IT/Software career thread: Invert binary trees for dollars.

Nija

Nija

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Noodleface said:
Getting so monumentally burnt out recently. It's been coming for a couple years I guess but even more so recently.

I've mentioned it but I am the tech lead for a very large piece of a business critical product. For several generations we were a nice commodity that was supported in a limited number of SKUs, but this generation our support expanded ten-fold (or more, they keep adding SKUs). About 90% of our code is common, but the last 10% can't be due to CPU/chipset differences and hardware differences. The absolute braindead PMs don't talk to each other so they scheduled all of these on top of each other. But that's only a part of the problem really. .
The bigger problem is no one in the company seems to know how to debug problems or get the right people involved. I feel like I am the only person that actually understands the product, what the error conditions translate to, and who should own the fix. Sometimes it's my team, but a lot of times it's not. And debugging this product is very complicated because it's an end-to-end product with pieces in all aspects of the hardware and software. Valuable skill for me, but I'm absolutely drowning.

Even just today I asked a team member to take a ticket because I am overrun dealing with issues. They just floundered and couldn't even be bothered to read release notes to check when a certain fix had been introduced. Threw their hands up in the ticket and told the reporter some bullshit that was way off base. So in the end I just said fuck it give it to me, and I transferred the ticket to our sustaining team. Meanwhile the dude is throwing up constant code reviews made by Claude that I simply do not have enough time to handle.

Even then .. the changes the team makes are so low impact. I asked another engineer if we could investigate some huge improvement I thought of in my head, a new architecture for our stuff that I think could solve many issues we saw. They simply said it can't be done. So I said fuck this, implemented it myself (and got it patented), got business unit buy in and got praised for such a great idea.

I know a lot of people think without them a company will fail, but this is the first time in my career I've felt both completely overwhelmed and drowning and also uniquely in a position where without me we'd actually lose business.

I don't know what the solution is here, so I'm mostly bitching. Had to write this shit down. I have a 1x1 with my manager next week where I need to at least make him aware. I actively feel like I'm drowning.
Click to expand...
This is pretty much my life. For a long time. Which shows how ineffective I am at dealing with it.

Unfortunately, at this point with the job market, I haven't seen any option other than Just Doing It, until I have an signed offer in hand from somewhere else. Which I haven't had much success with at all.
 
Control

Control

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Noodleface said:
this is the first time in my career I've felt both completely overwhelmed and drowning and also uniquely in a position where without me we'd actually lose business.
Click to expand...
If you're right, demand enough money to make the drowning worth it. And right or wrong, it sounds like it's probably time to start poking at the industry competitors. Any spiteful rivalries to leverage? Someone might be happy to take you on just to stick a thumb in your company's eye.
 
moonarchia

moonarchia

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Noodleface said:
Getting so monumentally burnt out recently. It's been coming for a couple years I guess but even more so recently.

I've mentioned it but I am the tech lead for a very large piece of a business critical product. For several generations we were a nice commodity that was supported in a limited number of SKUs, but this generation our support expanded ten-fold (or more, they keep adding SKUs). About 90% of our code is common, but the last 10% can't be due to CPU/chipset differences and hardware differences. The absolute braindead PMs don't talk to each other so they scheduled all of these on top of each other. But that's only a part of the problem really. .
The bigger problem is no one in the company seems to know how to debug problems or get the right people involved. I feel like I am the only person that actually understands the product, what the error conditions translate to, and who should own the fix. Sometimes it's my team, but a lot of times it's not. And debugging this product is very complicated because it's an end-to-end product with pieces in all aspects of the hardware and software. Valuable skill for me, but I'm absolutely drowning.

Even just today I asked a team member to take a ticket because I am overrun dealing with issues. They just floundered and couldn't even be bothered to read release notes to check when a certain fix had been introduced. Threw their hands up in the ticket and told the reporter some bullshit that was way off base. So in the end I just said fuck it give it to me, and I transferred the ticket to our sustaining team. Meanwhile the dude is throwing up constant code reviews made by Claude that I simply do not have enough time to handle.

Even then .. the changes the team makes are so low impact. I asked another engineer if we could investigate some huge improvement I thought of in my head, a new architecture for our stuff that I think could solve many issues we saw. They simply said it can't be done. So I said fuck this, implemented it myself (and got it patented), got business unit buy in and got praised for such a great idea.

I know a lot of people think without them a company will fail, but this is the first time in my career I've felt both completely overwhelmed and drowning and also uniquely in a position where without me we'd actually lose business.

I don't know what the solution is here, so I'm mostly bitching. Had to write this shit down. I have a 1x1 with my manager next week where I need to at least make him aware. I actively feel like I'm drowning.
Click to expand...
Time to retire to the minivan?

