Speaking as a Developer, your job experience greatly depends on your work environment. I've worked at the same business for 15 years, I got a BS in IT, and started out as a second level support person in the help desk. The company has its own custom designed software for ordering, point of sale, and store functions, so I was responding to escalated trouble tickets, learning the software ins and outs, with the occasional programming or scripting assignment along with maintaining the source code and lab/test environments.
I'm currently a full Developer in the same department. the 'going through the motions' thing can be a thing, but only if your already done and tested your assigned projects inbetween releases/updates. My work treats me like an adult, so i respond by getting my work done on time, and letting them know if im free for more.
Lots of people hop around from job to job either in a contract position or temp work. I'm perfectly happy to stay with my current employer until I retire, so while there are occasional hectic duties that show up at the last minute and need to be rushed, most times you are rushing is because you didnt work on the project until late in the cycle. They treat us better here because we arent contractors I think.
So you should consider how mobile you expect to be, what kind of job options you might have in the area you want to live in, because it can make a huge difference.
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I'm currently a full Developer in the same department. the 'going through the motions' thing can be a thing, but only if your already done and tested your assigned projects inbetween releases/updates. My work treats me like an adult, so i respond by getting my work done on time, and letting them know if im free for more.
Lots of people hop around from job to job either in a contract position or temp work. I'm perfectly happy to stay with my current employer until I retire, so while there are occasional hectic duties that show up at the last minute and need to be rushed, most times you are rushing is because you didnt work on the project until late in the cycle. They treat us better here because we arent contractors I think.
So you should consider how mobile you expect to be, what kind of job options you might have in the area you want to live in, because it can make a huge difference.