Scott's shared items

Over the course of my 15-year career I have found some things that I liked about jobs and other things that I did not like. It has taken me a while to figure things out, but most people will have one type of job and company that “fits”. Of course, the logical question to ask yourself is what type of job fits me? I have previously written some tips for finding your next software development job, and there is one paragraph that needs to be repeated here:

The first thing you need to do in your job search is determine what type of work you want to do. Do you want to go into consulting for a services firm? Do you want to go totally independent and freelance? Do you want to go into a big corporation or even smaller company of maybe 50 to 500 people? Do you want to go into a startup and work with maybe 10 people?

So, what do you need to consider?

1. Autonomy: Please tell me what task to do next. If you really want to be given tasks, complete them, and get another task, then startups probably are not for you. Big corporations may be a better fit.
2. Bureaucracy: I want to fill out forms and follow process. Some people really need to follow predefined processes in order to get things done. These people probably do not mind filling out forms to get things done. Other people avoid the processes on purpose, just to see how much they can get done without them.
3. Stability: I want to know that I have a job tomorrow or next month. This is the biggest myth of job hunting. Basically, there is no stability anymore, just different types of instability. In a startup, the whole company could go under in the span of a month. In a large corporation, it would take years to close up completely but there would be several rounds of layoffs that you would need to survive.
4. Generalization: I can write code in eight different languages. If you are looking to be just a Java coder, then a large company is for you. Startups typically require you to work in many different technologies. In really small companies, you may be asked to do some server administration (yuck) or even sales work (double-yuck).
5. Durability: I want to work 9 to 5 with a 2 hour lunch. In software development, nobody works 9 to 5 anymore, and if they do they are also working at home after dinner. If the length of the day or typical working hours matter, this can greatly affect your choice of company.
6. Growth: I want to be in middle management. Even if you are a software engineer now, you may want to take the management track. You could also go towards becoming an application architect or some other fancy sounding technical title. Some people stay as a software engineer for decades too.
7. Functionality: I want to fix bugs all day. In software development there are various types of work that you can do. First, there are people who fix bugs all day. There are the consultants that generally do whatever work you want and you pay them money. You can build a product, or you can be more services oriented. There are also subcategories of these as well, like administrative/data entry applications, web applications, mobile applications, embedded systems, and several others.
8. Benefits: I want wealth and health. Any discussion of the appropriate job would not be complete without looking at the compensation package. Obviously, your salary or pay rate is important, but what other benefits are there? Health insurance, prescription plans, 401K plans, tuition reimbursement and training are just a sampling of what companies may offer.

So, how do you know what type of job to get? Well, first you need to figure out how these concepts relate to many companies. Because this would take thousands of words to describe, I am going to give you a handy table. The table maps these concepts to different types and sizes of companies. I have not included “Functionality” as part of the table as all sorts of companies can build products or be services companies. I have also excluded “Benefits” because they change with each company and have no relationship to the type or size of a company. Please note that these are generalizations of a typical company of the given type and size. Obviously, your current company may be somewhat different.

Company Type	Employees	Autonomy	Bureaucracy	Stability	Generalization	Durability	Growth
Tiny Startup	0 to 20	Very High	Very Low	Very Low	Very High	Very High	Low
Small Startup	21 to 100	Very High	Very Low	Low	Very High	High	Low
Medium Startup	101 to 300	High	Low	Medium	High	High	Medium
Large Startup	301 to 1000	Medium	Low	High	High	Medium	Medium
Small Corporation	200 to 1000	High	Low	Medium	High	Medium	Medium
Medium Corporation	1001 to 5000	Medium	Medium	High	Medium	Medium	High
Large Corporation	5001 to 20,000	Low	Very High	Very High	Medium	Low	Very High
Huge Corporation	Above 20,000	Low	Very High	Very High	Low	Low	Very High

The values above range from Very Low -> Low -> Medium -> High -> Very High. In some cases, the value is the expected value, in others it is the required value. For example, you should expect a very high level of Autonomy at a small startup and working there will require a high level of durability as well as require a very high number of general skills.

There is probably a better way to display this information, but at least this gives a starting point of what you may want your future employer to look like. Are there other basic concepts that you look for in a company?

