Interesting you want to go ruby. Scala and Java are semi-interoperable. As is Clojure. At least they all tolerate the JVM and JVM related infrastructure (to various levels). Some of the frameworks interoperate more than the others. Ruby is a bigger leap than some other possible leaps.<p>Perhaps senior mgmt is micromanaging WRT language selection. Could be your boss micromanaging and he's throwing senior mgmt under the bus. Or maybe you're correct. Anyway the point is you need to make sure its merely the specific language you don't like. If you move to a new ruby using employer where everyone has to dress the same way and hold their coffee cup the same way, you might be really unhappy if its actually the micromanaging you don't like rather than mere language choice.<p>Finally aside from any micromanagement issue there's work style. I prefer nearly consultative, professional environments where deliverables matter and you don't tell someone 5 levels lower on the hierarchy how to tie their shoes. However its a perfectly valid business choice to run a place the other way, and have an unprofessional, general laborer, non-craftsman type environment. You need to explore your thoughts on this too, again, see above, if you think your dream job is ruby and they don't micromanage one particular aspect of your job, you may none the less hate the new job if what you really dislike about the current job is the general laborer / code monkey / unprofessional unskilled labor workplace.<p>Other people have already mentioned that language doesn't matter as much as architecture / design. A extremely rigid view of language likely implies an extremely rigid view of arch / design, yet another axis to think about. If your current employer is extremely rigid about language you may have not considered what it would be like to work at a place with more freedom, or even just a different set of equally rigid arch/design outlooks.<p>Interviews are a two way street and with little experience you need to learn more about a potential new employer than they need to learn about you especially WRT the above.<p>Good Luck and all that.