[thechat] I want a new job!

[Kevin Stevens]

>I was just thinking about this some more.  Do you really, after nearly
> half a century on the planet, want to break in as a code monkey?

Because it's something I can do, and do well. I'm writing my CV at the 
moment and it's looking pretty sparse, I have only ever had 4 jobs since I 
left school, and I have never been out of work! I used to be a musician and 
had a small home studio with synths and samplers etc. and I loved playing 
around with the pre-programmed sounds to create something new and original. 
Or I would spend ages tweaking loops so they were just right. I get the same 
buzz from writing code, and I enjoy the problem solving aspect of it as 
well.

> Maybe approach the problem like an IA issue.  What is it *exactly* about
> your current career that is unsatisfying?

Several things. I only work 3 days at the printers, for various reasons, but 
the company has grown to the stage where the machine needs to run 5 days a 
week and I was not prepared to do that. So the idea was that we would take 
on a new employee to do my job, I would take over from my boss doing quotes 
and looking after customers, and he would devote his time to getting more 
work. This all happened about 3 months ago but I seem to have been demoted 
to doing any odd jobs around the place. Whenever I do get the chance to do 
my boss' job I never quite seem to do it to his liking, despite the fact 
that I have been working there 15 years and this has never been a problem 
before. Plus, he is always in a bad mood, and all the things that didn't 
matter in a small company but should be addressed in one looking to expand, 
like training and maintenance, are still ignored. I could go on forever, but 
basically I feel undervalued, my boss pisses me off most of the time, and 
I'm getting fed up of spending 3 days away from my wife every week.

> Also, I'm thinking, if you do want to become a code monkey?  Have you
> thought about learning PHP?

Actually I have but, as with all the other languages I've learned, I don't 
use them often enough for them to stick in my mind. I used to know 
JavaScript really well, but I struggle to remember any of it now, although 
I'm confident I can pick it up again very quickly.

Kevin Stevens
kjs at ratking.co.uk