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Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

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Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#21

Post by latch »

I work in the same industry as you and feel much like you do. However, there's no yelling, management isn't unreasonable, and while hours are long, midnight never, ever happens.

I joined the industry less than a year ago, and I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay. Honestly, it's the intellectual boredom which is killing me. Working in finance is like time traveling back to 2001. It's insanely brutal, and people don't realize how bad it is.

I've worked very hard on my own time on my own projects (mogade.com, mongly.com, algorithms.openmymind.net, iheartyou.net and various oss things) to make sure that this year isn't a huge step backwards for me professionally.

My point? I'm after a challenge...something that stimulates me, and something that I can be passionate about and direct my energies towards. I don't want less pressure or demand, I just want pressure or demand that flows with my own desires and goals.

You really need to find out for yourself if you want a 9-5 low stress job (government, other large enterprises)...or if, what you really want, isn't just something that you are passionate about.

Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#22

Post by pcubed »

veyron wrote: post #2

It sounds like your management sucks. Have you looked into quantitative hedge funds? Smaller funds are staffed by really bright and motivated people who dont generally add undue pressure.

This doesn't seem to make sense to me. Here you have technology driving money making as the primary engine. Wouldn't this be a very tense environment to get the algos right?

Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#23

Post by damoncali »

pcubed wrote: post #15
AmberShah wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Low pressure and also you have to sacrifice a goat just to actually GET anything to do. Went stir crazy.

Good to know. I always had a suspicion government would move slowly, but I didn't consider it might so slow to that you don't get anything done. EDIT: Upon further reading of the previous statement, I now realize how ridiculously obvious it would be that government gets nothing done :)

Even "cool" government jobs move at glacial paces. I used to be an engineer at NASA and got to work on all manner of awesome stuff. But the cost in soul-crushing-boredom is high.

Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#25

Post by keeptrying »

Push for open source technologies. Because these tools are so well tested and very flexible they can help u do stuff that would otherwise take 10 times as long.

If something can be done with python then don't use C++ just because everyone else does.

It takes a little bit of courage to do this but you'll be going home at 5pm while others are slaving away trying to link their executables.

The better your tools, the easier your job.

Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#26

Post by keeptrying »

noodle wrote: post #7

typically, higher salary = higher stress, more hours, difficult problems. if you want a lower stress job, go find one that pays less. either they'll expect less of you, or the problems will be easier for you to solve, so you'll not be stressed at deadlines. this isn't always the case, of course, but its just my observation. out of college, i took a lower paying position that was very low-stress, and i had time to liv…

This is false.

You just have to figure out how to lower the stress in your job.

Its A mix of 1. giving realistic estimates - this requires you to push back like crazy. Realize that not pushing back will decrease the quality of life for you and your family and you'll take this seriously.

2.having a great relationship with your business guy - ie communicating bugs and release lapses early and following through on what u said you would do.

3. using awesome open source tools. Tools like redis, python etc can save you huge amounts of dev time. This is really the key thing as its in your control. You might have to lobby a bit but using open source tools is no longer a anathema.

Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#27

Post by keeptrying »

pcubed wrote: post #14
bigsassy wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to think the same thing. I'm glad I woke up. It has nothing to do with the money, and everything to do with who you're working with. You can have bad client/coworkers/boss at $12/hour and fantastic clients/coworkers/boss at $150. For all the people reading this that are in a stressful position. You can find a less stressful job AND make more money. Let me repeat that. You can find a less stressful job AND make…

An interesting proposition and something I tend to believe. Any tips on how you can figure this out besides jumping from job to job waiting to see if it works?

Its A mix of

1. giving realistic estimates - this requires you to push back like crazy. Realize that not pushing back will decrease the quality of life for you and your family and you'll take this seriously.

2.having a great relationship with your business guy - ie communicating bugs and release lapses early and following through on what u said you would do. Why is this imp? Because by creating a successful project - stress goes to 0. And you can cost for the next 6 months if u wanted to.

3. using awesome open source tools. Tools like redis, python etc can save you huge amounts of dev time. This is really the key thing as its in your control. You might have to lobby a bit but using open source tools is no longer a anathema.

Re: Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

#30

Post by pcubed »

bendmorris wrote: post #18

What's the thing that you love, but that doesn't pay? Can you make it pay?

This isn't gonna resonate with a lot of people on HN, but it's prayer, meditation, and writing. I'm a devout Christian and those things are more important to me, as much as I like programming.
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