idea
I'm a software engineer with 17y experience. I'm looking for a job with the following criteria:
- 🧑🏫 Manager and organization is value-aligned
- Quality
- Technical excellence
- Prioritization based on value
- It's ready when it's ready, no estimates
- Self determination
- Low on the "this is how we do it here"
- Operational excellence
- 🧑🤝🧑 Working as a team, not just as people reporting to the same person
- 👨👩👧👧 Culture is solid, no layoffs, actual actions towards the individual, no unfairness
- ⏲ No offshore. Timezones of the team are sensible. Values employing locally and ethically, not where it's cheap.
- 🌳 Low level of organizational debt
- ⚙️ Solid technical foundations
- 🚢 Deliberateness. (No Cargo cult). Things are done for a reason, we don't do things "by the books" but because they make sense. We start from the need and derive the practice
- 🛠️ Size-able technical aspect in scope of my work
- ♻️ Doesn't contain random bits and pieces of garbage, ownership is logical and aligned
- ❤️ Product is purposeful. Drives value for the end-user. Driven by value over bloating. Net social positive
- 🧹 There is space left in the planning to innovate and improve
- 🎫 Low bureaucracy, low bullshit
- 📈 Room to grow, opportunities to do so
- 😭 Your manager doesn't make you cry.
Questions
Manager & Organization Alignment
- Quality & Technical Excellence: “How does the team ensure that technical quality is maintained across projects?”
- Prioritization & 'No Estimates': “How do you approach project deadlines and prioritize tasks based on value?”
- Self-Determination: “What level of autonomy do team members have when making technical decisions?”
- Operational Excellence: “Can you share some examples of processes the team has developed to ensure operational excellence?”
Team Collaboration
- Team Over Individual: “How do you ensure collaboration across the team rather than having individuals working in silos?”
Culture & Stability
- Strong Culture & Fairness: “What steps has the organization taken to ensure a fair work environment and support employee well-being?”
- Layoff Policies: “How has the company navigated periods of economic uncertainty in the past?”
Ethical Practices & Local Employment
- No Offshore, Sensible Timezones: “Where are team members primarily located, and how do you approach team collaboration across time zones?”
Organizational & Technical Foundation
- Low Organizational Debt: “What processes or practices are in place to keep organizational debt low?”
- Solid Technical Foundation: “How does the team manage technical debt and ensure a robust codebase?”
Deliberate Approach & Reason-Driven Decisions
- Avoiding 'Cargo-Cult' Practices: “How does the team decide on processes or tools to adopt? Can you give an example of a deliberate change made recently?”
Technical Scope & Ownership
- Technical Depth: “What portion of this role involves hands-on technical work versus other responsibilities?”
- Logical Ownership: “How is ownership divided within the team, and what measures ensure alignment?”
Purposeful Product & Value-Driven Work
- Product Purpose: “What excites you most about the impact of the product on end-users? How does the team ensure it delivers value over feature bloat?”
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
- Innovation Space: “How does the team make space for innovation or improvements within regular work cycles?”
Bureaucracy & Growth
- Low Bureaucracy: “How does the company handle approvals or decision-making? Are there ways to streamline when needed?”
- Growth Opportunities: “What growth and learning opportunities are available here, both formal and informal?”
Supportive Management
- Supportive Manager: “What’s your approach to supporting your team? How do you help them navigate challenges?”