No assignment at work. Im basically sitting everyday doing nothing

Hey ena,

I just have a question for you guys cuz im not sure how to handle this situation at work. I am a programmer at a finance firm.

I was loaned to another team by the head of the team to build some functionalities on their app specifically for client that my team bill.

I am forced to learn old technologies that are used to build this application. I had my fair share of work and its been fine. But now their team is under our group and two teams sort of got merged and a lot of people are working on it.

Since then i feel like i have to be aggressive to even get an assignment. For the upcoming release, i have zero assignment. Im getting worry that i will forgot how to even code with the new programming languages that i learned from my previous projects.

Also i feel that the new team members are racist. I fee like they dont want to talk to me or assign me task because im not indian. FYI, im the only non-indian Programmer in this team except Business Analysts.

The old team actually still need me. Im going to meet my manger for review in a few days and wondering if i should tell him i have no task assigned to me and i would like to go back to the old team. How do i tell him nicely that i wont be stepping anyone's toes.

Are you billable (task #, etc)?

Talk to the old manager first and secure a place. The new manager may get offended and block you from his/her future projects (that happened to me, but I really didn't want to work for that person, so no loss).

Yes, be aggressive. Who cares, as long as you're not rude. Take any work that you can get, in any department. Ask around. Be willing to learn anything. You won't forget the old stuff; it's like riding a bike. Power through the discrimination and keep your eyes open for more even-tempered groups.

Are you billable (task #, etc)?

 

 

 

Talk to the old manager first and secure a place. The new manager may get offended and block you from his/her future projects (that happened to me, but I really didn't want to work for that person, so no loss).

 

Yes, be aggressive. Who cares, as long as you're not rude. Take any work that you can get, in any department. Ask around. Be willing to learn anything. You won't forget the old stuff; it's like riding a bike. Power through the discrimination and keep your eyes open for more even-tempered groups.[/quote

 

 

No i don't bill per task. Im a fulltime permanent employee there. But at the end of the year, if you stand out, the bonus might be different. Bonus is big in finance. My concern is not just about the bonus. Im just really worried i will forget everything i know.

 

I also just started applying for jobs at bloomberg. So i just started preparing for intrviews and realized that ive forgotten some basic knowledge.

Hi Wai,

You are amongst friends here - I am also a programmer! Well as anyone in the IT field I certainly dabble in more than programming, but that's my main skillset. I totally get what you are going through. First off, as for "forgetting things". Jibralta, programming is NOT like riding a bike, that analogy can't even remotely be applied to computer programming. When there's 10+ mainstream languages out there with all slightly different syntax's and things, it's very easy to start forgetting how to even write a basic a application in some of them. I used to be a wizard in C++ for example, but I haven't wrote in in 5~ years and now I don't even remember how to print something in command line. The concepts of header files and so forth in C++, totally melts my brain right now thinking about it.

My advice regarding this; on your own time, try to stay refreshed as much as possible on programming languages. There is a program I got on mac that lets me run/compile programs in any programming language, it's a good program for keeping refreshed on different programming languages. You want to make sure that the basics at least are second nature (eg. how to write arrays, functions, etc.).

Secondly - you are already doing it, but I was going to suggest why not look for a new job? You are in the IT business. We, my friend, are at the top of the employment food chain. The jobs and work opportunities for people with our skills are only growing more and more. If you don't find one job appealing, quit and find a new one. I certainly have before. I had a job working from home for a while which was great, but one of the people I worked under was VERY cocky, so I quit. Another thing, sounds like you like big, corporate jobs. I personally like smaller gigs, small companies. I like working for places where I can control things and make a difference. Wherever you are working now, sounds like you are just another face in the crowd and don't have too much of an impact in the company.

Some big-team development projects like that are great. Video games for example, or even NASA; those are places where they HAVE to have multiple developers writing code. But in other areas, like finance (yuck!), I wouldn't want to be stuck working for teams like that. The point I am making; you are worth money, you are in a highly employable industry. There is plenty of work opportunities out there. Or you can even make your own. Keep chugging along. And my last bit of advice; follow that saying "the man who chases two rabbits gets no food". You know, you can only remember SO much as a programmer. Stick to jobs that have languages you easily remember and are skilled at. If you try to master them all, chances are, you will fail, write sloppy code, and never be efficient at any single one. No need to learn old and outdated programming languages/technologies just to please your current company and their backwards thinking. Learn ones you are really good at.

Also remember that code is just that; code. At the end of the day, it's not so much the programming language but the end product that counts. People using the end product (corporate and customers), they don't really care how your application was developed or what language it was in. They just want a functional end product that does what it needs to do. Think indie games, like "Kerbal Space Program", written in Unity / C#. At the end of the day, gamers like myself don't give a crap about that. They just like the game because it's fun. The general public doesn't care that it was written in C#, and they wouldn't care if it were written in C++, Java, or some other crap. This is why I like smaller jobs/gigs, because I can pick and choose the languages i like, rather than being shoehorned into some stupid language I don't want to code in that really isn't going to make a difference in the end product.

The best way to diplomatically approach that is something along the lines of, "I've really enjoyed this project, but it seems like the team has this all under control and I heard my old team needs some help with X, Y, Z they're doing." (Make sure that's true first) "Would it be all right if I help out on that project?"

That's really all you have to say. It doesn't criticize anyone. It doesn't make it sound like you're sitting idle or it's anyone's fault, just it's the simple truth of "I think this project is doing great, I'd like to help on that other project that might need my help."

You come off as a team player who just wants to go where they're most needed. I don't think you really need to do more than that.

Hi Wai,

You are amongst friends here - I am also a programmer! Well as anyone in the IT field I certainly dabble in more than programming, but that's my main skillset. I totally get what you are going through. First off, as for "forgetting things". Jibralta, programming is NOT like riding a bike, that analogy can't even remotely be applied to computer programming. When there's 10+ mainstream languages out there with all slightly different syntax's and things, it's very easy to start forgetting how to even write a basic a application in some of them. I used to be a wizard in C++ for example, but I haven't wrote in in 5~ years and now I don't even remember how to print something in command line. The concepts of header files and so forth in C++, totally melts my brain right now thinking about it.

My advice regarding this; on your own time, try to stay refreshed as much as possible on programming languages. There is a program I got on mac that lets me run/compile programs in any programming language, it's a good program for keeping refreshed on different programming languages. You want to make sure that the basics at least are second nature (eg. how to write arrays, functions, etc.).

 

Secondly - you are already doing it, but I was going to suggest why not look for a new job? You are in the IT business. We, my friend, are at the top of the employment food chain. The jobs and work opportunities for people with our skills are only growing more and more. If you don't find one job appealing, quit and find a new one. I certainly have before. I had a job working from home for a while which was great, but one of the people I worked under was VERY cocky, so I quit. Another thing, sounds like you like big, corporate jobs. I personally like smaller gigs, small companies. I like working for places where I can control things and make a difference. Wherever you are working now, sounds like you are just another face in the crowd and don't have too much of an impact in the company.

Some big-team development projects like that are great. Video games for example, or even NASA; those are places where they HAVE to have multiple developers writing code. But in other areas, like finance (yuck!), I wouldn't want to be stuck working for teams like that. The point I am making; you are worth money, you are in a highly employable industry. There is plenty of work opportunities out there. Or you can even make your own. Keep chugging along. And my last bit of advice; follow that saying "the man who chases two rabbits gets no food". You know, you can only remember SO much as a programmer. Stick to jobs that have languages you easily remember and are skilled at. If you try to master them all, chances are, you will fail, write sloppy code, and never be efficient at any single one. No need to learn old and outdated programming languages/technologies just to please your current company and their backwards thinking. Learn ones you are really good at.

 

Also remember that code is just that; code. At the end of the day, it's not so much the programming language but the end product that counts. People using the end product (corporate and customers), they don't really care how your application was developed or what language it was in. They just want a functional end product that does what it needs to do. Think indie games, like "Kerbal Space Program", written in Unity / C#. At the end of the day, gamers like myself don't give a crap about that. They just like the game because it's fun. The general public doesn't care that it was written in C#, and they wouldn't care if it were written in C++, Java, or some other crap. This is why I like smaller jobs/gigs, because I can pick and choose the languages i like, rather than being shoehorned into some stupid language I don't want to code in that really isn't going to make a difference in the end product.

I know im just weird. I like big companies better than the small ones. Ive been with one start up company and it was very bad job security-wise. Since then i go for big companies. Plus i really enjoy working in finance. This is probably the only job that ive worked so hard my entire life. I used to be so busy until recently and i like it that way.

Im looking for new jobs now. I can move within company also. But i rather go out of the company and get a raise. Because if i move within company i wont get a raise

The best way to diplomatically approach that is something along the lines of, "I've really enjoyed this project, but it seems like the team has this all under control and I heard my old team needs some help with X, Y, Z they're doing." (Make sure that's true first) "Would it be all right if I help out on that project?"

 

That's really all you have to say. It doesn't criticize anyone. It doesn't make it sound like you're sitting idle or it's anyone's fault, just it's the simple truth of "I think this project is doing great, I'd like to help on that other project that might need my help."

 

You come off as a team player who just wants to go where they're most needed. I don't think you really need to do more than that.

This is really a good idea. I am doing a performance review with my manager next week. I will tell him as you said

No i don't bill per task. Im a fulltime permanent employee there. But at the end of the year, if you stand out, the bonus might be different. Bonus is big in finance. My concern is not just about the bonus. Im just really worried i will forget everything i know.

 

I also just started applying for jobs at bloomberg. So i just started preparing for intrviews and realized that ive forgotten some basic knowledge.

Since you don't bill per task, these lulls can be concealed and/or downplayed.

As for forgetting what you know, I have found that knowledge does fade with disuse. But if thrown into a situation where you need to draw upon old rusty skills, your "muscle memory" will serve you. You may be overwhelmed at first, but you will relearn quickly. But you do need to have some faith in yourself. If you don't think you can learn, you won't be able to.

And definitely don't go into a job interview and say, "I forgot everything I know!"

That's my dream job.