Related posts:

• Tips For Finding Your Next Software Development Job
• Are You Managing Resources Or Building Knowledge?
• Should You Specialize in a Technology?

Since the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995 and became the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado has become a legitimate hockey state and many hockey fans are now becoming hockey players. In the past 14 years the number of ice rinks in Colorado has ...

The 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award were announced today. Here they are:

Bobby Butler, New Hampshire

Marc Cheverie, Denver

Blake Geoffrion, Wisconsin

Gustav Nyquist, Maine

Mark Olver, Northern Michigan

Chase Polacek, RPI

Rhett Rakhshani, Denver

Cody Reichard, Miami

Ben Scrivens, Cornell

Brendan Smith, Wisconsin

Northern Michigan's Mark Olver was named one of the 10 Hobey Baker finalists on Thursday. The award is annually received by the top collegiate player; though on-ice performance is not the only factor in who receives the award.

Olver was a fifth round pick by the Avalanche in 2008. The Burnaby, BC native was the leading scorer in the CCHA this season.

The 10 finalists will be reduced to three (Hobey Hat Trick) on March 31, 2010 and the eventual winner will be announced during the Frozen Four on April 9, 2010.

The Avalanche Guild is proud to offer fans everywhere a chance to support our Quest for the Crown 3 charity hockey festival, courtesy of the Colorado Avalanche!

We are proud to have the Colorado Avalanche support our Quest for the Crown 3 charity hockey festival, which raises funds for the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer foundation! For every ticket purchased through the flyer above, $5 will go directly to the foundation!

The Avalanche Guild is also once again proud to support the Avs Forums members by supporting another Avs Board Bash event! Members will come together at Pepsi Center for the final home game of the regular season and catch up with a pre-game meal at Brooklyn’s Bar and Grill!

Jersey Fouls is our ongoing exploration of the rules and etiquette for proper hockey jersey creation and exhibition. If you spot what you think may be a foul in your arena, email a photo to us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com for inclusion in future installments.

Have you ever seen a Kobe Bryant No. 24 Milwaukee Bucks jersey? Or a Peyton Manning No. 18 Seattle Seahawks jersey? Or an Albert Pujols No. 5 Washington Nationals jersey?

No, no and maybe, because we are dealing with D.C. here; but the point is that this "Borrowed Legend" Jersey Foul is something we've seen on more than one occasion in the NHL.

Puck Buddy Adam F. sent over this Alex Ovechkin(notes) Vancouver Canucks jersey and its existence is completely baffling in the same way that, say, a ground pork-flavored Yankee Candle would be.

The Mario Lemieux Chicago Blackhawks sweater, provided by Scott A., is even more atrocious. Not only because the Blackhawks have, oh, a few Hall of Fame players in their history worthy of a jersey, but because Mario won the Conn Smythe in the 1992 Stanley Cup finals when the Pittsburgh Penguins owned the Blackhawks in a 4-game sweep.

Is this some kind of perverse hockey masochism?

(Coming Up: An even more nauseating Canucks Foul; Fedorov Frankenjersey; a brutal Boston Foul; Canadian Olympic malarkey; fun with numbers; Patrick Kane's(notes) lady; the only clever No. 69 jersey you'll ever see; and somebody who really, really, really hates the Buffalo Sabres.)

And here ... we ... go.

From the Cradle of Fouls, comes the latest example of why Washington D.C.'s average household income is entirely too high. From Adam S.:

As a longtime hockey fan transplanted to DC from Minnesota I am continually amazed by the complete disregard for the rules at the Verizon Center. You'll certainly see a few fouls at the X, but Caps fans demonstrate a unique creativity when creating jerseys and they don't disappoint when it comes to fouls.

This abomination was witnessed at the Feb. 5 contest vs. the Thrashers. At least it's not a direct affront to the hockey gods that references an imminent cup win. Either way, it's certainly a foul. Was it a dare? A lost bet? A tribute to a long lost love? Regardless, it's a little creepy. The question remains, when are DC fans going to realize that a jersey is not a personalized license plate? The answer unfortunately, is probably not anytime soon. 

