I've been struggling a little at work with my co-worker as of late. He was hired on about 2 months ago to help me test the project I'm on. Now it's not that I don't like the guy (though he is the person I like least of all the people I work with), but he just hasn't been that helpful. I could tell from day one that he wasn't interested in testing, and he didn't have any experience doing it either. I've done my best to try and provide guidance and be patient, but it's always seemed to me that he doesn't quite get it, and probably doesn't want to. He's always seemed more intersted in what everybody else is doing, and negligent of his actual job role as a QA tester.
For example, if I don't give him a specific task he'll make comments like "Well, I don't really have anything to do, so I'm gonna surf the web for a while." Argh. Anybody who's tested a game knows that there is ALWAYS something to do, specific task or no. At times I've felt like a bit like a babysitter.
I eventually decided that I was being silly and irrational and should just accept that I have to work with him, and so I've done my best to keep him busy, and I honestly have needed his help. But I've always had this sense that he'd be happier designing levels, which is what his background is in. I've been secretly hoping that he would get promoted to jr. level designer so that he'd be doing something he's actually interested in, and more importantly so that I won't have to work directly with him any more.
Well, I ran into him this evening downtown. I had the day off, and apparently while I was out he was promoted! Hooray! My hopes came true. The downside here is that now I'm stuck testing a game on my own without any help, so that sucks. But at least if we hire somebody to fill his position I can hope to find somebody who's interested and competent when it comes to QA.
So I'm really happy about the fact that my slacker co-worker got promoted. I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with me.
You'd probably think I'd be upset about not being promoted myself, especially given that I've been there longer. But the truth is I have the same opportunity that he had and I'm confident that I can get the same promotion in time if I ask for it. But right now, I'm now sure what exactly it is I want to do, and I feel like where I'm needed most is doing exactly what I'm already doing. So I'm going to see this through for a while. I'll be able to climb that ladder to that next rung in due time. Maybe even before the end of the year.
You know what? Heck, I'm going to make that a personal goal. I'm going to decide what I want to do besides QA before the end of the summer, and strive for a promotion before year's end. How's that for determination?
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My thoughts are like pixels on a screen. They're pointless all alone, but piece them together and maybe you'll see a larger picture.
3 comments:
Goals are good. I decided I'm running the Seattle marathon in November.
Good for you. Sounds like you have a good work ethic. I don't think that will go unnoticed.
Laziness never got anyone anywhere, unless you count the guys from EnRon or Conrad Black, or the guys from Tyco... ok... bad examples... But I understand where your coming from. If a guy really doesn't want to be there, I have that in my crew actually, I tell him that if he doesn't want to be here, then go. 'Cause usually, not having him there is like having 2 good people there. Goals are good man, just make sure your not setting yourself up for failure... have a back up incase it goes sideways or south... I'm sure you could get your class 1 drivers licese and haul containers... not to many of them kickin' around surry and vancouver, eh?
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