TMM Featured Career: Software Developer
Hey guys, meet Carolina John from Smoke Training. By day, John is a software developer and by night he’s a father and athlete. In November, 2009 he completed his first Half-Ironman. He did all his training while working by day and being a father; pretty impressive.
So let’s find out what exactly it is that John does!
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John pictured on the right at work and on the left finishing his Half-Ironman in November.
1. What exactly is your job?
Nobody really knows or understands what I do as a software developer. The more common term is “computer guy”. A career is built as a series of different jobs all within the same basic industry, and I have had them all. From a network engineer, pulling cable, pc repair to web design and database work; I even worked as a teacher for a while at a nerd school.
This job (which I love!) I write about 10 different programming languages every day to produce data driven web sites for clients. So my job is just to be logical and make it work like “this” – whatever “this” happens to be. Very few people actually understand it, and I get a lot of strange looks. Even my wife says she has no idea what I do but she likes spending the money I bring home so she doesn’t care.
2. I think most people associate programmers with “nerds” or “geeks”, what do you think of that stereotype? True or not true?
I love the geek stereotype. Geek is Chic right now thanks to the Big Bang Theory on CBS. I’m totally a Leonard among all the Sheldon’s in the office. We talk about it like it’s Sex and the City (side note: Amber you are totally a Charlotte. love it!) The truth is that nerds or geeks originated with a social incompetency that tends to be overcome as we get into our late 20′s and 30′s. Then we’re just known as “smart people” and take “smart people jobs” like doctors or CPA’s.
I took a personality assessment when I finished college that indicated a list of careers that I would potentially find fulfilling based on my personality. Then I took that list and sorted it by the speed which that career would take me to a $100k income level. I didn’t want to take the bar exam or spend years in med school, or take the CPA exam. Programmer ended up at the top of the list with no additional educational requirements and a 10 year expectation of a six figure salary. Some of the others on the list (like ambulance driver) would never get me there. And now 10 years later I can tell you I have fallen short of that expectation. But not by much – the industry has just become more competitive.
I also hope that the above two paragraphs reveal the true nerd’s albatross. Planning, forward thinking, and logical implementation of steps to reach a long term goal. Most recent college graduates do not set expectations for 10 years down the road and actually follow through with them. They set the goal “make a million dollars before I turn 30″ and then go “dang, that didn’t happen”. whatev.
3. You balance work with family-time and hardcore triathlon training, how do you do it? What aspects of your job allow you to balance it all?
I love my workout schedule and this is the best job I’ve ever had. The company has three owners; one finished an Ironman a few years ago and another one recently finished a 100 mile ultra-marathon. The job comes with a gym membership. So the company fully stands behind health and fitness. So when I take off at lunch for a swim and come back smelling like chlorine I get high fives, not strange looks.
I do struggle with balancing family time. The evening workouts are usually done after the kids go to bed for the night. Long runs on the weekends can put daddy out of commission sometimes. I sit at a desk and type all day to provide for my family; therefore I do not consider it selfish to take the workout time as my own whenever I can. If I can hit all 14 workouts in one week (under my current schedule) then that is fantastic. Work allows it, but family time gets in the way sometimes. It’s a tough balance.
4. What’s a typical work day like for you?
Typically I do my strength training before work, then come into the office about 8. I sit at a desk and type out code, go to meetings, gather requirements, and assemble the database or web site parts that I am supposed to be working on. Over lunch I go for a swim or bike workout, then it’s back to the desk for more code. I might have another meeting after lunch, but that tends to be just production time. I build web sites using VB.Net, HTML, JavaScript, LINq, and object oriented programming. All of our sites here use SQL server databases. We’re totally a Microsoft shop. Then sometime between 5 and 7 pm I leave and hit the gym for a bike or run workout, then home for dinner and family time.
I know that’s technology specific. But the gist of it is that someone will hand me a piece of paper or send me a spreadsheet with the indication of “I want my customers to be able to fill this out on the web” and I just make that happen. Then automate the data entry of that information into another system.
5. What do you love about your job? What do you hate about it?
I love the people I work with and the work I have to do. It’s a cool project with easy clients. The management is amazing. Other jobs in this industry are not as fantastic. There are a ton of pressures. You are stepping in as the go-to guy to handle a situation that many other people have tried and failed at. always. There might be 200 steps in the process you are trying to automate with software, and if you get one of them out of order it can break several other processes.
