Ask HN: What else can you do?

#1

Post by devaroop » Mon, Mar 05, 2018, 5:23 AM UTC

To all wonderful people at HN - most of us develop a professional skill at work and continue with it switching jobs around the same competency all life. Did anyone manage to find out what else you're capable of and what does it take to pursue it professionally?

P.S. Im in the software services world since a long-long time. Im bored now, but don't know what else to do.

Re: Ask HN: What else can you do?

#2

Post by bdcravens » Mon, Mar 05, 2018, 7:12 AM UTC

Before I got into programming in college (1996), I was into speech and debate; even had a minimal scholarship in that area. Not that after 22 years I could jump into that field, but the skills I learned there could serve me in other industries.

The various contracts and gigs I've taken throughout the years have exposed me to different industries. Today, I feel good about my exposure to HIPAA impacted fields, and those involving shipping. I could leverage that business knowledge in a non-development role.

On a personal note, I've been involved in Bitcoin since about 2011. I could definitely leverage what I've learned there.

Re: Ask HN: What else can you do?

#3

Post by devaroop » Tue, Mar 06, 2018, 4:48 AM UTC

bdcravens wrote: post #2

Before I got into programming in college (1996), I was into speech and debate; even had a minimal scholarship in that area. Not that after 22 years I could jump into that field, but the skills I learned there could serve me in other industries. The various contracts and gigs I've taken throughout the years have exposed me to different industries. Today, I feel good about my exposure to HIPAA impacted fields, and thos…

Sounds great. How did you manage to switch industries without domain knowledge? Im sure others applying with you get an edge if they've worked in the relevant industry before.

Here in India, people don't believe in taking risks and the usual people always get thru.