Dear President:
My name is XXXX, a software developer in department. My manager
was YYYY, His direct report ZZZZ.
My name is XXXX, a software developer in department. My manager
was YYYY, His direct report ZZZZ.
Since I’ve known you as our New CEO, this is the first time
I write to you. Sadly, this also may be my last time writing to you. “To write or not”,
I’ve been asked myself hundreds of time for the past two months. I couldn’t sleep
night after night. I couldn’t spell pressure and depression every day I go to work,
thinking about the terrible things happened on me.
I write to you. Sadly, this also may be my last time writing to you. “To write or not”,
I’ve been asked myself hundreds of time for the past two months. I couldn’t sleep
night after night. I couldn’t spell pressure and depression every day I go to work,
thinking about the terrible things happened on me.
I’ve decided to write to you to share my thoughts, feelings and frustrations
and to report an unethical behavior and hostile environment happened in our group,
right here in the company.
I still remember that when you first came to company and
scheduled a meeting with group of us to try to get to know us and try to get
general idea what we were thinking.
and to report an unethical behavior and hostile environment happened in our group,
right here in the company.
I still remember that when you first came to company and
scheduled a meeting with group of us to try to get to know us and try to get
general idea what we were thinking.
To be honest, I didn’t tell you the truth during that
meeting because there were other people around and I was feared.
meeting because there were other people around and I was feared.
Now, I am not feared and I want you know what’s really happening!
I want you know that people working here are under great
stress and are not happy. When people are not happy, they either chose leave
silently like 1111, or they chose to retire earlier like 2222.
stress and are not happy. When people are not happy, they either chose leave
silently like 1111, or they chose to retire earlier like 2222.
There were other people who were let go with undisclosed
reasons, like 3333 and 4444. I’m the one who got fired today!
reasons, like 3333 and 4444. I’m the one who got fired today!
All those happened within about one year!
I don’t know how other people feel, just try to speak for my
last few months’ personal experience.
I don’t know how other people feel, just try to speak for my
last few months’ personal experience.
About Me: I’m a
hard-working person with great work ethic. I always try my best to delivery my
work with highest quality.
Among multiple projects, defects I worked on, I completed screen
application ---- according to one peer in Europe, “Which works perfectly”.
hard-working person with great work ethic. I always try my best to delivery my
work with highest quality.
Among multiple projects, defects I worked on, I completed screen
application ---- according to one peer in Europe, “Which works perfectly”.
I also finished a new screen last year, which passed Customer
testing without a bug.
testing without a bug.
What happened: Starting from April, I was assigned a mid-level with less than
two weeks of estimate. We all know estimate is just estimate; it depends on the
one who did the estimate, it also depends on the one who works on it. When I
worked along, I knew two weeks are not enough, but I still tried my best to keep
it on track. Every day in the daily standup, I updated my status. Actually, in our group,
almost everybody sometime blew up the deadline for a few days. This is just the nature
of programming when working on something new and something with uncertainties
and unexpected.
But this is not case for me. The day before the deadline, YYYY
came to me a few times to check the status, even though we have daily stand up
meeting every morning. I told him it was very complicated and I have one issue
to fix, then I will do the end-end test. But he called me to his office and
told me that I cannot finish it up. He insisted that I will not be able to
finish it because I have this to do, that to do, etc…
I said I am still trying and I still have one and half day to
finish it up. Besides,
I can work Saturday (Right after the deadline). But he would not let me get
back to my work. So, I said to him I need to talk to ZZZZ to let him know what is going
on.
two weeks of estimate. We all know estimate is just estimate; it depends on the
one who did the estimate, it also depends on the one who works on it. When I
worked along, I knew two weeks are not enough, but I still tried my best to keep
it on track. Every day in the daily standup, I updated my status. Actually, in our group,
almost everybody sometime blew up the deadline for a few days. This is just the nature
of programming when working on something new and something with uncertainties
and unexpected.
But this is not case for me. The day before the deadline, YYYY
came to me a few times to check the status, even though we have daily stand up
meeting every morning. I told him it was very complicated and I have one issue
to fix, then I will do the end-end test. But he called me to his office and
told me that I cannot finish it up. He insisted that I will not be able to
finish it because I have this to do, that to do, etc…
I said I am still trying and I still have one and half day to
finish it up. Besides,
I can work Saturday (Right after the deadline). But he would not let me get
back to my work. So, I said to him I need to talk to ZZZZ to let him know what is going
on.
The result: I do not know what they discussed and how they talked but I was
told that they shared the same concern. And the project was handed over to
another developer.
I know that I’m not smart; I didn’t finish the project on time as
projected or estimated. But the project was not easy one, even the developer who took over
the project and has been working for the company for 8 years told me a few
times that when she saw the requirement documents, she knew it was big project
and two weeks were not enough.
Within one month, I was put on a PIP with 6 weeks of review period
by my YYYY. This is not my first PIP. He
knew it because he has the authority to look at my file.
He just copied from the first PIP and made some minor changes and
used it to beat me down.
told that they shared the same concern. And the project was handed over to
another developer.
I know that I’m not smart; I didn’t finish the project on time as
projected or estimated. But the project was not easy one, even the developer who took over
the project and has been working for the company for 8 years told me a few
times that when she saw the requirement documents, she knew it was big project
and two weeks were not enough.
Within one month, I was put on a PIP with 6 weeks of review period
by my YYYY. This is not my first PIP. He
knew it because he has the authority to look at my file.
He just copied from the first PIP and made some minor changes and
used it to beat me down.
About the first PIP: I was hired about 4.5 years ago by my first
manager BBBB. I'd admitted that I didn't have enough experience and industry
knowledge at that time. The work here was very complicated and it requires rigorous
training to understand both the products and the required strategy.
I didn't get any training and was assigned work from Day 3.
manager BBBB. I'd admitted that I didn't have enough experience and industry
knowledge at that time. The work here was very complicated and it requires rigorous
training to understand both the products and the required strategy.
I didn't get any training and was assigned work from Day 3.
I managed to learn and tried my best to understand the industry and business needs and solutions.
But my manger still thought I was slow, even thought people always think he is
ridiculous when he is estimating the development hours for the new project or defects. He
got the reputation of "Worst Manager" in the words of one of my
co-workers.
After I worked there for 6 or 7 months, I was assigned a very big project.
At that time, there was no document, no requirements, No FATP. Just a few
mock-up snapshots were provided to me. No specific deadline. I was told to
finish it in about a week to demo that to him. When I worked along, I realized
it was trying to replace a similar screen but with the different table in MySQL.
I tried everything to finish all the features that another screen had. By the date
of demo, there were still some features unfinished. He gave me one day to finish it up.
I did not finish it up due to missing clear logic and detailed
specifications. In one of my e-mail I sent to him and the lead, I showed them
what I did in one day. I guess he was so mad at me and shortly after that
I was presented with 90-day PIP.
After about one month I got the PIP, our company went thru a re-org. I had a new manager,
AAAA knew I was a hard-working person and often worked late, so He didn’t give me
hard time. I survived the first PIP.