Seriously though, where are you on your plans to retire? If this work is mission critical to the company, tell your boss what your new salary is so you can retire in 5 years or less. Tell him you will need the contract with 5 years built in or you will be reevaluating your current role. Your knowledge and skills are flexible enough that you can walk into any competitor's office and start doing the same level of work there for more money and probably a lot less stress.

Talk to your wife. Go through the numbers. Make it happen now while your product is a line item with $$$ riding on it. Best case they smarten up and start getting you competent help so you can knowledge dump onto them before you peace out. Worst case they kill the product off and fire you, which means you can go get something less stressful, and since they still have to support the product for a few more years, they aren't going to fire you before then. You can also stop going above and beyond, though, and let your manager eat any blow back, since it will be the result of his own decision.

You are in an untenable position, and need to change it. So use your leverage to change it.
 
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Noodleface

Noodleface

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Nowhere near retiring. Don't know how old I sound on discord but I'm 42 haha.

Competitors is an interesting thing because while our product is very much our IP, other companies have a similar feature.
 
ShakyJake

ShakyJake

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Noodleface said:
Getting so monumentally burnt out recently. It's been coming for a couple years I guess but even more so recently.

I've mentioned it but I am the tech lead for a very large piece of a business critical product. For several generations we were a nice commodity that was supported in a limited number of SKUs, but this generation our support expanded ten-fold (or more, they keep adding SKUs). About 90% of our code is common, but the last 10% can't be due to CPU/chipset differences and hardware differences. The absolute braindead PMs don't talk to each other so they scheduled all of these on top of each other. But that's only a part of the problem really. .
The bigger problem is no one in the company seems to know how to debug problems or get the right people involved. I feel like I am the only person that actually understands the product, what the error conditions translate to, and who should own the fix. Sometimes it's my team, but a lot of times it's not. And debugging this product is very complicated because it's an end-to-end product with pieces in all aspects of the hardware and software. Valuable skill for me, but I'm absolutely drowning.

Even just today I asked a team member to take a ticket because I am overrun dealing with issues. They just floundered and couldn't even be bothered to read release notes to check when a certain fix had been introduced. Threw their hands up in the ticket and told the reporter some bullshit that was way off base. So in the end I just said fuck it give it to me, and I transferred the ticket to our sustaining team. Meanwhile the dude is throwing up constant code reviews made by Claude that I simply do not have enough time to handle.

Even then .. the changes the team makes are so low impact. I asked another engineer if we could investigate some huge improvement I thought of in my head, a new architecture for our stuff that I think could solve many issues we saw. They simply said it can't be done. So I said fuck this, implemented it myself (and got it patented), got business unit buy in and got praised for such a great idea.

I know a lot of people think without them a company will fail, but this is the first time in my career I've felt both completely overwhelmed and drowning and also uniquely in a position where without me we'd actually lose business.

I don't know what the solution is here, so I'm mostly bitching. Had to write this shit down. I have a 1x1 with my manager next week where I need to at least make him aware. I actively feel like I'm drowning.
Click to expand...
Everything you've said in this post mirrors what I see at my work. Honestly, I think a lot of the problems we bemoan are simply "the way it is" and are common everywhere. It doesn’t reduce the frustration we experience, but the truth is that going somewhere else won’t change a thing.
 
moonarchia

moonarchia

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Noodleface said:
Nowhere near retiring. Don't know how old I sound on discord but I'm 42 haha.

Competitors is an interesting thing because while our product is very much our IP, other companies have a similar feature.
Click to expand...
Previous post still stands. You and your wife need to talk and decide how much you would need to retire in 5 years. Divide by 5, and that is your new salary requirement if your boss wants to keep your product running as is. Otherwise you dial back to whatever amount of work you are comfortable doing as 1 person. If that's not enough for the c suite, too fucking bad. You are doing the work of an entire team, so they need to pay you for it, or pay whatever it takes to get you those coworkers so you can have a sane work/life balance.
 
Noodleface

Noodleface

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Control said:
If you're right, demand enough money to make the drowning worth it. And right or wrong, it sounds like it's probably time to start poking at the industry competitors. Any spiteful rivalries to leverage? Someone might be happy to take you on just to stick a thumb in your company's eye.
Click to expand...
For awhile I thought one of my devs could replace me, but after today I realized how far behind me he actually is. Guy can code like no ones business but:
1. He hasnt embraced AI, he simply thinks he writes better code than it.
2. He cannot communicate with people at all. I suspect high functioning autism.
3. He's not willing to put in time to properly diagnose and triage issues. To him I think it's a waste of time because he's not outputting code.
4. His soft skills beyond just communicating are abysmal.

I find my worth is way beyond what code I can output, my impact is at a way bigger almost nebulous scope. Highly intangible from an individual contributor, but very noticeable on the big scale. This has been backed up by management.

