Depending on my finances, I'd probably paint for a little bit. When I say paint, I mean paint buildings, not paint canvas or anything like that. Did this for a few years in college and it was satisfying to actually see physical proof of your work. Also, the only way you ever took you work home with you was if you got paint on yourself.
Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
21–30 of 141 posts
While I probably wouldn't make a career out of it, I have the same feelings about painting. It's a satisfying zen and I love doing weekend painting projects on the house.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#22All the jobs I rather be doing are antiquated. Furniture maker but it’s not a viable job anymore either. A machinist, tool-die maker. Or mechanic maybe. I have always thought that mechanics are just debugging a very specific architecture. None of these make money though.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#23Fly some drones, maybe thermal image wildlife
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#24Probably be into some arts fields: writing, music, design.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#25Probably something blue collar like electrician, plumbing or auto repair.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#26Physics, of course. Well, at least that is what I was doing before. If not that teaching. Math, physics, programming. I could teach any of that I guess
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#27All the jobs I rather be doing are antiquated. Furniture maker but it’s not a viable job anymore either. A machinist, tool-die maker. Or mechanic maybe. I have always thought that mechanics are just debugging a very specific architecture. None of these make money though.
> Ford CEO says he has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with up to 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: https://fortune.com/2025/11/12/ford-ceo-manufacturing-jobs-t...
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#28A plumber. Very resistant to AI.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#29All the jobs I rather be doing are antiquated. Furniture maker but it’s not a viable job anymore either. A machinist, tool-die maker. Or mechanic maybe. I have always thought that mechanics are just debugging a very specific architecture. None of these make money though.
> Ford CEO says he has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with up to 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: https://fortune.com/2025/11/12/ford-ceo-manufacturing-jobs-t...
"Up to" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#30I'd go back to civil engineering. Building things. Good, honest work.