You may be noticing that your company’s best and most experienced developers are slowly leaving or aggressively trying to move into project leadership type roles. Maybe some have already indicated that they no longer want to ‘code’ and as such need to transition out by any means possible. This is not a new trend and will not stop happening soon unless we get to the root cause of why so many developers are unhappy in their roles.
Lack of Recognition
At the end of the project life-cycle there is usually a lesson-learned meeting to discuss its successes/failures, or tidbits about the project are placed in the monthly newsletter or annual report of the company. More times than not there are accolades for the leadership team and often there is no mention of the hard work or sacrifices that the development team may have had to make to get the project rolled out on the scheduled date.
No Opportunity for Career Advancement
Usually, you move from Junior to Mid-level and then a Senior Development role. Sometimes there may be opportunities for tech-leadership roles, but this depends on the company structure and compensation paradigm. A developer in a Senior position may feel that they have plateaued and the only way to show positive movements in their career is to transition into management.
Tired of Learning New Technologies
Let’s face it, who can truly keep track of all the new technology being rolled out everyday? From the newest JavaScript frameworks to the new ‘big’ thing in big data. After a while, a developer may get tired of keeping up and may want to find a path that does not require him/her chasing new certifications every month.
Joedian, I just can’t keep up with the pace of technology. Everyday there is something new to learn and I have to compete with the younger guys.
Political Pressure
The Development Manager just came by your desk to ask for an update, and a minute later the Project Manager calls. The Portfolio Manager sends an email shortly after asking why your task was not completed on time. Being managed by so many people in a high stressed environment may be a strain on your developer. At some point they may think that joining ranks with the management team will be less of a headache.
Better Opportunities
In some fields, people are contacted almost daily by recruiters with details of new opportunities. These opportunities may offer a chance to travel, to move to a better position and of course better compensation. Depending on how committed the developer feels to your company and the job he/she is doing, he/she may happily accept an offer and move on to ‘greener pastures’- maybe more quickly than you would have expected.
There may be ways to counter the problems highlighted above and keep your guy/gal in your employ. This may include timely recognition of good effort, room for career growth, and working on defined career paths so you can know exactly where he/she wants to be in his/her career and thus keep them engaged.
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