Just had this sudden realization today that there is no backup for me, I am the single point of failure. Maybe if I were gone someone could pick up the pieces but I think it would cost the company time and money.
 
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moonarchia

moonarchia

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Noodleface said:
Just had this sudden realization today that there is no backup for me, I am the single point of failure. Maybe if I were gone someone could pick up the pieces but I think it would cost the company time and money.
Click to expand...
This isn't something to be ashamed of, and is 100% something you need to use to your advantage while it is true. $500k annual salary for 5 years minimum is what I would ask for. The product brings in millions annually, and will be lost entirely if they lose you. Tell your manager that you want to pass that knowledge on, as well, so that the company can keep the product going after you are gone. And get rid of your autist. If he can't use AI the way you are he is a liability and a waste of resources. Frees up more money for your successors.
 
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Cad

Sheriff Cad

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moonarchia said:
This isn't something to be ashamed of, and is 100% something you need to use to your advantage while it is true. $500k annual salary for 5 years minimum is what I would ask for. The product brings in millions annually, and will be lost entirely if they lose you. Tell your manager that you want to pass that knowledge on, as well, so that the company can keep the product going after you are gone. And get rid of your autist. If he can't use AI the way you are he is a liability and a waste of resources. Frees up more money for your successors.
Click to expand...
I agree with moonarchia here, you have leverage and you don't particularly like the job anyway, whats the worst thing that can happen, they fire you for asking for a raise?

It sounds pretty clear that they need you more than you need them, but do they know that? If so then you need to press that leverage.
 
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Noodleface

Noodleface

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Cad said:
I agree with moonarchia here, you have leverage and you don't particularly like the job anyway, whats the worst thing that can happen, they fire you for asking for a raise?

It sounds pretty clear that they need you more than you need them, but do they know that? If so then you need to press that leverage.
Click to expand...
It's kind of a weird situation. My previous boss got promoted super high up the chain a few months ago so I have a new manager now. That previous manager knew exactly what I was worth and I was his golden child (I don't know how to word this without sounding douchy) - he involved me in a lot and told me he saw huge leadership potential. New manager has been extremely hands off so it's different.

I am definitely going to try to leverage this. There ain't no way I can swing my dick around for 500k (I know our pay bands), but I think I could push for another promotion.

Ive also secretly been looking into other depts for positions.

And I don't have authority to fire anyone, but it's a topic with my boss in our upcoming 1x1. How do I push this guy the right way.
 
Cad

Sheriff Cad

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Noodleface said:
It's kind of a weird situation. My previous boss got promoted super high up the chain a few months ago so I have a new manager now. That previous manager knew exactly what I was worth and I was his golden child (I don't know how to word this without sounding douchy) - he involved me in a lot and told me he saw huge leadership potential. New manager has been extremely hands off so it's different.
Click to expand...
Go to your old manager who is now pretty high up, go this new guy sucks and I’m feeling stifled, I’d love to come work for you again, put me in coach. I’ll be your guy! Which you will be if he gives you a big jump.
Noodleface said:
I am definitely going to try to leverage this. There ain't no way I can swing my dick around for 500k (I know our pay bands), but I think I could push for another promotion.

Ive also secretly been looking into other depts for positions.

And I don't have authority to fire anyone, but it's a topic with my boss in our upcoming 1x1. How do I push this guy the right way.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t try to convince the people who aren’t seeing your worth of it. I’d find people who do see your worth and ask them for jobs, like your old manager.
 
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moonarchia

moonarchia

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Noodleface said:
I am definitely going to try to leverage this. There ain't no way I can swing my dick around for 500k (I know our pay bands), but I think I could push for another promotion.
Click to expand...
You can absolutely swing it. Get the actual data from sales on how much they are bringing in due to your product. Bring that in when you go see your manager, and tell him what you expect to be paid if they want to keep bringing in that amount per year. Don't sugar coat it, and say you expect to see a contract at that rate with a minimum of 5 years on your desk by Friday or you will be reevaluating your employment options. Honestly, you should be getting applications out anyways. A company too stupid to prevent an entire product line having a single person keeping it alive is going to fail sooner or later.

Roles and bands are arbitrary. Tell them to give you whatever title they have to to pay you what you are worth if that comes up at all. They want you too scared to ask for what you are worth. AI didn't make people magically able to understand things they don't understand, and that is what you have and almost no one else will.
 
Fucker

Fucker

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Street shitters can't get anything right. Not the first time I have heard of this

Azure’s Weakest Link - Five Full Cross-Tenant Compromises

In my previous blog posts, Azure’s Weakest Link? and Azure’s Weakest Link - Full Cross-Tenant Compromise, I gave an overview of the severely insecure architecture behind API Connections in Azure, a part of Azure Logic Apps, and an instance of a full cross-tenant compromise using these inherent...
www.binarysecurity.no www.binarysecurity.no
 
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