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Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

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Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#191

Post by dade_ »

abalashov wrote: post #16
YuriNiyazov wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My god, what is this amazing vertical?

VoIP/telecom, SIP. It is far from amazing, and I'm not saying it always fetches that kind of bill rate, just that it is specialised work and requires telephony domain knowledge.

I read your description of your work and how it makes you feel. I thought it sounded awfully familiar. It isn't you, it's voice. I've worked in this industry for 18 years and it keeps getting worse, but there is money to be made. It's a trap, but a mildly soul destroying comfortable one. Do get out if you can.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#192

Post by herval »

lhnz wrote: post #182

I enjoy programming but 'working as a programmer' is infuriating. There are so many interesting product ideas yet 'me-too' CRUD app recreations of previously successful incumbents products are highly desired. This is particularly true in the startup ecosystems where kids talk about 'interesting' problems and finding 'purpose' and yet are blindly following the mantras and motivational speeches of trite capitalists. I…

Do you have any advice for freelancers looking for interesting clients?

I'm mostly able to find clients that either 1) want full-time employees or 2) are working on 'me-too' CRUDs (sometimes both).

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#193

Post by Chris2048 »

LoSboccacc wrote: post #124
onion2k wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its depressing to make comparisons, but 99.9% of developers will never make half of what a specialized MD or successful lawyer or someone in finance might make. Why not make a much less depressing comparison and compare developer wages to manual labourers or retail staff? Compare a typical developer to a typical retail worker and we get way more money for way less stress. We're not at the top end of the scale, but we…

> compare developer wages to manual labourers or retail staff apples to oranges. we're highly specialized knowledge workers. well most of us are, so it is more fair to compare with bankers, lawyers, medics, architects, politician and middle managers which can count on a year to year income growth instead of having to playing idea lottery.

Arguably, none of us are chartered. But I agree, you have to compare like-for-like.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#194

Post by sumitppawar »

bechampion wrote: post #104
sumitppawar wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same thing happening to me, in my good days I worked with giant tech people, and I left them because of money and another reason.Now each and every day I feels like doing nothing, don't know how to get out. Just looking where to go, where to concentrate. I really love programming but now days I feel Im lost.

It's a complex place to be , I'm looking for other jobs that seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel , and it makes you feel good that you're working towards a solution in a way, good luck!

Thanks buddy !

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#195

Post by lhnz »

herval wrote: post #192
lhnz wrote: post #182

I enjoy programming but 'working as a programmer' is infuriating. There are so many interesting product ideas yet 'me-too' CRUD app recreations of previously successful incumbents products are highly desired. This is particularly true in the startup ecosystems where kids talk about 'interesting' problems and finding 'purpose' and yet are blindly following the mantras and motivational speeches of trite capitalists. I…

Do you have any advice for freelancers looking for interesting clients? I'm mostly able to find clients that either 1) want full-time employees or 2) are working on 'me-too' CRUDs (sometimes both).

My suggestion is actually not to find interesting clients. My suggestion is to find high-paying clients and then to become your own 'interesting' client (aka, reduce your lifestyle cost to a point in which you're able to use this money to sustain months of self-directed work).

Nothing is perfect and I've no idea whether this particular idiosyncrasy would suit other people - I'm still undecided whether it's for me.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#196

Post by mantas »

gedrap wrote: post #107
timwaagh wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm saying the job requires zero brains or education. I did not mean to imply people who work in retail have no brains or even less than average. in my country it's not really a legit career choice. it's mostly high school kids or people under 23 who do it as it's compensated below adult minimum wage. after a certain age you either get promoted or fired.

I see, sorry for getting you wrong. Meanwhile in Lithuania, it's fairly typical that the majority of people working in retail are in their 40s and been doing that for the last ~20 years with very minimal increments in salary (usually because of increased minimal salary).

It's not about disrespect. It's about how much effort you put in to get to that point.

How much effort is needed to get a cashier position? Show up, be sober - you got a job. Many people in IT started learning the ropes in their own time after school. Although it was a hobby, it was still an effort that turned out to be helpful in job market.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#197

Post by eswat »

herval wrote: post #192
lhnz wrote: post #182

I enjoy programming but 'working as a programmer' is infuriating. There are so many interesting product ideas yet 'me-too' CRUD app recreations of previously successful incumbents products are highly desired. This is particularly true in the startup ecosystems where kids talk about 'interesting' problems and finding 'purpose' and yet are blindly following the mantras and motivational speeches of trite capitalists. I…

Do you have any advice for freelancers looking for interesting clients? I'm mostly able to find clients that either 1) want full-time employees or 2) are working on 'me-too' CRUDs (sometimes both).

Echoing with the OP said. Figure out who your ideal client is: who they are, what projects they offer, how much they pay, etc. then go to where those ideal clients would hang out. Talk to them, understand them and figure out how you can relieve whatever business discomfort they’re facing.

This will take some time but you’ll eventually get a stream of the type of client that can support the lifestyle you want and want to work and refer you continuously.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#198

Post by awjr »

herval wrote: post #192
lhnz wrote: post #182

I enjoy programming but 'working as a programmer' is infuriating. There are so many interesting product ideas yet 'me-too' CRUD app recreations of previously successful incumbents products are highly desired. This is particularly true in the startup ecosystems where kids talk about 'interesting' problems and finding 'purpose' and yet are blindly following the mantras and motivational speeches of trite capitalists. I…

Do you have any advice for freelancers looking for interesting clients? I'm mostly able to find clients that either 1) want full-time employees or 2) are working on 'me-too' CRUDs (sometimes both).

I would suggest looking in the mirror ;)

Let's be honest. Freelancers are not there to find "interesting clients". They are a temporary resource that enables a client to get a job done they under-resourced.

You have a choice as a freelancer 1) Become money focused. Earn as much as you can for as long as you can. 2) Become idea focused. Earn as much as you can until you have enough to bootstrap the idea. Rinse and repeat. 3) Become money focused but use your income to get the idea fleshed out using upwork.com

If you can get a few of you together it will be a better experience. Working at a co-location hub can be worth it.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#199

Post by 49531 »

I worked in landscaping and then as a custodian making $7/hr before I started learning to code. Working as a programmer has transformed my life. I've got a lot of autonomy in my days, I enjoy solving technical problems, I get to work from home and see my 2yr old grow up.

Yeah it sucks when your manager puts heavy deadlines on your team, or having to do things you don't necessarily agree with, or navigating corporate politics, but at the end of the day it's the best. I don't come home physically exhausted, I don't make shit money, and if I ever end up in a job I don't enjoy, I am able to find a new one fairly easily.

I think it's easy for programmers to hate life sometimes. Most people who are good at this line of work started doing it because they enjoyed it before it was making them money, that's how it was for me. Sometimes I miss haphazardly stringing code together to make something fun, but at the end of the day being a programmer has made me feel fulfilled.

Re: Ask HN: How happy are you working as a programmer?

#200

Post by eswat »

I’m happy for the most part. When I am not happy is when I’m busy fighting with time thieves, mostly bugs and oddities introduced by someone else working on the same system that I would not have picked to work with if it was my decision.

I’m at my peak happiness when I work on my own solo projects or on projects where everyone is “one team, one dream”. Although I’ve built up some thick skin over the users I’ve worked on too many projects with splintered goals amongst team members, even well-meaning ones, that I start to think that I’m too tired for that shit.

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