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them: welcome new project members, this is our CI/CD pipeline which is completely different from the rest of the company, there won't be any great knowledge transfer, we just expect you to be able to know and use everything. but also, we expect you to work on your tasks and don't waste any time.
me: okay, so my tasks aren't going as fast as expected, because I need to invest some learning so i can set up my project correctly.
later: some help would be nice, i'm stuck right now
coworker: *helps me to fix my problems, which were partly due to misconfigured build servers* i know it's a lot, and unfortunately, for this topic sources on the web aren't so good. i can really recommend this book, this will give a deeper understanding of the topic.
me: okay, yeah i mean, tbh, i'll read the book if the project invests some time for me so i can learn everything that's required, but this won't happen. also, some initial workshop on the topic or anything would have been nice.
coworker: well, i mean, i am a software developer. for me, it is normal that i learn all that stuff in my free time. and i think that's what the PM expects from us.
me: okay, that's fine for you, i mean, if i'm interested in a topic, i will invest my private time. but in this case, PM would just expect me to do unpaid labor, to gain knowledge and skills that i can use in this specific project. i'm not willing to do that.
coworker: ...
me: ...

it's not that i don't want to learn. the thing is that there isn't any energy left by the end of the day. i'm actually trying to find some work life balance, because i don't feel balanced right now, haven't felt since i started this job.
also, this is only one of several projects i'm working on. it's like they expect me this project has top priority in my life. if it wasn't so annoying on different levels, maybe i'd have a more positive attitude towards it.

also, at the moment i find it fucking annoying that i have to invest so much time in this dev ops bullshit and this keeps me from doing my actual work.

if they are unhappy with my skills, either they can invest in my learning or kick me out. at this point, either is fine for me..

Comments
  • 5
    Work life balance? In THIS economy?
    Are these guys delusional or just workaholics?
  • 5
    @CodingPeasant well, at least one of them is a workaholic, for sure... and he holds up everybody else to these standards..
  • 1
    @soull00t great... Well who wants to have free time anyway ^^
  • 6
    This really sucks, and the longer shit goes, the more they may even think shit is fine.
  • 1
    @Fast-Nop well, it has yet to be seen how long-lasting this shit is going to be... 😅
  • 1
    @soull00t Just wish you to have the last laugh in that. :)
  • 6
    You are completely right. Developing is a draining activity and your work-free weekends are there to replenish your mana for the next work week. So even from the employer's point of view you shouldn't have to learn that shit in your free time.
  • 4
    Work/Life balance?
    What is “balance”?
    … What is “life”?

    I work, I sleep. I work, I sleep.
    Ergo sum miseriae.
  • 0
    can you recommend your boss to send you to a training? or any manager? they should plan learning time
  • 1
    @coffeeholic yes, they should. it's not that there is no training at all, but trainings were only really basic and brief crash courses that didn't even cover all aspects of our toolbox, and also it was clear that the expectation of management was that we continue working on our tasks and just learn all that stuff on the fly and don't invest any significant time...
    in the beginning, i asked for brief trainings about certain tools we weren't briefed about, but since PM started suspecting me of sitting on my ass all day, i stopped asking and focused on my actual tasks, now only researching the bare minimum to get my stuff running 🤷‍♀️
  • 1
    @soull00t

    The answer is "No".

    CI / CD requires a lot of knowledge and unless your employer stated this requirement in your work contract, the answer is "No".

    I'm not against learning new stuff if someone wants to - but that means rebalancing his hours for me as a manager, and something as large as CI/CD easily consumes half a day for few weeks...

    ... Unless that is a made deal, the answer is "No"
  • 1
    @soull00t ok I get u now. I guess in tech everybody expects you to learn a little in your freetime (or at least is my experience. yet still fucked up). I could never move forward only from trainings on the job. But one of my friends company pays for a lot of courses and they have dedicated time to learn every week (but they still do it in their free time as well).
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