This is true. Although we have to admit that Verizon Center is an invaluable pipeline for this ongoing feature. Speaking of which ...

Puck Buddy David M. was in the luxury level of the Verizon Center during a Washington Capitals/Detroit Red Wings game and spotted this tribute to current KHL center Sergei Fedorov(notes):

Now, I am a BIG fan of both teams, and really like what they did, is this really a Jersey Foul? The nice young lady was kind enough to pose for the pics for me after the game.

The colors sync up quite nicely, actually, and Feds did wear No. 91 in both cities. What say you: Acceptable Frankenjersey?

C'mon, seriously?

1. The fact that Sea Bass became a star after he left the Canucks is indisputable and not exactly a point of pride for many Vancouver fans.

2. Neely never wore this style of jersey with the Canucks.

3. Neely wasn't No. 8 in Vancouver, either.

Fail. Fail fail fail fail fail. Fail. Thanks to Puck Buddy Brad R. for this abomination.

Speaking of abominations, our old buddy Ritch D. from American Hockey Fan offers yet another tarnishing of an iconic jersey, from Newark:

This kid was sitting behind the bench at last night's Bruins/Devils game, and we caught up to him in the Ice Lounge.

Brutal.

I could forgive the Red Sox hat and maybe that's his name, but the number 4?

I don't even like seeing a Bobby Orr Jersey from an era he didn't played in.

But you see this, and HE'S FROM BOSTON, HE'S WEARING A SOX HAT, so shouldn't he know better?

You see this and you wonder if he picked the No. 4 because it was the number of times he'd heard the word hockey.

Ouch. Oy, these kids today, with their hair and their rap music and their J Wu Bobby Orr jerseys ... get off my lawn!

The latest in a long line of Bunny-ish Jersey Fouls in which female fans declare their matrimonial affection to NHL players.

Although, for the record, Patrick Kane does keep a stack of these with him on the road in case it gets chilly inside the limo.

Thanks to Puck Buddy Missy for the snap.

You can't really make it out too well, but this Atlanta Thrashers "UnkaBubba" jersey inspired Laura A. to write the following:

At the Atlanta Thrashers/Toronto Maple Leafs game, I spotted this gem in the CNN Center getting a beer - unfortunately for him, they don't have Natty Light on tap. It's kind of blurry because I had to stealth take it, but he's wearing a Thrashers jersey with "UnkaBubba" and 13 on the back.  Because when I think Slava Kozlov(notes), I think of chaw and collard greens.

I'm not from ATL, but I am a Thrashers fan (surrogate team after the Blues) - stuff like this just mortifies me, though it explains why Southern hockey has such a stellar rep.

Now, to be fair, "Vyacheslav Kozlov" may in fact translate to "UnkaBubba" in certain parts of Eastern Europe. We have Dmitry on the case.

Yet another Foul from lovely Vancouver (from what I can remember ... it's hazy). From Anthony S.:

You know those guys who are at the game only to be seen at the game loudly talking on their blackberries about the Henderson account? There you go. And he took Luongo's number.

If you're a suit who's wearing a jersey that reads CEO ... better just leave the suit on.

Keeping with Roberto Luongo(notes) for a moment, an Olympic Jersey Foul captured by Andrew R. on the streets of Vancouver. It reads "luonGO CANADA," which is actually pretty clever ... for a 9-year-old with a crayon sign at the game.

Staying with the Olympic spirit ...

Here's a Frankenjersey that makes our heads explode. From Tim W.:

Attached is a photo a friend just send me from Vancouver. His wife, Cindy, is wearing the USA jersey and she's sitting next to some clown in something that should not have been ever made.

The real problem is that the right side is always accusing the left side of whining, while the left side is always accusing the right side of leaving his skates on reckless hits ...

Anyone else hungry for nachos for some reason?

From Puck Buddy Jeremy P. comes this cinema-inspired Foul.

Yet if Clooney was wearing it, total pass. Clooney > Jersey Fouls. It's just a fact of life.

