of it happening like that before. If my manager suddenly did that, I'd stare blankly at him and ask what the heck ...
214
First, change your attitude.
It is not that you cannot complete the task, it is that you lack the knowledge and expertise.
The difference? If you say "I can't do it" to your employer, you may as well pack your things, because you are DONE.
If you say "I don't have the knowledge or expertise" then management can address that by either upskilling you or by ...
186
How can I productively channel this issue?
It's not clear what "productively channel" means in this context.
You do your job to the best of your ability. If that means your colleague appears comparatively diminished as a result, that's your bosses problem not yours.
Do your work. Get rewarded accordingly. Let Sam and Sam's boss worry about his work and ...
181
Based off your information on this question I assume this question is also linked with this question.
The way your manager has sprung this test on you is completely unfair and clearly an attempt to prove that you are not able to work here when realistically the time restraint was likely too short and the notice was non-existent. The way he approached you was ...
179
If you built these tools at the office, and against existing corporate systems, then they belong to the company. Accept that.
You are worried about getting "credit," which tells me you're part of the toxicity problem, albeit probably a secondary part, and not a "source" of toxicity.
If you're worried about "credit," make a department-wide announcement ...
151
Short answer: No.
To start with, you are assuming the employer thinks you are more competent than you actually are. They have, however, tested you and know exactly on what ground you stand. Never try to guess what others are thinking, never.
What if they know you are not exactly what they wanted but valued your character (they will pay extra attention to ...
122
Is “Stack Exchange use” a valuable skill on my CV? (originally: "should i list stackexchange use as a skill?")
No.
While taking advantage of a great site like Stack Exchange/Stack Overflow is a wise choice, using it isn't actually a skill, any more than using Google is a skill, or asking your coworkers for help is a skill or using a dictionary is a skill.
...
112
A bit of background for this: I used to teach professional and technical writing to international students in an American university, and resume creation was one of the key aspects of this class. We talked about this a lot, and what follows is generally what I taught in that class.
First, you're absolutely correct that there are multiple aspects to language,...
111
Speaking as a hiring manager, it is not dishonest to include skills that you never want to use again. It just means you'll have an extra thing or two to talk about during an interview (that you have the skill, and that you don't particularly want to use it, so you're just making sure this job doesn't require it). As you note, all the skills you have work to ...
102
Many, many years ago I got my first real technical job, and it emerged soon after I was hired that they'd mistaken me for a DOS expert (whereas in reality, I'd almost never used a PC before, having almost exclusively used Apple ][s, ZX-80s and -81s, Ataris, etc.). (Yes, this was that long ago.)
When I realized that they'd mistaken me for a DOS expert, I ...
102
Stop generalizing the problem. Break it down instead.
Your initial complaint:
I have to use iTextSharp that I have never learnt
Is not a valid problem statement in a software development world. You will be always learning things, if you want to stay in the industry. Even for something you thought you had good grasp on.
You need to work with PDF? Great,...
97
I actually have hired, specifically for what is described here, so I'll use some examples from software engineering.
While I agree that experience will give you more - expertise in subject matter, people skills, and well-roundedness - I believe that all these points can be (and are) typically clarified in the job description. I can say I'm looking for ...
83
So what does "3 years commercial" exactly mean?
Typically, it means you have worked in that role professionally for 3 years, for a company that is trying to sell a product and make money.
That distinguishes you from someone who played with python for 3 years at home, went to school and learned about python for 3 years, or worked on an open-source project ...
82
I've used my Stack Overflow profile to help me with my job hunts before. I've got my specific profile ID listed on there, too.
But I don't have it listed as a skill. I have it listed under what I refer to as "Community Contributions".
Participating on a website isn't a skill. It's something you learn how to do over the course of many years, and there's ...
79
I lack the appropriate skills?
or
Is it a lack of guidance on the part of the company?
Both.
You lack the required skills for the assignment (not your fault, but it's true). You cannot certainly gain the knowledge overnight. You need to understand the scope and ask for required training to update yourself about the domain and technology. Only then you ...
78
I think you're doing something here, out of goodness of your heart, that is preventing your boss from seeing the problem.
If Sam struggles with something, based on the same-level position between the two of you, you are not actually responsible for him, but your boss.
You don't have to be rude about it, but you can say "Hey Sam, I can't help with this ...
73
One thing I did when I became lead was to create a best practices and coding standards document. I included everything right down to naming conventions for variables, objects, and procedures.
Code reviews are useless unless, and until, a well documented set of best practices and procedures have been established.
THIS
use const instead of var
...
71
You're essentially down to the same path that anyone who wants to learn something in their free time. If there are no internal experts look for them elsewhere.
The following are the best resources
Seminars,
Conferences,
Courses,
Online articles,
Since it is a pretty new technology, you might consider the scientific publication in that field. You could ...
71
There are plenty of courses on how to train people, some online, some are from real-world learning institutions. I don't think you have time for this.
So, let's get started with a 10 minute crash course.
Document the processes: Your starting point is going to be your product documentation. Every detailed step, every reference, every additional technology ...
63
Getting a small commission is better than getting no commission at all. And the salary bait-and-switch is a common tactic amongst "professional" recruiters. My guess is the position actually has a lower salary range, and the recruiter just quoted a higher figure in order to hook a few quality candidates who would otherwise pass on a lower-paying position. ...
62
First, Update your resume, and submit it to a few recruiters and start job hunting.
This was a setup with unrealistic time constraints. Your manager has given you an undefined goal and is setting you up to fail.
The reason I say this is from the key points in your post.
You and your manager have been having difficulties
Your manager just sprung the test ...
56
Being out of your depth is one of the best ways to learn new things quickly. If you have specific technical issues that you're stuck on, I'd suggest asking some questions on stackoverflow.
And perhaps the term was just used inaccurately, but typically responsive web design is primarily a CSS-driven affair. Are you sure you really need to do any of that ...
53
The best way to prevent the race for a consultant is present a convincing business case that doesn't include a consultant. From the business cases I've developed the main points are as follows:
Thoroughly define the problem being solved - Do not include your solution within the problem definition. Concisely state the problem in business terms rather than ...
53
I wonder why you oppose bringing in consultants if the end results is that something gets implemented that is just what you would have suggested, especially when afterwards everyone agrees that you totally did know what the right course of action was. Is it that you would have liked to get recognition in advance that your idea was right? Is it that you think ...
49
I am now working with technologies that are almost completely new to me
This will be most software development jobs.
I wish I could say something more encouraging, but many of us use technology that didn't exist several years ago.
a junior employee at that. I don't really know if he expects me to be as skilled as the senior at the sister company at this ...
49
As a data specialist, I would be extremely annoyed if someone wanted to try to make me into an application dev for the bus factor. That is just shortsighted on the part of your management. It is like asking an accountant to train to do HR. I only bring this up because you are likely to face resistance from these people. I also bring it up because they are ...
40
Stop worrying
You were assigned to work on internal project XX in part because you had nothing better to do.
You are now assigned to a client using the same technology stack.
It sounds to me like project XX was a successful training project.
That's not fake and it's not bad news for you.
39
Yes, you need to explain your methodology if asked. First because the data and the proprietary tool you are querying belongs to the company not you and second because, you need to make sure your query methodology is correct. No analysis tool should EVER be used without full QA to make sure that it is not misleading. No analysis tool should ever be built to ...
38
When I hire software engineers, one of the key things I look for is breadth / adaptability, and highlighting many skills will help you with that. Generalist ("full-stack") engineers generally have a leg up in the market, at least at present. It shows that you know enough to recognize the right tool for a job, and you're not afraid to continually learn new ...
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