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Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
71–79 of 79 posts
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#72Consider taking a sabbatical if you can afford it. Reflect on what got you where you are today, and imagine where you want to be tomorrow. Let your mind disconnect from the day to day rigor of development. I have done this a few times in my career, and each time it keeps me centered on what is important to me. Hope this helps.
I'm taking a 9 month sabbatical next year so I can learn to enjoy coding again. It's not coding that bugs me, it's all the BS you have to deal with modern management practices that makes it unbearable. I did management a few times and didn't like it. Keep in mind that no matter what you do, if you're in a corporate environment, that's still going to be a problem.
I started my sabbatical in Summer 2023. I couldn't even stand to look at a computer for first 12 months.
At the end of this summer, I started working on a software project I've wanted to build for a long time. Programming is so much more fun when you don't have people breathing down your neck asking when it will done, and why are you not completing all your story points in the sprint.
I had a problem that took me three days to figure out. I wasn't stressed at all and was able to just focus on the problem. It has also been enjoyable because I can choose the technologies I want to use. There have also been a couple of times where I start working with something and say I don't like this and go with something else.
I think it has been good to have this project before going back to work. It helped me to start like working with computers again.
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#73Try teaching and lecturing position. You'll do minimum coding unless you want to code for fun and try new ideas. If you have research funding you can become the project lead but the pressure is much less than industry since only prototyping demo not shipping. The academic institutions will really appreciate your experiences and students as well. I wish all the best for whatever you decided to do.
Thanks. Teaching does not pay as good as tech. Pity, but this is the world we live in
Keep coding then. Pity, but this is the world you live in.
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#74What is often hidden in these kinds of posts is a relationship with money that's not fully understood. There's thousands upon thousands of different jobs out there, but your post implies that there's none outside of tech. I'm assuming this is because of the lifestyle it afforded you which you are used to, addiction to cash flow, dependents to support, or perhaps an identity fused with high earnings. Do a thorough thi…
Agree. I've been doing coding for 20+ years and I've gotten to the point where I'm pretty unmotivated about my work on a good day. I've tried managing teams and it wasn't for me, so I went back to being an IC. I daydream about more fulfilling careers, but there's nothing I can switch to that would come even close to my current pay right out of the gate. It is a strange prison for sure.
I think the issue is that many intelligent and curious people get restless when they do the same thing for years. Eventually you stop growing and you stagnate. First it's boring, then, for many people, it becomes depressing. Even Leonardo Da Vinci got seriously bored of painting (and procrastinated a ton on his commissions, dragging them for years on some cases) once he mastered it. That's why so many people daydream about switching to a different career, including plenty of people daydreaming about switching to coding. They don't neccessarily hope the other career will be better, but they yearn to do something new and not be stuck in Groundhog Day.
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nah. Unless I get a real fat equity and a nice paycheck. Most of such business offer neither, and in this case I prefer to build something of my own
An approach from a place of greed, nice. Good luck!
Not, it's an approach from reality. I'm not going to slave away for an idea without getting rewarded for it. I'm not 21 years old to waste my life. I have a family and financial obligations to take care of.
If you want me to risk my future by taking an unpaid job, I want a big enough equity package. I'm not stupid to follow the "American dream" anymore.
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#76I can give you some advice. Imagine your favorite activity that you can do for free even on weekends. Look for such a job. I am a programmer from Russia. I live in Siberia. I have not been able to find a job for a year. I continue to look, but I have already started to do some part-time work. I participate in low-paid projects on image marking for training neural networks, checking the quality of their work. I wanted…
Can you send me an email (my HN username @ gmail.com) with your resume or some code samples? I have worked with programmers based in Novosibirsk for 20 years and can try to help connect you. No promises but at least can refer you to some people who might have better work than you are doing now.
I answered you in a letter. Of course, I understand that this is only a message. Thank you for your offer of help.
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#77have you considered farming? you could simply dabble in it to see if you have base interest, and if so, continue digging deeper (pun intended, I guess). I continually see coders move into farming with great success, as there seem to be many overlaps. There's a good gardening/farming channel on YT called Epic Gardening that provides lots of educational content. Maybe that's a good start?
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#78If you want to stay in IT AND you are good with customers, then look into Presales Solution Architecture. The coding you do is for demos to customers or little example snippets. The main part of the job if talking through architecture with customers to help them through issues or questions using whatever your product is. I made the move about 7 years ago and I wish i had done it sooner. Also, you get commission, so it can be even more lucrative.
Re: Ask HN: I don't want to code anymore. What else can I do?
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you send me an email (my HN username @ gmail.com) with your resume or some code samples? I have worked with programmers based in Novosibirsk for 20 years and can try to help connect you. No promises but at least can refer you to some people who might have better work than you are doing now.
I answered you in a letter. Of course, I understand that this is only a message. Thank you for your offer of help.
I forwarded your resume to a couple agencies in eastern europe that I know of, as well as a friend in Novosibirsk best of luck to you in 2025!