I used to work as a contractor for disciplined organizations. I joined in 2022, was laid off in 2023, and joined a small private company in 2024, beginning in 2025, I was sent with increasingly erratic tasks until now.
Among disciplined organizations, they ran on a system of ranking Junior Developer all the way to Senior Management.
As long as you shown up, not make a mess, do what is given, do not be 1 minute late (yes they track this to an autistic degree), sing the national anthem, you were essentially promised promotions.
Colleagues also coached newbies on how to gain more wage via choosing the correct contractors and bargaining tricks.
When I went private, there was no such thing.
It is either "developers" or "senior developers". The developers earned less than junior developers of the disciplined organizations, and skills are not rewarded but punished with more work.
Unlike disciplined organizations, you do not work on one tech stack, but you 'own' many apps across different domains, which is demanding, does not build specialized skills (I produce AI slop because I can't handle the context switching).
There are no bureaucratic red tapes to protect you from legal liabilities. If you have to translate terms and conditions, you have to do it.
It is making me deeply miserable, because in small private companies, the hierarchy is essentially flat, where everyone is equally as miserable with no progression.
Keep that in mind that I was literally screamed at everyday in my old job by my asshole senior colleague, but even then, I preferred my old job, you know when he is gonna scream and you can compensate by talking to him less.
On my old job, I had the energy to do hourly and half morning runs everyday.
I miss my old contractor job and my Roblox clan days, where seniority and skills get you promoted or admired; here I am paddling a boat on a endless sea waiting for a lighthouse to appear.
Among disciplined organizations, they ran on a system of ranking Junior Developer all the way to Senior Management.
As long as you shown up, not make a mess, do what is given, do not be 1 minute late (yes they track this to an autistic degree), sing the national anthem, you were essentially promised promotions.
Colleagues also coached newbies on how to gain more wage via choosing the correct contractors and bargaining tricks.
When I went private, there was no such thing.
It is either "developers" or "senior developers". The developers earned less than junior developers of the disciplined organizations, and skills are not rewarded but punished with more work.
Unlike disciplined organizations, you do not work on one tech stack, but you 'own' many apps across different domains, which is demanding, does not build specialized skills (I produce AI slop because I can't handle the context switching).
There are no bureaucratic red tapes to protect you from legal liabilities. If you have to translate terms and conditions, you have to do it.
It is making me deeply miserable, because in small private companies, the hierarchy is essentially flat, where everyone is equally as miserable with no progression.
Keep that in mind that I was literally screamed at everyday in my old job by my asshole senior colleague, but even then, I preferred my old job, you know when he is gonna scream and you can compensate by talking to him less.
On my old job, I had the energy to do hourly and half morning runs everyday.
I miss my old contractor job and my Roblox clan days, where seniority and skills get you promoted or admired; here I am paddling a boat on a endless sea waiting for a lighthouse to appear.
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