The Harsh Reality of Being a Software Engineer
Summary
TLDRJassy discusses the harsh realities of being a software engineer, beyond the allure of high salaries and perks. The video addresses the risk of burnout due to intense workloads, the stress of technical interviews, and the pressure to constantly learn and keep up with the latest technologies. Jassy also touches on the double standards and imposter syndrome prevalent in the tech industry, urging a reevaluation of work-life balance and the expectations placed on developers.
Takeaways
- 💼 The tech industry and being a software engineer is not always as glamorous as it seems, with many people focusing only on the positives like high salaries and perks.
- 🔥 Burnout is a common issue in the tech industry due to the pressure to constantly improve efficiency and the overwhelming workload that comes with climbing the career ladder.
- 📈 The never-ending backlog of tasks such as bugs, refinements, UI/UX work, and technical debt can contribute to the feeling of being overwhelmed in a software engineering role.
- 👥 There's often an under-staffing issue in tech teams, which can exacerbate the workload and stress on individual developers.
- 🤯 The pursuit of success and high earnings in the tech industry can lead to unhealthy habits, such as lack of sleep and constant programming both at work and home.
- 📚 The preparation for technical interviews can be extremely demanding, affecting the quality of life and causing stress even before starting a job.
- 🤔 There's a disconnect between the skills tested in technical interviews and the actual day-to-day tasks of a software engineer, which involves more creativity and collaboration.
- 🚫 The tech industry can sometimes have a double standard, expecting developers to both excel in rigorous interviews and maintain a lifestyle centered around coding.
- 🏆 Junior developers face the pressure to learn quickly and keep up with the latest technologies, which can be frustrating for those with interests outside of coding.
- 🧐 Imposter syndrome and comparison with peers are prevalent in the tech community, leading to feelings of inadequacy despite being valuable contributors.
- 🤝 There's a call to reevaluate the expectations placed on developers, including the number of hours spent programming and the importance of work-life balance.
Q & A
What is the main theme of Jassy's video?
-The main theme of Jassy's video is to highlight the less-discussed negative aspects of being a software engineer in the tech industry, providing a more realistic view beyond the positive perks and high salaries.
What does Jassy believe can cause burnout for software engineers?
-Jassy believes that burnout for software engineers can be caused by the constant pressure to become more efficient, growing expectations, overwhelming workloads, and the understaffing of development teams.
Why does Jassy mention the issue of 'technical debt' in the script?
-Jassy mentions 'technical debt' as one of the issues that contribute to the burnout of software engineers, as it represents a growing list of tasks that the team never gets to due to being understaffed.
What does Jassy suggest about the impact of success and high salary expectations on software engineers?
-Jassy suggests that the allure of high salaries and success can be addictive, leading software engineers to overwork themselves, neglect healthy habits, and constantly strive to increase their income, which can lead to stress and burnout.
How does Jassy describe the experience of preparing for technical interviews?
-Jassy describes the experience of preparing for technical interviews as extremely demanding and time-consuming, often leading to a poor quality of life and feelings of exhaustion.
What is Jassy's opinion on the relevance of technical interviews to the actual job of a software engineer?
-Jassy believes that technical interviews do not accurately reflect the reality of a software engineer's job, which involves creativity, collaboration, and the ability to use resources like Google and Stack Overflow, rather than just memorizing data structures and algorithms.
Why does Jassy feel that the tech industry has a double standard for software engineers?
-Jassy feels that the tech industry has a double standard because it expects software engineers to prepare intensely for interviews like an SAT, yet also expects them to live a lifestyle that revolves entirely around coding, even outside of work.
What challenges does Jassy identify for junior developers in the tech industry?
-Jassy identifies that junior developers face the challenge of needing to learn the codebase quickly and produce a high volume of work, while also feeling the pressure to keep up with the latest technologies and coding practices outside of work.
How does Jassy perceive the impact of having diverse interests outside of coding on a software engineer's career?
-Jassy perceives that having diverse interests outside of coding can make a software engineer feel like they are not doing enough in their professional field, as they may not be able to keep up with the constant technological advancements or the expectations of their peers.
What is Jassy's stance on the importance of work-life balance for software engineers?
-Jassy advocates for a reevaluation of the standard 40-hour work week for software engineers, emphasizing the importance of human interaction and mental health, and suggesting that programming for extended hours can be detrimental.
What is the motivation behind Jassy creating this video?
-Jassy's motivation for creating this video is not to discourage aspiring software engineers but to provide a realistic perspective on the challenges they may face, inspired by observing the struggles of his wife and her peers during their coding boot camp.
Outlines
😔 The Reality of Software Engineering: Burnout and Unrealistic Expectations
The first paragraph discusses the misconceptions about the glamorous life of a software engineer and the harsh realities that come with it. The speaker, Jassy, admits to contributing to the trend of only highlighting the positive aspects of the tech industry. The main issue addressed is burnout, which is attributed to the constant pressure to be more efficient and the overwhelming expectations as one advances in their career. The speaker also touches on the understaffing of development teams, the addictive nature of success, and the unhealthy habits that can develop as a result of the industry's demands.
