109
votes
Accepted
My company is probably violating LGPL, and I think I may be complicit
Generally speaking, you are not a lawyer and it is not your job to make sure your company complies with all licenses and other contracts it may have.
Your job is to see that there is a license ...
- 127k
73
votes
Do new software developers get fired if they can't solve a certain bug?
Generally speaking no - sure there's a chance it could happen but this is usually only going to be the case where either the workplace was a trainwreck or the bug was an incredibly simple one where ...
- 102k
63
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
The real "risk" is you disqualify yourself due to refusing to complete the take home assignment.
As someone that used to hire people, you assess using the same process in order to not ...
- 56.7k
54
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
If it's really taking you that long to set up for the test, this may suggest that the test is bad... but if others are completing it in a more reasonable amount of time, it may also be that the test ...
- 49k
37
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
If you do NOT want the job, the most polite is also the most politically correct. I would go with something like:
Thank you for your opportunity. For personal reasons, I will not pursue this job ...
- 26k
34
votes
Is having to split time in two teams for 6 months while waiting for new role to be created exploitative?
From what you describe, you are incorrect to deem the offer unreasonable; it sounds typical of a large, slow-moving company and/or a company in a hiring slow-down. The company is proposing a fair ...
- 7,042
33
votes
Do new software developers get fired if they can't solve a certain bug?
In short, yes, you can get fired for not fixing a bug...
But (before you stress out), not being able to fix a bug, is not why you would get fired.
Not fixing the bug, wasting time spinning your wheels,...
- 922
29
votes
My company is probably violating LGPL, and I think I may be complicit
You have two concerns: (1) a concern about your personal legal liability, and (2) a concern about your employer's ethics. It's helpful to keep those two things separate in your mind.
Regarding your ...
- 390
28
votes
Quitting instead of accepting Performance Improvement Plan?
Usually, PIPs are designed to get rid of employees.
That depends on the location. In some areas it's a (more or less) required legal step, in others it's more optional and can be intended to be ...
- 106k
24
votes
Quitting instead of accepting Performance Improvement Plan?
I suspect that the company will use those performance reviews to put me on a performance improvement plan (PIP) to avoid paying me severance and replace me with someone who is better OR accepts less ...
- 76.5k
18
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
If anyone has any advice on how to politely decline a take-home test
task, I'm all ears.
A simple "Thank you for the opportunity, but I think I'm going to pass on completing this test. I've ...
- 368k
18
votes
Accepted
How should I explain my plans to exit my new job to my manager and recruiters?
Should I just keep my head down and work at my new job and accumulate
stress from poor performance until I'm likely let go, and avoid the
new job in discussions with recruiters, or be more honest with ...
- 368k
16
votes
My company is probably violating LGPL, and I think I may be complicit
I’d read the LGPL license carefully. It is not the same as GPL. Also many packages are available under a GPL and a commercial license.
If the company openly admits using the software so that any ...
- 164k
16
votes
Do new software developers get fired if they can't solve a certain bug?
First off, you need to understand that anyone in any job is replaceable.
With that out of the way, whether or not a new dev will be fired for being unable to solve a bug is company specific. Some ...
- 74k
11
votes
How do I protect myself from scam recruiting companies?
What is and isn't a Scam usually depends on whether or not it passes the Sniff test.
If it smells like a Scam, it probably is a Scam.
Anything that asks you to pay any money upfront.
Anything where ...
- 13.9k
11
votes
My company is probably violating LGPL, and I think I may be complicit
My gut feeling is that you have two very, very different situations going on:
Licensing of Company Product
This is your original issue. It is a real concern. Documentation of your communications on ...
11
votes
What are some coding interview strategies for those like me with dyslexia?
I'm not Dyslexic, but I am Dyspraxic.
I would go with an up-front strategy - let the recruiter know ahead of time that these style of tests are not representative of your work style due to your ...
- 13.9k
10
votes
Do new software developers get fired if they can't solve a certain bug?
For a certain bug? No
This sounds like you haven't had a dev job yet, so any company that hired you should know that you don't have professional experience. Generally, the expectation for new devs is ...
- 101
10
votes
Is having to split time in two teams for 6 months while waiting for new role to be created exploitative?
Exploitative is a very strong word.
I've seen this type of thing happen regularly - the question on whether it's exploitative is really in the good-will of the company and the expectation(s).
What I ...
- 13.9k
8
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
Very likely they think it is for 2-3 hours, because it is 2-3 hours - for them.
You are not enough familiar with their virtualisation environment, not with their standards, and so on.
Either they did ...
- 4,751
8
votes
Accepted
Convince my employer to acquire a software product that I made in the past?
Do you think that this would make any sense to them?
From their perspective this is completely normal business decision. If it fits into the current product strategy and policies and the numbers look ...
- 106k
6
votes
How do I protect myself from scam recruiting companies?
In addition to the other answers and precaution tips there.
Why don't YOU contact some legitimate independent recruiters (or recruiting companies) actively, they will be happy to provide you with job ...
- 468
5
votes
Do new software developers get fired if they can't solve a certain bug?
Unless you were being hired to specifically solve this one issue, then failure to struggle with a particular bug will not mean you will be fired.
There is a learning curve that has to be addressed ...
- 67k
5
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
A friend of mine used to run a small electrical engineering and software company. A lot of embedded programming.
They had a rudimentary take home test before a formal interview. The coding problem ...
- 4,744
5
votes
How much will it hurt my career progression to take ~1 month of medical leave 3 months into a new job?
My main concern is that this will cause me to start off on the wrong foot with the company, and jeopardize my position there since I would be taking the time off before establishing myself there.
It ...
- 368k
4
votes
Is having to split time in two teams for 6 months while waiting for new role to be created exploitative?
I wouldn't say necessarily exploitive (but could be), but I would not bank on getting the new job. You may get the new job or you may not. You could use this as learning opportunity however, so even ...
- 2,493
4
votes
Quitting instead of accepting Performance Improvement Plan?
A PIP is just an opportunity to look for another job while you still have one.
I'd accept it and use the time wisely.
- 18.3k
4
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
At the point that you are now, i.e., after accepting the coding test, you can't decline the test without declining the job itself. What will you say? "Ah sorry, the test is not up to my skills. ...
- 79
4
votes
How to politely decline a take-home test task
In one of my previous lives, I did the hiring and always gave take-home tests. The idea was not only to avoid the unnecessary time and cost of flying candidates around, but to operate in as ...
- 41
4
votes
How much will it hurt my career progression to take ~1 month of medical leave 3 months into a new job?
Unless you were hired right now specifically because there's a deadline they needed your help to meet, it may be frustrating but shouldn't be a long-term problem.
However: How much of that time needs ...
- 49k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible