Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 141 posts

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#91

Post by ProllyInfamous »

ajma wrote: post #32

Doctor. Still want to explore "systems" to diagnose issues and build plans for improvement. When I was 45, I did briefly consider making the switch

As a med-school dropout, in his early 40s (left medicine two decades ago), I cannot even imagine having enough energy to even apply for medical school. At least in the United Hates of America, this is my jaded perspective.

I became an electrician, instead, with stints IBEW and self-employed residential. Lots of money-making opportunities, but lots of unlicensed competition from handymen that "know just enough to be dangerous" — most customers only care if the light turns on, not that it's long-term safe.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#92

Post by speakfreely »

lesuorac wrote: post #84
speakfreely wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Up to" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.

Honestly, it seems to me that it's "undoing" a lot of work. Labor Rate at dealerships around me are over $200/h. Granted the mechanic doesn't get 100% of that but 200 * 52 * 8 is nearly 600k. It seems like you could go somewhere else and get the same amount of money as Ford (or more) and don't need to worry about future salary increases not occurring.

The problem is that the mechanics are paid fixed hours for a given type of job (according to the dealership's standard for how long a given job should take). They are not truly being paid per hour. While it's supposed to encourage efficiency, you can imagine how this negatively affects the mechanics as well as the work quality outcomes.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#94

Post by rickydroll »

I would have had almost no choice but to work for my father in the family rigging business, given that I was the first son of a first son. There's a good chance I'd be dead or severely disabled due to my lack of awareness (ADHD) of heavy machinery moving around me. If tech wasn't an option otherwise, I think I would have chosen to become an electrician—less chance of me becoming dead than moving machinery.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#95

Post by pcthrowaway »

I haven't had consistent or full-time work in tech in 2 years (1 year since any work, 8-9 years in tech before that)

I'm still doing software work related to activism, but I haven't been looking for paid work because the pickings are incredibly slim for work aligned with my values. I'm planning to get into rope access work in a few months.

I'm not going to stop working on software as long as I'm able to provide value beyond what AI tooling can do, but I'm not hopeful for a return to the industry when I'm so misaligned with Big Tech™.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#96

Post by 01100011 »

freedomben wrote: post #47
01100011 wrote: post #34

Many 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

I'm 50 so I have enough experience to have overcome any resistance to the idea that I am mostly a dumbass.

The majority of my larger life decisions have turned out poorly. Fortunately the ones that worked out paid off well enough to make up for the ones that didn't.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#97

Post by throw0101c »

freedomben wrote: post #54

If money was no issue, I'd go into carpentry. I find building things out of wood to be immensely satisfying. Everything from the smell of the wood, the differences by wood type, the naturally beautiful look it has, and the usability/UX of the final product tickle me in ways that I haven't experienced before. I've gotten very close with personal software projects, but the physicality of the wood is something software…

> If money was no issue, I'd go into carpentry.

I can see myself liking the process of construction:

* https://www.youtube.com/@PerkinsBuilderBrothers/videos

But I know it's hard on your body, and you have to do it regardless of weather, so I wouldn't enjoy those aspects as much (versus in a climate-controlled office / WFH).

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#98

Post by vldszn »

vldszn wrote: post #33

I’d probably become a chef - cooking has always felt like the most natural non-tech path for me. It’s a craft and a very creative process, with immediate, tangible results.

btw, I worked as a cook for a bit after school before transitioning into tech =)

Re: Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't work in tech?

#100

Post by tbeseda »

I'd try and figure out how to make a living converting older, everyday cars/trucks to EVs. Restomod I guess; but not just classic sports cars and big trucks (though I love those too). I think a 1989 Mazda Protege deserves a new life as an affordable commuter car. Tape deck and all.
Post reply on HN