😥 The Struggles Before Starting: Technical Interview Challenges and Imposter Syndrome
In the second paragraph, Jassy elaborates on the difficulties faced by aspiring software engineers even before they begin their first job. The intense preparation for technical interviews, often at the expense of personal life and well-being, is highlighted. The speaker also discusses the frustration of not getting clear feedback after being declined from a job, the double standard of being expected to both excel in technical knowledge and keep up with the latest technologies in one's spare time. Additionally, the paragraph touches on the imposter syndrome prevalent in the tech community, where developers often feel like they are not good enough, leading to unhealthy comparisons and stress.
🙏 Balancing Life and Work: A Call for Reevaluation of Developer Expectations
The final paragraph serves as a conclusion to the video script, where Jassy expresses hope that the video has provided a realistic perspective on the life of a software engineer. The speaker emphasizes the importance of balancing work and personal life, especially considering the mental health implications of long hours of programming and the need for human interaction. Jassy calls for a reevaluation of the standard 40-hour workweek for developers and encourages viewers to share their thoughts on the topic, aiming to foster a discussion that considers the well-being of those in the tech industry.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Software Engineer
💡Burnout
💡Technical Interviews
💡Imposter Syndrome
💡Culture Fit
💡Tech Industry
💡Programming
💡Undermanned Teams
💡Pull Requests
💡Technical Debt
💡Coding Bootcamp
Highlights
The tech industry and being a software engineer are often portrayed unrealistically, focusing only on the positives.
Aspiring software engineers should have a realistic understanding of the job, including its challenges, not just the perks like high salaries and free snacks.
Burnout is a common issue in the tech industry due to the pressure to be more efficient and the overwhelming workload.
Developers face a never-ending backlog of tasks, including bugs, UI/UX work, and technical debt, often due to understaffed teams.
The pursuit of success and high salaries can lead to unhealthy habits and stress, contributing to burnout.
The process of applying for jobs and preparing for technical interviews can be exhausting and demoralizing.
Technical interviews may not accurately reflect the reality of a developer's job, which involves creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
The tech industry has a double standard, expecting candidates to prepare extensively for interviews while also maintaining a lifestyle of constant learning and coding.
Junior developers are expected to learn quickly and keep up with the latest technologies, which can be overwhelming.
There is a cultural expectation in tech to be constantly coding and learning, even outside of work hours.
Imposter syndrome and comparison with peers are common among developers, leading to feelings of inadequacy.
Developers may feel pressured to spend excessive hours programming, which can affect their mental health and work-life balance.
The speaker suggests reevaluating the standard 40-hour workweek, especially for developers who need human interaction and a break from screens.
The video aims to provide a balanced view of the software engineering profession, acknowledging both opportunities and stressors.
The speaker shares personal experiences to highlight the harsh realities of being a software engineer, rather than discouraging viewers.
The video concludes by encouraging viewers to consider the full spectrum of the software engineering profession, including its mental and emotional demands.
Transcripts
[Music]
you know being a software engineer it
isn't all glitz and glamour what's up
everyone jassy here and i really wanted
to make this video because i see this
like trend where people only really talk
about the positive
aspects of the tech industry and being a
software engineer i myself definitely am
guilty of that i have
at least
probably a dozen videos where i only
really talk about the positive aspects
of being a software engineer which can
kind of make the industry and the job
itself seem a bit unrealistic aspiring
software engineers should have a deeper
understanding of what the reality is
like for software developers opposed to
just these expectations
of a six-figure salary and free coffee
and snacks at work and being able to
bring your dog to work for one as
someone who desired all of those things
i realized that those are major perks
but there are some not so healthy things
that come along with landing that dream
fang job or really high paying salary so
what are some of those negative things
that come along with being in the tech
industry as a software engineer working
for a competitive company the first
thing that i can think of is burnout so
what causes burnout developers are
always working harder to become more
efficient and as you climb the ladder
your expectations obviously grow larger
you have more meetings but also have the
same amount of programming which can get
overwhelming quickly for one your
backlog seems like it's a never-ending
growing list
of
bugs and refinement and ui ux work and
technical debt that your developer team
never gets to because
because most teams are typically like
under man like there's usually like a
need for more developers which is
another issue in tech also success gets
pretty addicting especially with all
these videos talking about how people
are making you know 120 000 right out of
college people are making 200 000
in their 20s it makes you want to like
make that amount of money as fast as you
can
so you jump from company to company and
you're working on your skill sets at
work obviously and then outside of work
you're programming and coding all the
time not building healthy sleep habits
so that's one example of how programming
or just the tech industry in general can
cause stress and overload which leads to
burnout that's an example of burnout
while you're working in a job as a
software engineer let's talk about the
burnout that people experience before
they even start their first day at work
when i was preparing for technical
interviews
i seldomly had time for really anything
else which really created this like poor
quality of life
i was not only programming for my
regular job which was quite difficult at
times and demanding but i also was
studying data structures and algorithms