You have to be smart. all. the. time. There is no “come in hungover” or “fake it till you make it” time. So it’s not for the faint of heart. You have to be able to take a high degree of criticism without having a personal affect. But when the process is all done and that site is up live it can totally change an entire business. I’ve built out multi-million dollar ecommerce sales sites, and small brochure text and image sites that have doubled the sales from a 1 person service company just by having a presence on the web. They all feel just as good
Thanks again, John! I found this super interesting and fun to read. My company “creates” the graphic design and copy for a lot of websites but when it comes to making them live we go to the “computer guys”. So it was cool to see what kind of work is done from that side of things. I’m also in awe that you balance 14 workouts per week with family-time and working full-time. Ah-mazing!
Any other software developers out there? Did you guys learn as much new things about this career as I did? Who else has the “computer guy” at work but never really knew what they did, until now?
Pretty cool stuff. I never think of people as nerds. (Probably b/c I myself am one.) I commend John on his work/life balance. It’s tough getting the workouts in with work and family time. Good questions too girl!
Both of my brothers are ‘computer guys’ but I somehow missed out on the gene pool… I suck at computers! One of the requirements of my math degree was to take a Computer Science class. Oh how I hated that class! So I have alot of respect for people like John who are built like they are. I pretty much refer to them as ‘the matrix’!!
I totally know what he means about having to bring your A game every. single. day. That is how it is at my new job. In my old job I definitely had days where I could come in and not be completely focused. That is so not the case in my current job.
I love that his company really supports a healthy lifestyle for its employees. My employer has a running club and some people do runs over lunch but it would NOT fly in my current department….
Love these MMM posts!
My mom is really good with computers. Me, not so much. I call and ask her questions all the time. I clearly missed that gene pool too, no worries (as well as the math/science one as I suck at those things too!)
Very cool, I used to work with a fleet of programmers and they were by far my favourite people in my workplace. Scary smart and totally down to earth. Love the features!
I have SO much respect for people who work, have a family and do something else (in John’s case- working out and training). It is so hard to maintain a family and a job, let alone focus so much energy on something else.
John’s situation reminds me a lot of when I was in school, I worked in a Writing Center and I worked with a lot of adults who had families and were going back to school. It was hard for them to balance everything but I had so much respect for them because they maintained their families but also did something that was important just for them.
Go John Go!
I KNOW, hey? I mean I balance work, school and all that now. But factor a family into that and it’s a WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME! I’m in awe of him, seriously!
whoo 14 workouts in a week, and you still manage to do a full time job and have a family. seriously impressive!
i definitely wish my company would pay for my gym membership – they did provide a discount for the one next to my office, but I don’t like that gym. so I went with another one. I don’t think they should restrict what gym we choose to go to!
Thanks Amber! that was a blast. I wanted to convey that it’s seen as a field that smart people go into, but can really be learned and appreciated by anyone that has a high tolerance for boredom and knows how to type. It’s all logical. I’m going to post a linkback later on today. Rock on.
Your interview was great! Loved reading it. Thanks again for participating
You know its funny. I used to be a software developer, and now I’m a project manager for a team of software developers, so my job description has become even more obscure… BF has no idea what I do every day.
And I’m sorry. But the Carolina John comment really pissed me off “…can really be learned and appreciated by anyone that has a high tolerance for boredom and knows how to type”. She really has ZERO appreciation for the industry. People who don’t understand computers or the art of software development often make the assumption that “it’s boring” or even worse, that “it’s easy”. Carolina John: Come to my office and watch a 9 hour day zip by in what feels like 2 hours and possibly have your brain explode with all the different concepts you have to process and you may start reconsidering the “boring” and “easy” parts.
Oh crap. I realized that the Carolina John post was not a slash at developers but a post by the interviewee (sarcasm I assume? Hard to detect without inflection) – sorry for the defensive comment!
Definitely hard to detect sarcasm in typing/texting etc.
No worries, I can understand where you are coming from. It can be really annoying when people “criticize” your job even if that’s not what he really meant!
You are correct sarah. it was sarcasm. Most people consider what we do as boring, I wanted to make it seem logical and make people like us seem approachable. I’ve also done project management and people management. Chances are I would love to come work with you and dive into some of the cool programs you guys work on. now referring to me as a “she”….. [more sarcasm]
well now i just feel bad for my computer guy, jason. i learned that we all take him for granted…on a daily basis. sorry buddy!!
