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Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

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Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#31

Post by porksoda »

Johnny555 wrote: post #26
porksoda wrote: post #13

I took 8 months off fishing in the ocean, and never could really look that code in the eye again. After that, I found it helps to move between teams and projects often. I last about 1-3 years with overlapping contracting jobs. Pays well, about $30 an hour on average, for as many hours as I want. Honestly, I'm still edging the ~buildout~burnout vortex, so when I start to feel the first tendrils of that morning-sicknes…

Pays well, about $30 an hour on average, for as many hours as I want What country are you in? Around here, interns still in college can earn more than that.

I travel serially :) After covid settles a bit, I'll continue trawling south america, until then new zealand, who knows.

There are often jobs that pay more, but they're either the fixed-price ones, or have fewer hours.

Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#32

Post by bkberry352 »

giantg2 wrote: post #5
balls187 wrote: post #2

Actuary pays well

Any insights into barriers to entry? Seems like the work might get boring, right?

Other commenter is right that a Bachelors and passing the exams are required. The work certainly does get boring, but is extremely stable with, usually, excellent work life balance. It's very possible (in the US) to spend ~7 years working/studying to pass the exams and now you can make 150-200k USD/year while averaging 35 hours week for the remainder of your career.

One major difference in comparison to software is the extremely long project timelines. Loss model refits/remodels are planned years in advance, it can easily take 6 months back and forth waiting on states to respond to filings, etc.

Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#35

Post by irrational »

sovietmudkipz wrote: post #25
nostrademons wrote: post #18

Engineering manager is probably the easiest pivot. It's a very different skillset from software engineering (more people interaction, more organization, less creativity and logic) that some people will love and others will hate, but you get to use your previous experience and there's often a pay bump and additional job security. Also consider trades like carpenter or electrician. Many software engineers also like thi…

Serious question: in general, does being a manager make you more likely to get fired or less? Heuristically I think "more likely" because why fire the front line workers doing the work when you can fire middle managers. However; I'm sure this thinking is missing quite a few important details. Maybe having direct access to work politics provides an advantage? Maybe a manager is able to sacrifice others to avoid being…

I've survived many rounds of layoffs as long as I have (decades) by refusing all attempts to move me into management. It is always the middle managers that get the boot during layoffs. I have almost never seen developers get laid off (at least not as part of mass layoffs, usually they are laid off because they are plain bad).

Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#36

Post by porksoda »

porksoda wrote: post #31
Johnny555 wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pays well, about $30 an hour on average, for as many hours as I want What country are you in? Around here, interns still in college can earn more than that.

I travel serially :) After covid settles a bit, I'll continue trawling south america, until then new zealand, who knows. There are often jobs that pay more, but they're either the fixed-price ones, or have fewer hours.

Although as you point out, if I lived in the states I'd be poked. I visit there often enough, but family is kind enough to put me up and I take the time to save.

Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#38

Post by chrisseaton »

machiaweliczny wrote: post #14

Pilot or air traffic control. Anything where it’s expensive to get license is good alternative.

These seem like the worst possible options for someone who has been burning out aren't they?

Massive stress, very long hours working in the dark, against hard deadlines, no chance to step away, overseen and monitored constantly.

Pilots are also notoriously poorly paid.

Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#39

Post by porksoda »

Johnny555 wrote: post #26
porksoda wrote: post #13

I took 8 months off fishing in the ocean, and never could really look that code in the eye again. After that, I found it helps to move between teams and projects often. I last about 1-3 years with overlapping contracting jobs. Pays well, about $30 an hour on average, for as many hours as I want. Honestly, I'm still edging the ~buildout~burnout vortex, so when I start to feel the first tendrils of that morning-sicknes…

Pays well, about $30 an hour on average, for as many hours as I want What country are you in? Around here, interns still in college can earn more than that.

Do you live in a particularly expensive area?

Re: Ask HN: What are well-paying alternative jobs to being a software developer?

#40

Post by irrational »

emteycz wrote: post #6

DevOps, cloud architecture/engineering. Another option could be teaching IT (private) - organize lectures about your expertise, etc

Are there really people who only do devops? I work for a Fortune 500 company with thousands of developers and we are all expected to do our own devops work.
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