Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#301

Post by mustacheemperor » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:13 PM UTC

up_and_up wrote: post #246

pc86 wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless moving out of SF/NY is a deal breaker, it's not necessary to make $100k+ a year to have a solid middle class life. You won't be driving a BMW making $55k a year but you won't need to eat Ramen to make the mortgage payment either. Obviously kids make this harder and my perspective is certainly biased as my wife and I don't plan on children so our nut is much lower every month than our friends with kids in HS or…

> it's not necessary to make $100k+ a year to have a solid middle class life Depends on your circumstances. 100k with one salary?

The added expenses of 3 kids and a stay at home spouse completely changes the financial situation you're describing as opposed to the other poster. 100k+ not split among 4 nonworking people goes way further!

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#302

Post by prodtorok » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:13 PM UTC

FBI Agent. Any interesting crime work.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#303

Post by conorcleary » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:13 PM UTC

mauvehaus wrote: post #270

Interesting timing. I'm quitting my development job at the end of the month and going back to school full-time to become a furniture maker. I have a lot of reasons for wanting to do this. The most straightforward ones are that I want to create something tangible and enduring with my time.

Look into producing beehive equipment; even if you're not a beekeeper, there is a constant and large demand for high quality, low price woodenware. Fairly easy to set up jigs and it is easy to find blueprints. By the end you'll be a beekeeper anyway ;)

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#304

Post by jmsduran » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:14 PM UTC

I would go into finance, maybe as a CFA or some sort of investment/financial analyst. If I could go back in time and restructure my career aspirations as a teenager, I would pursue a career as a medical doctor (possibly specializing in cardiology or clinical pathology).

I don't know if this is normal, but I feel burnt out after working 6 years in the tech industry. So much so, that in my spare time I occupy myself with hobbies completely unrelated to software engineering. I enjoy reading books about finance and medicine, and have also grown an appreciation for cinema/film-making.

My side projects have definitely suffered as a result, because often times I find myself preferring to read The Economist instead.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#305

Post by rileyteige » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:14 PM UTC

Charter Pilot. Been working on that transition for 3 years now, getting my CFI soon ;)

Love development, but I'd much rather do it on the side than 40 hrs/week.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#306

Post by jimbokun » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:14 PM UTC

jitix wrote: post #292

Mechanical engineer specializing in guns - guns are quite impressive works on engineering.

Yes, but wouldn't you feel like Tony Stark in the first Iron Man when you see video footage of terrorists brandishing weapons with your logo on them?

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#307

Post by lloyd-christmas » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:15 PM UTC

magic_beans wrote: post #96

kyoob wrote: post #77

I'd open a bookstore/cafe that sells tech and engineering books. We'd run tech classes in a space in the back, with a discount for vets and artists looking to change careers. I'd live in the apartment above the store, with a garden on the roof. The wifi would be phenomenal.

What is the point of owning tech books when a) much of the content is online and b) there are new developments in languages/frameworks all the time?

Not all development is frameworks and webdev and many "tech" books aren't necessarily just programming. I'd consider half of my math books to be "tech", as that is how they end up being applied.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#308

Post by Pica_soO » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:15 PM UTC

Open a german bakery somewhere non-german.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#309

Post by js2 » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:16 PM UTC

tazjin wrote: post #88

I'd open a bar/pub with good cask ale and decent electronic music. Actually whenever I get too stressed out at work I consider doing this, I've got the necessary capital and in a city like Oslo where people don't care about beer prices it can surely be made into a profitable thing.

https://www.jwz.org/about.html

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#310

Post by beachstartup » Fri, Jan 06, 2017, 4:16 PM UTC

JDiculous wrote: post #299

Entrepreneurship. It's a lot of upfront work, but you've got the ultimate upside in terms of money, control over one's lifestyle, impact, and fulfillment. But more realistically, I'd probably pursue product management because it seems interesting and isn't hard to transition into as a developer. If I didn't have to worry about money, then I'd be trying to make the world a better place, doing things like spreading awa…

> ultimate upside in terms of money, control over one's lifestyle, impact, and fulfillment

you sound like one of those semi-retired lawyers that thinks opening a restaurant is a carefree experience just like hosting a fun dinner party every night for 300 of your best friends.