Comment by neilv
1 month ago
Not everyone will play the metrics games.
Some people will just find the metrics dumb and depressing, and avoid them. (As might've happened in the article.)
Some assume it will go away in time, or that their manager will cover for them. (As eventually happened in the article.)
Some have behind-the-scenes talks with managers+execs+HR, to end bad metrics.
Some will melt the metrics with the intensity of their look of disapproval. (Management ProTip: this level of will is better harnessed to solve business and engineering problems.)
Yup, I didn't play the metrics game, and I got burned because my metrics don't look as good against the co-worker who plays the game. The cost is having to remind everyone how much work you actually get done and how much you actually support the team when those "your metrics tell us you're not doing enough" talks come up.
I've resigned myself to the reality that every employer is basically the same in this regard. You need to be spending 25-50% of your time doing your actual work and 50-75% of the time doing all that political and self-promotion and metrics-chasing work so that you can "show your impact" or whatever the hell your company calls it. This has been the case at literally every job I've ever had. If you just go in as an expert and do the technical work you were hired to do 100%, you're going to have a bad time career-wise.
> every employer is basically the same in this regard.
This really isn't true. At least it's not true of companies I have worked for in Europe.