This No. 69 jersey is remarkable because (a) it's not too lewd to publish, as is the case with the majority of them and (b) because we feel some level of comedic respect for the self deprecation here. From Jordan E.:

Spotted this beauty at last night's Coyotes-Flames game. You've run through the meme pretty thoroughly, but figured this was worth including. Given this guy's size (not well expressed in the picture), it's not surprising his lack of skill.

Eh, he's just setting the bar low. Classic guy tactic.

And finally ...

This is "Hockey Bash," who wrote in and said "since Sabres fans overtake the TBLightning games, I got sick of it and had to revolt ..."

Well, "revolt" is about right.

Now, the dead Buffaslug on the front deserves our admiration because it strikes a blow for all that is good and just for puckheads. (We always suspected those buggers bled yellow.) Maybe this works as a Protest Jersey; maybe you think it's an abomination.

Just know this: "Hockey Bash" is so dedicated to the Foul that there's a 2007 YouTube video dedicated to Sabres hate:

In nothing else, we applaud your commitment. And one day, will applaud when you're committed ...

Clayton Homes has completed one of its super-green modular homes, called the “i-house,” in Evans, Colo., just south of Greeley.

I’ve been on the news desk for almost 10 years at CBS4 News.  By now it’s routine and instinctive on how to cover big breaking news events.   First it’s the adrenaline and the rush of semi-controlled chaos as I work to confirm information, move news crews, keep the newsroom informed of every development, etc.  Eventually my silent thoughts of “is this really happening?” creep in and are later followed up by the emotions and thoughts everyone at home watching the event unfold have had.

There are phrases, “like officer down” or “people trapped in the fire”, that I hear over the scanners where my first actions are to shout out to the newsroom what I’ve heard while simultaneously moving news crew.  The next action is to make calls to confirm information, or to at least get a hint of what’s happening.  Other times before moving crews it’s best to listen to the scanner and to make the calls first.  After some information is gathered decisions on coverage are made.  This is why I and others on the news desk need to know at all times where the photographers and reporters are.

I was sitting in the hot seat (the seat on the desk surrounded by the scanners) shortly after 3 p.m. when I heard, “I need an ambulance at Deer Creek Middle School for a GSW!” (gunshot wound)  I didn’t need to know more.  I stood and started to shout there’s been a shooting at a school.  A coworker reading an email from a parent of a student at the school shouted about the shooting almost in unison with me.

The entire newsroom erupted into shouts and movement.  I started calling for certain photographers and reporters through the overhead speaker to come to the newsroom.  In my head I already had three crews and the helicopter assigned to go to the scene.  My coworker on the desk started making the calls to the police, sheriff and school district.

As crews left the station, managers, producers and I laid out our first of many coverage plans.  Reporters and photographers who were already out in live trucks getting ready to do their assigned stories were split apart as I needed the live trucks to go to the scene.  The reporters either went to the scene too or came back to the station. 

We asked some photographers to head to hospitals close to the school.  We didn’t know victim numbers or conditions, but knew if anyone were hurt, we needed to be at the hospitals as well.  With HIPAA we aren’t allowed information on patients unless the patient or guardian agrees for that information to be released.  However, in cases that can be classified as mass casualty events, such as a school shooting, we can request numbers and range of conditions without getting any other specifics.

My coworker continued to gather information from various dispatches or Public Information Officers.   He called all the area hospitals to see if they’d been put on alert and to request any information available.  Other coworkers, producers, writers and interns, were making various calls or answering phones all in a group effort to get the most accurate information so we could relay it to the community.

Producers and anchors got the information out to the public with cut-ins during regular programming.  I relayed information on Twitter and facebook.  Twitter has become a very valuable tool for me and for the station.   It’s not unusual for me to Tweet information as I’m hearing it and before we even decide if we’re sending a crew or not.  In this case covering the story took precedent.  I worked the desk for at least 15 minutes before my first Tweet on my account as well as the station’s account. 

I listened to the scanners.  I heard the suspect was being held by staff and/or faculty.  The first confirmed reports claimed only one student had been shot.  Soon I clearly heard a deputy call for another ambulance as a second student was found with a gunshot wound.  I shouted this out and started paging crews who were on the way to the scene with this new unconfirmed information.  My coworker began calling and paging the PIOs again.

