Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 1001 posts

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#171

Post by jxidjhdhdhdhfhf »

zikduruqe wrote: post #100

Just think. If your ability to get good quality health insurance/coverage wasn’t directly tied to having to be employed for those benefits, we all could pursue our passions and desires.

It isn't and hasn't been for a decade (since the ACA)

Medicaid is free and of reasonable quality. Or if you can't get access to Medicaid because you live in a non-Medicaid-expanded state then a silver ACA plan with 94% cost sharing will be no more than 8.5% of your income (which means free if you have no income).

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#173

Post by levosmetalo »

Depends on what you consider "real work". I would say 99% of business analysts in any enterprise level company do real work 1% of the time. The rest is filled with bulshitting, talking, harassing others or actively looking through the office windows while waiting for someone to do something.

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#174

Post by ofrzeta »

rmac wrote: post #150

get really good at sysops/dev for legacy mainframes: AIX, etc. get an IT job at a hospital or financial institution that has this legacy system. Install a remote access serial device. Write automations that cover most failure cases. profit (time)

How do you get good at legacy mainframes without owning one?

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#177

Post by psyc »

Based on experience, I say find the least mission critical skunkworks at a BigCo / FAANMG. Something the executives get a five minute report on once a year, and they don’t care. Bonus: get the same Corp-wide performance / compensation structure as people who do work!

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#178

Post by lr4444lr »

Government work. Definitely government work. Ideally in some municipal office managing internal applications. Now that said, don't come crying to us if in 10 years when people get downsized that you cannot find a job elsewhere since the industry has moved on when really it's your skills that atrophied.

Re: Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

#180

Post by MichaelRazum »

I think you might have good chances with big companies with good work and life balance. Maybe banks or insurance companies could be a good match for you. Basically what you are looking for might be: A rather older team. Legacy technology (maybe COBOL ;) ). No new development. Also a "lazy" team is good. Look for teams where most members have families, maybe small kids.

BUT guess the SECRET weapon is Head-MONOPOLY. You need to find something that nobody maintenance and nobody have the knowledge for or don't want to be involved in. In such case everyone is happy if you do your job, doesn't matter how slow or fast.

Post reply on HN