The most stressful technology and IT job on the list was that of a web developer, which could be associated with its rapid growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developer jobs are expected to grow by 27 percent by 2024, which is much faster than the average. Maybe it's all relative, after all, struggling with a mistake on a website is probably less emotionally and mentally draining than neurosurgery or trying to land a space shuttle. For developers at some technology companies, stress is a problem that could end their careers.
Earlier this year, a lengthy article by Kotaku showed employees of the game maker BioWare as if they were going through their own work hell to release “Anthem”, a massive open-world game that was eventually released in what some publications described as a “problem state”. Is that typical of the technology industry? Not. But no one should aim to become a web or software developer thinking that it will always be easy. And if you're actually in a company where you have to work long hours and require a lot of projects, don't stop smoking immediately, especially if you believe in the overall mission; instead, talk to your manager about ways to make your schedule and workload more manageable.
Email (will not be published) (required) Randstad Technologies - San Francisco, CA Randstad Technologies - Richardson, TX Kforce Technology Staffing - St. Louis, MO Zachary Piper Solutions, LLC - Ashburn, VA Search jobs in these related categories. The fact that this work requires lifelong learning due to constant changes in technologies makes me happy. But for another person, the thought of so many changes, so much required learning, and constantly delving into the unknown can be very overwhelming and stressful.
Before you dive into this career path, I recommend that you find out if you can change your stomach personally, unknown, learn throughout life and, most importantly, what really makes you happy. While many web designers are attracted to the autonomy and flexibility of work, the independent nature of the work can be isolating. While advertising agencies and web design firms are known for their relaxed and creative cultures, these types of environments also have a dark side. When faced with a big project and demanding deadlines, web development can be stressful at best.
I would say that web development is much less stressful than finance or accounting, but as others have said, this will probably vary depending on where you work as a web developer. The culture of advertising agencies and design firms often perpetuates this problematic behavior with happy hours and open bars. The culture of web design can be intense: long working days mean lost hours of sleep, nutrition from the vending machine and an unused gym membership. Unlike any other profession, web developers must acquire the ability to keep stress levels at bay, even under ridiculous external pressures to perform and deliver well and on time.
Most designers are attracted to work because they thrive on creativity, autonomy and artistic vision. It's not uncommon for web designers under stress to contract viruses and colds repeatedly due to a weakened immune system. Unfortunately, the environments in which designers work often disapprove of taking time away from a project to perform these critical personal care tasks. If there's so little room for basic personal care in designer culture, there's certainly no time for a therapy appointment where the designer can learn useful tools to cope with the situation.
Design culture is often an oscillation between criticism and praise, a mix of experiences that can challenge a designer's feelings of self-esteem. This puts designers at risk of contracting “impostor syndrome”, the name given to the feeling that a person may have that they are a fraud and that they do not deserve their achievements. Honestly, I think that managing stress really depends on the type of person trying to become a web developer. Having a career in web design will never be stress-free, but there are some work environments that cause unhealthy amounts of negative stress that eclipse the happiness that can be found in a good design job.
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