As the situation developed and it was clear the suspect was in custody and only two students were injured, producers and managers began hashing out specific angles the reporters would take like:

• the nuts and bolts of what happened
• student and parent reactions
• highlighting the heroes
• injured student conditions

It was my job to make sure those assignments could be done, that crews were in the right spot, and that there were enough live trucks and editing equipment in the field for the crews to work.  My coworker continued working the phones getting reporters information and finding interviews for them.

The crews in the field relayed information to us and kept in touch with one another to know what each had in sound and video.  We all stayed flexible because in these cases plans are very fluid and can be changed at a second’s notice depending on developments.  Even reporters and photographers who weren’t originally assigned to work the shooting, were checking in with me regularly to see if they were needed.  Eventually several of those crews were assigned stories and asked to stay for a double shift.

This wasn’t my first school shooting that I’ve helped cover.  No, I wasn’t here for Columbine and for this I am honestly thankful.  Most of my coworkers covered Columbine though and some of them made comments as they emotionally and mentally dealt with another school shooting.  I understood this as I was here for the shooting at Platte Canyon High School in September 2006.  It’s not something I or any of us ever want to cover, but we have no choice when such tragedy happens. 

We have to deal with our emotions as we try to work and be professional.  For me, and I imagine for many others, there’s an emotional shield, or barrier, that I put in place.  I know I’m going to talk with grieving members or the community, friends and/or family over the phone.  Often people watching the reports call the station just to have someone to talk to while they cry.  Others call in anger, anger at us in the media for our coverage decisions, or angry at the situation.  I have to be able to handle all of this emotion being thrown at me, while handing my own emotions, so I can do my job.

My job is on a desk.  I’m not in the field like half of my coworkers.  I often wonder how they get through it and imagine their shields as being stronger and thicker than my own.  I know many don’t like the media.  I know there is much anger, distrust and distaste for the media.  All we can do are our individual jobs to cover the news ethically with dignity and integrity.  Then we deal with everything else. 

The dispute between Versus and DirecTV, which began at the end of August and kept the cable home of the NHL off the air for fans with the satellite service, has finally come to an end. Versus confirmed Monday that an agreement is in place and the station is back on Channel 603.

From Versus:

DIRECTV and Comcast have reached an agreement to return VERSUS to the DIRECTV programming lineup today. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

VERSUS will return to the same DIRECTV programming packages it was in at the end of August 2009.

"We are pleased that both sides were able to work out a satisfactory deal to bring this programming back to our customers," said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development, DIRECTV.

"We're excited that we were able to come to a fair agreement that puts VERSUS back in millions of homes with DIRECTV in time for our busy spring programming schedule," said Jamie Davis, president of VERSUS.  "We look forward to super-serving these fans with NHL regular-season and playoff coverage, our first live UFC event and much more."

Hockey fans, MMA fans, racing fans, rodeo fans ... exhale. More details as they come in.

UPDATE: Finally grabbed some time to update this post.

The reason this deal is finally done is because we finally reached the zero hour for both parties.

There was the first UFC event on Versus coming up on Saturday. The Stanley Cup playoffs were looming. Tour de France fans were starting to get the jitters. Factor in the MMA, Indy Car and, yes, bull-riding fans that have been making noise for months, and it was imperative to get this done. So they got it done.

Phillip Swann of TVPredictions.com has an interesting look at the factors behind the settlement:

DIRECTV had wanted to include Versus in a more exclusive sports package that would have meant fewer viewers -- and possibly less money -- for the sports channel. But DIRECTV's announcement that Versus will stay in the same programming package suggests that the satcaster gave up on its demand.

[...]

While it's possible that DIRECTV gave Versus less money per viewer in this new deal, it's more likely that the satcaster blinked, fearful that more subscribers would switch to a TV provider that carried Versus and the NHL playoffs.

It's safe to assume that there was some give-and-take here financially, although terms haven't been disclosed. But the bottom line is that Versus fought to stay on the same tier where it was found last August, and there it stays.

In that regard, it's a victory; even if, overall, it's been a loss for fans left in the cold while two corporations engage in a protracted pissing match. Just glad it's over.

Stick-tap to Jim R. for the heads-up that something was going down with this story.