Teach high school English.
Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
41–50 of 141 posts
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#42My background is in computer science and philosophy. But philosophy was always about pure interest and not career prospect.
If I had to pivot in 2025, I’d probably go for psychology. I’m interested in that, I enjoy the idea of more directly helping people and have myself been tremendously helped by psychologists the past years.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#43I'd be a woodworker making cabinets and tables
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#44I like programming so I'd probably just keep doing that.
If I didn't have to work in order to live I'd probably spend more time sailing, playing music, and being with my family.
But I'd still be programming. The kind of programming I'd do would be focused on my interests rather than the interests of businesses and shareholders that employ me though.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#45I'm currently incubating a sick twisted fantasy to run a handbuilt bicycle wheelbuilding store. If you asked me this question 20 years ago, the answer would be music teacher.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#46Former tech worker here. I don’t know yet, and don’t have many skills outside of computer jockey. Can be friendly for short periods but not a people person. What do y’all suggest?
I do not know... teach kids?
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#47Many of us have to do this job(personality quirks, ASD, etc). I remember talking to a nerd friend(Verilog/VHDL guy) 25 years ago, in the time before Google salaries when engineering wasn't a job most people desired. He shared that thought and it rang true with me. I've met many folks who I don't think would have done well outside engineering. Myself, I have a good brain for engineering but have a marked lack of commo…
> Myself, I have a good brain for engineering but have a marked lack of common sense.
I mean this sincerely, this is a geniuinely impressive level of self-awareness. If everybody was better at recognizing things like this, I think the world would be a much better place. Cheers
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#48Soon we will all find it out.
If I don’t have to deal anymore with SopraSteria, perhaps the world would be better thanks to AI.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#49I could imagine being a car mechanic or a welder. Repairing my car is a little hobby of mine and I could imagine doing that full time, if programming work would stop paying my bills.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?
#50One of these or a mix of - history, archaeology, and literature. But as they say, you never know.
I absolutely knew even when I left school ("school" school) that none of these would pay, so I assume your question has an implicit "if money was no concern". Because money/job was the reason I picked engineering and CS in college. While I did quite well (academically and professionally), I never loved it. Maybe I liked it here and there. Then I knew this would happen; that's the reason I was at least prudent enough to never do that CS MS (with multiple options for full scholarships in Europe around a decade ago). But not prudent enough to explore masters in many of the non-STEM fields that were there for the taking pretty much. Some of those might have paired well with this STEM bachelors in some way or the other.