Hahaha you should tell him that the next time you see him
Very interesting to hear how people pick their careers. His was so linear, but makes total sense. How can I reach this level by this time with the skills I have and BINGO he found his career. Not so easy for some of us, but it also makes me think “maybe you just have to choose something even if you’re not sure it’s “THE career.” Also impressive how he’s able to fit in so much of his training in with a family.
I work with computer programmer at my office and I have to say they are some of the funniest guys I have ever met. (and agree that nerdiness is the new cool.) Interesting insight for a career that very few people understand. I love how he made it accesible and also strives for the work/life balance. Great post.
Thank you Meghan! That is a wonderful compliment!
I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the “computer guy/girl” since my dad is a data architect. That being said, I have run into quite a few that just assume they’re the only ones with any computer knowledge. It’s a career I continually consider going into – but I don’t know if I could deal with the boredom and lack of “non-thinking” time. Sometimes my brain just doesn’t want to function!
I’m always amazed by someone who has a full-time job, a home life, and then throws in a dedicated training schedule. The energy required!
Very interesting post and I did know nothing about this career before! Thanks so much for sharing John, it’s fun to hear about someone who spends their days doing SUCH different things than me !
WOW! Sometimes I think I’m busy and don’t know how to fit in a workout but I’m single with no kids and probably do about half that many workouts a week, so I shouldn’t complain! I’d LOVE to work for such a fitness-friendly company!
Great interview! I work pretty closely with our “computer guy” trying to get our system to “do this,” so reading John’s answers made me smile. Sounds familiar!
LOVE the Big Bang Theory!
Working in online news, it’s a constant struggle to a) get what we need from IT and b)keep the system working, as it’s always failing! Have to admit editorial and IT aren’t always in harmony, but we definitely need the ‘computer guys’ around.
I’m incredibly nosy, so I love hearing about other people’s jobs. Great story!
You had me at “Big Bang Theory”…;)
Wow! Geek chic and 14 workouts a week. Majorly impressed.
Man, I would totally suck at this job
My boyfriend is a software developer and while I sort of knew what he did, I now have a much better idea! I think it’s awesome that John can balance his work, family and fitness goals. Yikes–14 workouts a week?!
H =)
Haha, glad the interview could help enlighten you on what the b/f does!
Wow, I am amazed by John’s typical day, how he is able to do well in his tough/no slacking job, get three workouts in a day and still have time for his family! That is so impressive. I love hearing about people that have great work/life balance, and even more so hearing about companies that WANT you to have work/life balance. It gives me hope that when I’m out in the workforce I will find a company like that!
I knew nothing about Software Developing before this post, but it’s really interesting! Thanks so much for sharing, John!
My husband is also a “computer guy” for lack of a better word. I HATE telling people what he does because computer guy makes it sound too easy and doesn’t give hiim enough credit and yet IT Manager really doesn’t explain to those who don’t know. But he does it all. And he owns his own business on the side which I declared myself the Marketing Director of because I tend to get him a lot of business via people I know. I also like to inform him I am the best thing that happened to him because of this. And I like John’s wife, enjoy spending the money he brings home.
And his nerdy saving ways that will allow me to retire nicely. And does allow me to vacation and to most likely stay home with my children. Yay nerds.
Correct Em. Kelley stays home with our two girls. It’s a privledge we fully appreciate. But you should talk her into letting me vacation sometime. gaah!
I’ve always secretly thought it would be fun to be a software developer! it’s like a puzzle; you have all the pieces, just need to put them together with no errors along the way, and then voila! a masterpiece! okay, maybe not exactly like that…
I wish I were as motivated as he is to work that hard, work out that much all while having a family!
Ok, well I now feel like a complete slacker for complaining about fitting my 7ish workouts into my week, and I don’t have kids etc. Wow, I’m totally impressed with your dedication to all you do
At a former job, I used to work next to the IT department and it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had at an office. They fixed all my tech issues (which I would bring on myself by my lack of patience and continual triple clicking), I would keep them current the Hollywood hook-ups & break-ups; and we’d all gang up and mock the accounting department. Fun times.
Aw, I miss them… they could have my blog all fancy and my blackberry working for me in no time… I need to find a “geek”…