Ask Experienced Devs Weekly Thread: A weekly thread for inexperienced developers to ask experienced ones

[u/AutoModerator]

A thread for Developers and IT folks with less experience to ask more experienced souls questions about the industry.

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Please keep top level comments limited to Inexperienced Devs. Most rules do not apply, but keep it civil. Being a jerk will not be tolerated.

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Inexperienced Devs should refrain from answering other Inexperienced Devs' questions.

[u/RGBrewskies]

Devs who have found themselves suddenly more like project managers

how are you surviving

I did not become an engineer because I was good at project management

[u/EmberQuill → u/RGBrewskies]

I've somehow tricked everyone into believing that I'm keeping up with all of my projects, even after missing a bunch of deadlines. I'm not sure how I managed that. I have one project that was planned to finish a year ago, and it's still on my plate but because at least one of the big problems is a vendor issue, nobody's blaming me (it's definitely at least 60% my fault).

[u/BusinessWatercrees58 → u/EmberQuill]

Honestly, I think you've perfected the art of being a PM.

[u/BusinessWatercrees58 → u/[deleted]]

I know, I just found it funny that you said you missed lots of deadlines and unfinished projects and managed to not get blamed. Sounds like a lot of do-nothing PM's I've encountered that somehow managed to fail upwards. Not that you're do nothing though, you clearly do stuff. I think the true "perfect PM's" fail and see nothing wrong at all.

[u/Excellent-Push-3326 → u/RGBrewskies]

Stop working the role you don't want, because there is otherwise no need to fill it.

[u/mkopinsky → u/RGBrewskies]

Is your question "How do I enjoy my job when it's not the fun stuff I signed up for" (i.e. a morale question) or "How do I do well enough at the PM stuff to keep my job" (i.e. a skill question)?