iamacp.com – I Am A Computer Programmer
All about the daily work issues of a Java/J2EE Computer Programmer

Every developer will be taken advantage of at some some point. I haven’t has a job or position where I wasn’t taken advantage of.  If you are a developer you have absolutely no control of being taken advantage of.  I will attempt to discuss the

Top Reasons Developers Are Taken Advantage Of

• They Get Higher Salaries:  Developers get paid higher than most professions. Companies see this as a reason to take advantage of there employees. Developers are often expected to do the following things: Work uncompensated over time, do several times the amount of work in a day (compared to a normal week) and expect everything to be perfect and  fix things at the last minute with practically no notice.

• There Geeks:  Developers are antisocial geeks and should have no life but there jobs. This is  something that really drives me crazy. Unlike my coworkers my job to me will always just be my job. If something is absolutely crucial I have no problem working later to finish it but don’t expect me to work late every day.  Companies sometimes do not respect a person’s personal life.

• Workaholics In The Company: Everybody wants to get work done and some people take this to a extreme. There are people who will work 10-12 hours a day and expect to remain productive. They may not understand the philosophy of others that do not work the same amount of hours they do. They believe just because they are working more they are being more productive. It has been my experience the more hours you work above 40 hours the less productive you become.

These are the top reasons why developers are taken advantage of.

Programming trends are always changing. A hot technology last year may not be a hot technology this year. Rapid change is the very nature of the industry. It can be very challenging and time consuming to keep up. I will discuss some of the ways you can keep updated with technology.

• Developer Conventions & User Groups: Keeping up date with the latest programming trends are great but there are offline ways to to keep updated. Attending technology groups and going to developer conventions are other great ways to learn about the latest programming trends. Meetup.com  is one site that you can find groups related to interests of your choosing.  Another advantage to attending these is that you can’t a chance to network with like minded professionals.

• Read: I highly recommend reading anything and everything you can about the latest programming trends This includes even if you never use the technology. Reading by far is the best ways to learn about technologies.  Reading multiple types of web sites including forums, blogs, and niche site are great ways to keep updated with technology. Reading books are good too if your interest in learning a technology. If you read industry magazines that’s another good thing to do. (although I prefer anything online since it’s usually more up to date).

• Watch Videos: Watching videos is another great way to learn about the latest programming trends.  There are many sites that contain videos about technology of all kinds. You can find videos discussing everything from new technologies to actual tutorials teaching you the technology.

Time is valuable and it takes time and effort to keep up.  Any time you spend keeping updated with the latest programming trends is well worth it.  Even if you just watch a short video or visit a blog regularly it helps  substantially. You become more knowledgeable about the industry than those that never do anything more than go to work and go home. There’s are just some of the ways that you can keep updated with the latest programming tends.

Having a backup plan is one of the most important thing any professional should do. This holds true  if your a technology professional or not. What would you do if you lost your job tomorrow? You should always do whatever it takes to protect your own interests at all costs.

If you think companies truly care about protecting there own employees interests your wrong. It all comes down to protecting the needs and interests of the company. You can easily be let go at any time and without cause.  When coming up with a backup plan you should ask yourself these questions:

• What would happen if you lost your job today?
• Would you be able to pay your bills?
• Would you have enough contacts to start looking for a new job immediately?

These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself when coming up with a backup plan.