NO, this PM never give me extra bonus, what I ever get is - US$25
dinner(s) .. = = ...
That's a very important reason I don't like to work hard for him.
I work hard about 9 months before, almost no holiday/weekend, what I
get ? few times of free US$25 dinner
Welcome to the real world. I would imagine everyone has or will work for
someone like this. A PM is always being squeezed from both sides. The
people above him don't want to give him more time/resources or less scope.
The people under him want more time/resources or less scope. A good PM
will find the right balance.
Last company I worked at hired a PM who honestly believed that whatever
estimate development gave him for time he should cut in half. If we told
him it would take 6 months he'd set the schedule for 3 months. The reality
was that development would take 6 months, plus testing, plus
documentation, plus installation, etc.
At least your PM buys you dinner occasionally. I was told if I'm not
working ATLEAST 60 hour weeks (for 37.5 hours pay) then I'm not working
hard and if I'm not working hard I'm on a list of people who might get
laid off. I quit and work for someone much more reasonable now.
If they don't appreciate you, find someone who does. Just be careful that
you are not jumping out the frying pan and into the fire.
( This PM is different to our president, my president will give us
extra bonus when he is requiring extra work)
I remember CMMI said:
PM MUST design their SPEC very carefully, because it can't be changed
when engineers ( around the world ) start working!
I find it hard to believe anything that talks in absolutes. If CMMI
indicates "MUST" and "CAN'T" then it will not work. There must be some
level of flexibility in whatever you do.
If the customer is willing to pay for it then specifications can change.
The difference between a good PM and a bad PM, in my humble opinion, is a
good PM will have someone above them pay for the change. A bad PM will
have someone under them pay for the change.