Vrftjkry

I work with a colleague who is similar in level but has different skills. They joined the company at the same time as me. We mainly focus on web development and software development (maintenance).

NOTE: Our company does not adopt pair programming.

Every time a task is allocated it's allocated to ( a + b ). Every single task we do it's as a pair. Every time myself or person B complete a work it's A + B. We're not credited for the work we do as individuals and we have no opportunities to show our own individual work and abilities. We have very different 'specialities' and we don't really get to show that because as it stands we both did the tasks.

A lot of the time one of us is passed the task and they just say notify X on what to do rather than arranging a meeting and telling us both our manager finds it easier to just give one of us the task on the side.

I have challenged this saying

"You will have to brief X on this as well if we're doing it together"

The only response I have ever received is:

"Well you're doing it together so you can tell him"

My main worry is that on paper we are both exactly the same when we have different skill sets in terms of languages and knowledge. The only thing similar is the level at which we can perform these skills (although hard to compare). So if I put in extra hours and effort, it reflects on as we both put in extra work to get the job done and vice versa. We want individual credits as we are both apprentices. Going forward for awards and even jobs at the end of this scheme we need to stand out from each other and not be the same. I want a higher chance of getting the job and as does person B so we want to be individual and put in the extra effort that way.

How do I get my manager and team to start giving us individual tasks and pass the message that we don't want to be one person when we're both capable of doing our own work?

Both of us feel like we're not being utilised to our full potential and nor are we learning as much as we would like when there is plenty of stuff we could be learning from.

Why do you care?

Work isn't about being a superstar hotshot developer. 90% of software development is actually about teamwork and being able to work on things together. I would take 10 developers who are below average but work great together on a team over 2 people who feel the need to be superstars and don't contribute to a team dynamic any day.

Even if you are assigned individual tasks, it should be the same end result "Team A delivered product XYZ". It should not matter that you did this and Bob did that and Alice did something else. If you are all working together, that's what matters.

Have considered the possibility that your boss has noticed you and your co-worker posses different skills and that's why you are paired together?