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Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#31

Post by jacquesm »

yacoder wrote: post #28
jacquesm wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are your skills ? (programming languages and so on ?)

currently, mostly C#, SQL, F# and some scheme. Most of my experience (and entirely professionally) is on the MS stack, though I run linux at home.

Ok. I see ErrantX has already made you an offer, nice to see HN'ers help out other HN'ers!

I'll be running a pretty weird experiment in a few weeks, I'm not yet ready to explain it in public because I'm still tweaking the idea and I don't want to limit myself by nailing it down, if you are interested drop me an email (email in my profile).

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#32

Post by greyman »

yacoder wrote: post #7
krschultz wrote: post #6

I think the answer is to apply to more positions. You say that you have tried for one and did not get it. Apply for several and see what happens. Also it sounds like you are trying to hop from internal IT to software/language development (is that correct?), if you have no previous official "programming experience" at a job, the open source projects might be your best bet. That way you can have programming on your res…

yes, I want to switch from internal to a software company. I definitely feel like open source is really critical; I don't feel like I'm working in an environment where code quality matters to anybody, the only way I'm going to get to work on a decent code base with people who care (and will improve me) before moving job is by working on open source.

I also suggest to just apply to more companies, for example try 10 at first and see what they told you. C# is pretty much in demand, so it should not be a problem to get a junior programmer job.

But maybe don't be too romantic about a job in software company...you could very well find that it also isn't a ideal job...you will perhaps fight with bureaucracy, being forced to do dull work, etc. etc.

So before quiting your job, try to think really deep why exactly you don't like your current job. Maybe it is something more fundamental, and ordinary software company might also not fix it. Anyway, good luck, finding a software programmer job is certainly achievable.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#33

Post by chaosmachine »

Just quit. Walk out and never go back. Start working for yourself. Every day you're doing something you don't want to do is a day you never get back.

I quit my tech support job with no plan and 4 months of savings. Within the year, I had started my own business, and was making more money than I ever did at my old job.

Take the risk. Trust in your own abilities, and go for it. You'll never get the life you want by living the one you don't.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#35

Post by SandB0x »

spolsky wrote: post #16
yacoder wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have definitely been reticent on the jobsearching front. I guess a combination of inertia/laziness and fear have got in the way; also I suppose I am worried that if I apply to jobs before I am 'ready' (well practised in the algo stuff typically asked at decent job interviews, etc.) I will end up blowing my chances at these places then later when I come to apply with more experience in this area they won't want to h…

Yes. Crikey. There are thousands of companies in the UK that hire programmers. How many of them can you possibly blow? Besides, the more jobs you apply for, the more practice you'll have applying.

I agree with your advice, but just a note on the UK:

Software companies aren't the same this side of the pond, the culture seems rather different. Maybe I've just had bad experiences, but London is full of soul crushing financial services/admin software type places. I'm sure the US is too, but there also seems to be a healthy community of fresh companies.

Check out your very own jobs.stackoverflow.com - this is one of the places I would expect a modern company to advertise, but there are nine jobs listed for the whole of the UK, compared to over 50 for NY alone. If you want a "normal" programming job you have to take your chances with the vast sea of recruiters on Monster.co.uk.

(or, of course, build personal connections and/or do your own thing)

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#36

Post by olliesaunders »

SandB0x wrote: post #35
spolsky wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Crikey. There are thousands of companies in the UK that hire programmers. How many of them can you possibly blow? Besides, the more jobs you apply for, the more practice you'll have applying.

I agree with your advice, but just a note on the UK: Software companies aren't the same this side of the pond, the culture seems rather different. Maybe I've just had bad experiences, but London is full of soul crushing financial services/admin software type places. I'm sure the US is too, but there also seems to be a healthy community of fresh companies. Check out your very own jobs.stackoverflow.com - this is one o…

Yes, there isn't really a software startup/innovation culture in London.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#38

Post by peregrine »

edw519 wrote: post #29

I have been in your situation many times before and always struggled with it. Until I figured something out... working in an internal IT department at a non-software company can be a HUGE advantage. Why? Because your "customers" are right there. Please do not underestimate this as part of your career planning. Sure, we all want to create cool technology, but AFAIC, the single biggest shortcoming for developers that I…

Some places insist on having a "Product Manager" handle all the face to face communications, which kills it even more...

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#39

Post by jacquesm »

dannyr wrote: post #30

Quit. Having a choice (in this case a job) is sometimes bad. If your back is against the wall, you'll be more driven to go after what you want. I was working for a bank in the early part of my career. I was doing mainframe applications and I have always wanted to do web apps. So I quit my job and learned a web programming language (.Net). I learned it pretty fast and I built a small site to showcase my work. In two m…

That advice may or may not be good advice depending on your location. I can see how in the bay area it will work, the OP is in London, so for him it probably would work too (even though the market is not quite what it was a few years ago).

But for some regions it is probably best to keep your old shoes on until you've bought some new ones.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get out of my unhappy coding job?

#40

Post by dannyr »

jacquesm wrote: post #39
dannyr wrote: post #30

Quit. Having a choice (in this case a job) is sometimes bad. If your back is against the wall, you'll be more driven to go after what you want. I was working for a bank in the early part of my career. I was doing mainframe applications and I have always wanted to do web apps. So I quit my job and learned a web programming language (.Net). I learned it pretty fast and I built a small site to showcase my work. In two m…

That advice may or may not be good advice depending on your location. I can see how in the bay area it will work, the OP is in London, so for him it probably would work too (even though the market is not quite what it was a few years ago). But for some regions it is probably best to keep your old shoes on until you've bought some new ones.

jacquesm,

When I quit my job in 2008, it's when the recession hit. Bay Area was no exception. I cannot find any job and my skill (.Net) was not in demand.

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