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Discussion on: Feeling excluded and sad for not getting positive feedback - How should I react?

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Ben Sinclair

I think this isn't terribly uncommon.

If you work in an agency, you notice after a while that there are no award ceremonies for developers. The certificates and placards and engraved crystal trophies given out at black-tie dinners are all for designers.

I've worked for agencies that have won awards for "best design" when the designs were never built because they were completely unusable, which came out after the client had signed them off and no developer had been asked for input.

To a lesser extent, the further towards the back-end you sit, the less obvious praise you're going to get. But you do get appreciated, it's just not shouted to the rooftops.

And I know that doesn't feel great, especially the way you describe it. Maybe the next time you have a review or one-to-one with your manager (assuming you get these) you can bring it up? I wouldn't say anything as blunt as "I want my adulation!" but how about asking for a 360-review or whether other people think you're doing a good enough job?