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Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

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Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#191

Post by yeukhon »

kzisme wrote: post #166
bitL wrote: post #56

There is no future in software development as a job. Move to a management position quickly, network, make friends with decision makers, don't spend too much time on crafting your skills, your reward for perfection will be more insane work and crazy interviews where one part not 100% done kicks you out. Work on your appearance, kiss up, lift, dress properly, use anti-aging cosmetics, make cool looking hairstyle, wear…

> If you really need to make software (like I do), make your own company and license/sell your work instead for >500% more than what would be your salary. The hardest part about this (for me) is finding a project/product to begin working on. I'm assuming you came to that sort of idea while working for others (which seems like the best way to learn).

For me, I can't do the front-end stuff, so I am stuck with not able to do anything with my ideas. This is where the networking part would help.

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#192

Post by skybrian »

krylon wrote: post #118

I was kind of shocked at the discrepancy between the reality of working as a programmer at a small company and what one learns about how to "do things right the right way" - version control system? What is that? Automated testing? Or even systematic testing? No time, we have to ship the next release! Using global variables sparingly? - Hysterical laughter The important lesson for me was not to despair and not to get…

Do you use source control just for yourself? How do you keep sane?

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#193

Post by pacaro »

scarface74 wrote: post #68

I have been developing professionally for 20 years and I'm in my early 40s. What I've learned: * Salary compression is real: most companies are not going to keep giving you raises to match what the market would give you for your skills. They would rather you leave and take all of the institutional knowledge with you than pay you the amount you could get elsewhere. Even if that means hiring someone else at market valu…

Having to move to get promoted is frustrating and real. Within large companies you can usually move to another team (how hard this is varies), but it is typically required that this be a lateral move, which then slows velocity, whereas changing companies would not normally be a lateral move.

I'm cautious of the word "Architect" — even though I've had it in my job title in the past, and still believe that it can mean something. Unfortunately, it's also a word that's inserted into so many unrelated jobs titles (Enterprise Solutions Architect, Information Architect) — if you need to get beyond senior, and have influence over the wording of your title, then Principal and Staff are useful words — until they too are devalued

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#194

Post by QuantumGravy »

codemac wrote: post #180
QuantumGravy wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having regrettably started from the IT side, it's seemingly impossible to make the jump to a software company proper. Nothing I do day-to-day is flexing any mental muscles an interviewer would find sexy. We're like a permanent underclass of undesirables. Without spending time outside work to focus on sharpening basic undergraduate CS knowledge, I know I'm getting objectively rusty at the types of problems I actually…

Would you think that it's not sexyness, but applicability? What values do you bring to the table that a SW company would need? Because I bet you that you could find some if you switched from targeting straight dev roles to something else that is part of a SW org.

Other than time spent programming on platform X, I'm at a loss as to what values I'd bring. Would I hire myself, based on my job history? Probably not. I'm hardly going to impress anyone with such an attitude!

Any suggestions on alternate roles to look for? I'd worry that just because it's a software organization, it doesn't mean I wouldn't be filling their own version of cog in a cost-center.

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#195

Post by rhexs »

baccredited wrote: post #126

I wish I knew I could save aggressively and achieve financial independence in a relatively short time frame. Even medium salary programmers in the US can save the bulk of their income and retire early (if they so choose). I'm on track to retire in about 4 yrs but wish I had done so quicker. http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/01/13/the-shockingly-sim...

By retire early, do you mean retire like Mr. Money Mustache suggests, -- i.e., extremely low cost of living, don't use AC, don't drive anywhere, probably live on less than 20K a year?

Or are you making a large enough salary in the PNW/San Jose or something where you can put back 1-3 mil in 10 years?

I ran that calculator and while it says I can retire soon, I've always heard 25x income to be a much more reliable number.

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#196

Post by wayn3 »

QuantumGravy wrote: post #159
randcraw wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Work somewhere where software is the main product and not just a cost center. This is THE big difference between S/W dev and IT. For 20 years I worked in the former, and for the past 10 in the latter. No question about it: IT is hell. Theirs is a never-ending mission to reduce the cost of moving data and being "compliant" with often-meaningless ever-excessive corporate standards (and forever meaningless MBA/CIO fad…

Having regrettably started from the IT side, it's seemingly impossible to make the jump to a software company proper. Nothing I do day-to-day is flexing any mental muscles an interviewer would find sexy. We're like a permanent underclass of undesirables. Without spending time outside work to focus on sharpening basic undergraduate CS knowledge, I know I'm getting objectively rusty at the types of problems I actually…

maybe sign up for triplebyte and let them figure it out? nothing to lose

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#197

Post by BatFastard »

scarface74 wrote: post #77
angelbob wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where are you at geographically? I've never had good luck with the local recruiters in Silicon Valley, but maybe they're better in places with less info about market rates?

Atlanta

I am in Atlanta, I would love to connect with a decent recruiter. I have a low tolerance for fools. Msg me please.

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#198

Post by mattkenefick »

Read more into things than you need to given the opportunity.

Let's say you need an icon for something, but don't know much about design. Once in a while, try making it on your own. Learn about the pen tool, image formats, etc.

Let's say you need a simple SELECT from MySQL. Read more into how they actually work under the covers, in large-scale environments, or how they change for MSSQL / Postgres.

Let's say you need a particular jQuery function.. take a few minutes to read the source and see what it's actually doing.

If you take a few minutes each time you do something unfamiliar, you'll gradually build up a better understanding and larger skillset without having to put in too much effort.

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#199

Post by AldousHaxley »

I wish I knew earlier that I had enough knowledge to build production quality applications. I had this idea early on that I had to attain some level of mastery that was always just outside of my reach, and that the only remedy to that was learning everything possible under the sun. But after spending years trying to get to that point, I realized that I could have been building and shipping products that whole time. If I could do the last decade over, that realization would have the most profound impact.

Re: Ask HN: For those programming 10+ years, what do you wish you knew 4 years in?

#200

Post by efm »

kzisme wrote: post #166
bitL wrote: post #56

There is no future in software development as a job. Move to a management position quickly, network, make friends with decision makers, don't spend too much time on crafting your skills, your reward for perfection will be more insane work and crazy interviews where one part not 100% done kicks you out. Work on your appearance, kiss up, lift, dress properly, use anti-aging cosmetics, make cool looking hairstyle, wear…

> If you really need to make software (like I do), make your own company and license/sell your work instead for >500% more than what would be your salary. The hardest part about this (for me) is finding a project/product to begin working on. I'm assuming you came to that sort of idea while working for others (which seems like the best way to learn).

If you do all the other recommended things, you'll start hanging out with people who spend money to solve real business problems. The projects will come to you then.
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