basically a student after 5 pm which is
a totally different beast like your
actual software engineering job is
significantly different than like what
you're studying and preparing for which
is another reason why i don't understand
the purpose of some of these technical
interviews they don't reflect what your
reality is as a developer programming
for a company
takes creativity and collaboration along
with having the ability to google stuff
and go on stack overflow to debug your
code or figure out how to create
whatever thing that needs to be created
whereas in an interview they can ask you
any questions so i was studying
algorithms and data structures i was
doing
at least two medium lead code questions
a day
along with watching stanford lectures on
data structures and algorithms and i
even went as far as doing virtual
peer interviews through pramp which i
definitely recommend that definitely
helped me a ton
and i also got really good objective
feedback from people who don't know me
the point that i'm making is applying to
a million jobs because let's just be
honest like linkedin at this point is
just a resume stack along with preparing
for technical interviews
interviewing and then starting the job
to make a lot of people feel exhausted i
know for one that after i finished my
interviews i was like i don't think i
ever want to do a technical interview
again i was preparing for my technical
interviews it was during the holidays so
literally during new year's eve i
celebrated with my wife and her family
for like a couple minutes when the ball
dropped and then after that i was on the
ipad studying for the technical
interview that i had like in the next
five or six days it's such a horrible
feeling when you get declined from a
company where you made it to like the
final round of interviews and that
happened to me a couple times now
obviously i'm really grateful to even
have those opportunities but you can
feel really defeated when you like do
three four five rounds of interviews and
then you don't get the job and then you
don't really get a clear reason for why
you didn't get your job oh you just need
to work on data structures more or
algorithms more but that's such a vague
statement and that really is predicated
on who's interviewing you at the time
and how nitpicky they're being there's
this other thing in tech
that can be really annoying
which is that double standard for one
there's that you know whole gotta be
able to prep for the interview and study
for like a act or sat that no other
industry really has to deal with and
then there's that double standard that
oh you should really be you know eat
cold and sleeping like that should be
your lifestyle it can feel that way
especially when you're a junior
developer because see when you're a
junior developer
your job really is to just learn the
code base like as well as anyone and
knock out as many pull requests as
possible it seems like to be considered
a successful developer you need to not
only open and close a bunch of prs in a
sprint but also need to code outside of
work and be up to speed with all the
latest technology and see that's
probably one of the more frustrating
things when it comes to the tech
industry especially if you're someone
like myself who has other interests
outside of coding i honestly feel like i
can't keep up like i like to work out i
like to play basketball i like to i
don't know go on walks with my wife and
do photography and videography you know
i kind of have a youtube thing going on
that takes a lot of time and sometimes i
feel like
i
am not doing enough as a developer here
my like co-workers talk about all this
new technology that they have experience
with outside of work and the things that
they're doing outside of work and it
makes me feel like i'm slacking when in
reality i'm not because what other
industry do people expect you to
do the same kind of work that you do at
work at home for like fun like only
industry i could think of is like
athletics right you have practice in
your games but then you're also expected
to work out and do other things to get
better and technically programming is
like that because it is a skill set and
it does seem like a lot of your value is
based on how well of a developer you are
despite the fact that the company told
you that they didn't hire you because
you weren't a culture fit a culture fit
and that's the irony of it all we all
know
that
yes programming is a very competitive
field especially landing a really good
job but there's a lot of in demand jobs
and there are way more jobs than there
are programmers but there's that feeling
that you get where you feel like you're
in jeopardy of potentially losing your
job or looked down upon
if you feel like you're not the best
developer on your team i think there's a
lot of imposter syndrome that goes on
within the tech community especially
amongst developers and a lot of
comparing which is really unhealthy
because the reality is if you have
programming skill sets and you're
working for a company as a developer you
are very
valuable i know that some people eat
sleep code and they're fine with that
but some of us we enjoy technology and
we like programming we need to rethink
how
many hours we should be programming
especially for like our mental health
because programmers are interacting with
computers all the time all day and we
need that human interaction so i
definitely think we need to reevaluate
that 40 hours a week whole thing for
everybody but definitely for develop
anyways that's my rant on
why you maybe should not become a
developer or really the harsh realities
of being a software engineer and
my motivation behind this video isn't to
discourage you but i recently saw how
difficult it was for my wife and her
peers throughout their coding boot camp
and i can only imagine how excited they
were in the beginning i'm about to
become the software engineer and make
all this money which is definitely a
reality but going through their coding
bootcamp a lot of people realize that
hey this really isn't for me and i think
i just was thinking about like all the
opportunities and the money and not
thinking about the stress of critical
thinking all the time that concludes
this video i hope you all enjoyed it
comment down below some of your thoughts
on this topic i'm curious to see what
you all think i love engaging with you
all through the comments section and as
always have a wonderful blessed rest of
your week i'll see you all soon peace
[Music]
you
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