Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE?

#31

Post by tkjef » Wed, Feb 19, 2025, 7:02 PM UTC

You're already in the process of progressing career-wise. Keep it up! Just don't stop!

Try out idea.. after idea.. after idea.. However many you think is a lot (it is) you can do more. :) What's the alternative? Stop? Give up?

Some words of advice. A consultancy is a result of you having badass skills and a badass network. It isn't built because you want to start a business. Maybe 15 years ago you could.

With a consultancy you will be going up against guys with badass skills and a badass network. What would be your plan to go against them?

Having your own business sounds like just the ticket. And you're off to a good start it sounds like. Think better about your next ideas. Think more strategically. Do better market research. Make better data driven decisions. Align everything about all the things you've been working on (if you can, or some of them).

Play with your brands, brand names, target markets (geographic areas, age segments). Play with logos, websites, website tools, marketing strategies, instagram account usernames, domains, vanity phone #s. Play with all of these and shape the mold of what you're wanting to make.

It should be a combination of what you want to do, what you think can make money, what is easiest for you to execute and probably a bunch of other shit all with percentages that fluctuate based on the idea.

This was a bit lengthy as I'm feeling pumped up from applying to ycombinator last week, but I'd like to end with this.

The ability to pivot, re-prioritize, not give up, stay positive, see the bigger picture & identify the true dictating factors of situations (meaning find what, if changed, changes other things that are important and what those other things are) seem to be important.

Re: Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE?

#32

Post by aqueueaqueue » Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 8:09 AM UTC

Do you want to manage. Most companies have fewer people who want to manage vs. spots. So if it is something you want to do I think just ask and you'll be encouraged. If not see if you can tech lead (lead projects rather than direct reports, set some coding standards etc.).

But managing isn't for everyone but don't feel locked out, you can try it if you want to.

Re: Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE?

#33

Post by aqueueaqueue » Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 8:13 AM UTC

scarface_74 wrote: post #23

throwaway_32u10 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have almost two decades of experience. I'm approaching 40 years old, I have a family. Sure, I might sound stubborn, but I don't have the time to study 3 months for the nuances of DFS algorithms, or grinding leetcode. The interviewing process should evaluate my knowledge as required by the job description, and not to play a role in satisfying the ego of the interviewer(s). So yes, while I did refresh my memory on Bi…

Life is about choices. You want to make BigTech money you have to play the game. You’re not going to change the way the industry works. It’s fine not to want to play that game and accept that you probably will make less as a “senior developer” working in “the enterprise” as someone just graduating from college and getting a return offer from any of the well known companies. I am 50, married and an empty nester. Spent…

There is also a world of semi-faangs. Something like working for salesforce or workday or even vercel or fly.io. These pay good money and will interview hard but maybe more accessible than the hard core Faangs. (And Facebook and Amazon are known ad hard places to stay at anyway).

Lots of choices out there!

Re: Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE?

#34

Post by scarface_74 » Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 9:53 AM UTC

aqueueaqueue wrote: post #33

scarface_74 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Life is about choices. You want to make BigTech money you have to play the game. You’re not going to change the way the industry works. It’s fine not to want to play that game and accept that you probably will make less as a “senior developer” working in “the enterprise” as someone just graduating from college and getting a return offer from any of the well known companies. I am 50, married and an empty nester. Spent…

There is also a world of semi-faangs. Something like working for salesforce or workday or even vercel or fly.io. These pay good money and will interview hard but maybe more accessible than the hard core Faangs. (And Facebook and Amazon are known ad hard places to stay at anyway). Lots of choices out there!

Looking at levels.fyi…

Assuming he could get a job as a senior developer and the definition and responsibilities and qualifications of a senior at these companies are a lot different than those of a “senior” in Enterprise dev, you are still looking at around $225k.

While that’s not bad, it’s not the eye popping FAANG level salaries. More than likely he is going to be down leveled since he has no experience with architecture and system design or demonstrated “scope” and “impact” of senior developer.

If he gets down leveled to a mid level developer at either of these companies, he’s not doing too much better.

And in another reply he stated an unwillingness to do the interview prep.

Re: Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE?

#35

Post by aqueueaqueue » Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 10:03 AM UTC

scarface_74 wrote: post #34

aqueueaqueue wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is also a world of semi-faangs. Something like working for salesforce or workday or even vercel or fly.io. These pay good money and will interview hard but maybe more accessible than the hard core Faangs. (And Facebook and Amazon are known ad hard places to stay at anyway). Lots of choices out there!

Looking at levels.fyi… Assuming he could get a job as a senior developer and the definition and responsibilities and qualifications of a senior at these companies are a lot different than those of a “senior” in Enterprise dev, you are still looking at around $225k. While that’s not bad, it’s not the eye popping FAANG level salaries. More than likely he is going to be down leveled since he has no experience with archi…

Fair enough. I got downleveled into such a company but got paid same as a higher level elsewhere so now there is somewhere to go up! Plus even they have raises at same level. I have no ego and grinded leet and design interviews. Happy with my choice