Warning signs of a bad web dev job

I’ve worked at small start ups, big super-corporations, freelanced for 5 years and did a stint at an advertising agency. I’ve seen all sorts of weird things happen in the workplace.

After 15 years as a front end UX dev, these are the reasons that I have found to not join your company.

You have to ask to use the restroom

You’re a grown up. Most likely you can fight in wars, buy alcohol and smoke cigarettes legally. You don’t want to get permission from a manager to leave your seat, let alone use the rest room. You shouldn’t have to ask someone else if it’s OK to do natural human things.

They won’t let you leave your computer during business hours

You work hard. You make the company a lot of money with your work as a web dev. You need to feel good and be active to achieve such a high standard of code. You want to be happy. Getting away from your desk and walking for a few minutes every hour does a ton of good for you mentally and physically.

Rules against experimentation and creativity

Every developer that I’ve ever met has wanted to create awesome things. We got into this business to create cool stuff. If company culture stifles your creativity you should look around before taking the gig.

Client wants to watch you work via webcam

This is for all you freelancers out there. How creepy is it that some people think that it’s OK to do this? What kind of serious mental problems does this person have?

I’ve had 1 prospective client tell me that the only way I’d get the job contract is if I was willing to have him watch me via webcam 100% while I work on his site. I wrote back a strongly worded email explaining to him how incredibly inappropriate that would be and to never contact me again.