Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#31

Post by Old_Thrashbarg » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:14 PM UTC

_davebennett wrote: post #7

I haven't left, but I'm thinking about it (despite still being early in my career lol). For me, it's the frustration of "nothing really matters." I value helping people, and building software actual people will use is one of the ways of doing that. Unfortunately, I have not had that opportunity. I've had to work on multiple projects that served no real purpose. It's extremely annoying.

I wonder if you pick a company that is both small (At a startup, you get to have a large impact on the company so it definitely can feel like you're making a difference.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#32

Post by chewz » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:17 PM UTC

Meetings took forever, goals and budgets limited my creativity, have been getting fat on business lunches and life is simply too short to spend it in the office. Couldn't breathe with recycled air.

I got cancer and when I got better I have never wanted to go back to the office.

I have spent last 10 years travelling the world, reading, learning to live on very little. Never looked back. Life is not a bliss but I am happier in general and satified with tradeoffs I have made.

I still do some projects for my own satisfaction. Still enjoy programming and learning new skills.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#33

Post by brtkdotse » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:17 PM UTC

encom wrote: post #23

I left it before I really got started, and looking back at it now, I don't regret it. In my mid-twenties I decided I'd rather be an electrician. I don't sit on my ass all day. I get to meet new people, and see new places all the time. Some places that few ever get to see. Power plants, clock towers, police stations, homeless shelters, church attics. All sorts of stuff. Not all of it equally exciting, but a lot of it…

In a parellell universe, this would've been me. Electrician seem to be the perfect "manual" labor - not a lot of heavy lifts, work with your head a lot, good mix of in- and outdoors.

Ps. Love the username/post combo.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#34

Post by wrnr » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:19 PM UTC

Just can't get any respect for it, I was trying to quit smoking, a friend who I did some projects with asked if I could do this boring thing in a language I don't know, 3 times I politely declined the job, got angry and lit a sigaret in my living room, so I took his make shift astray and threw it the garbage, he left after that saying I wasn't a team player, all the other contract I helped to secure he took with him saying he'll find some other autist.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#35

Post by kilroy123 » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:19 PM UTC

I'm currently on month 18 of a sabbatical. I tried to bootstrap a small lifestyle business with my own money and that didn't pan out.

I really don't want to return to tech, because it simply is not my passion. I'm going to try to start an aerospace startup instead, which is my passion. Perfect timing right?

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#36

Post by Balanceinfinity » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:19 PM UTC

I realized that I was only a so-so programmer. the real ninjas were so passionate and knowledgeable; I was only successful because of brute force and overworking. I moved on to a career in the law - which is a much more natural fit for me.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#37

Post by donclark » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:22 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #19

What's your story? Programming off and on for over 40 years. Left several times. Because nothing is as fucked up as I.T. Did sales, consulting, several small businesses, and writing. Kept getting sucked back in. Because no one else digs as deep into things as us programmers. Became frustrated because we were always "skimming on the surface" of everything instead of deep diving into the cause instead of the effect. Be…

> Because nothing is as fucked up as I.T.

In all different companies that I have worked with, the finance department seemed to be consistently the most stressful, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants part of the company. I am curious for people to tell the horror stories that they had to go thru.

Should I do an Ask HN on the finance dept?

(edited formatting)

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#38

Post by gman83 » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:23 PM UTC

notacoward wrote: post #28

I haven't left myself yet, but at almost-55 I know a fair number who have. Here's what I know of what their answers would be. The first simply had another passion - travel. Work was just a way to pay for that. Eventually went to work for an agency, been there a long time and AFAICT couldn't be happier (despite being less well off materially). I've known a couple of others who fit this pattern. One left the industry t…

What is a full time parent? I remember as a kid that I was always encouraging my mom to take up hobbies so that she's leave me alone so I could get on with my own stuff. I can't imagine putting all your identity into being a parent. Kids grow up extremely fast.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#39

Post by throw1234651234 » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:23 PM UTC

_vdpp wrote: post #26

I was working as a SWE for a large defense contractor on some pretty neat projects, and I felt like I was good at what I did. It was 40 hour weeks, good benefits, good pay, but I was bored and miserable. I lived in a town with no friends, and was so desperate for a change and some adventure, that I left the industry to join the military. I took what I call a 12 year sabbatical from tech. I became an officer, went to…

I think the warning here is that most people will drop out of the pilot program and/or aren't qualified for it in the first place (eyesight, blood pressure, age, fitness to a lesser degree since it's "fixable" within 6 months). There's always army rotary, I guess.

Re: Ask HN: Why did you leave the tech industry?

#40

Post by wil421 » Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 1:26 PM UTC

snuusnuu wrote: post #10

I haven't left but I'm trying to figure out something else to do with my life. I've been doing customer projects for the last 8 years and it has been horrible experience. 99% of the things you're building are the same thing all over again (CRUD apps and various integrations) and pretty much 100% of the problems are caused by people acting stupid in different ways. It all just feels so pointless. I wish I could come u…

Sounds like you need a hobby. Work to live, don’t live to work.

Software Development can be mundane and repetitive. Stupid users cause most of my headaches but I use my hobbies as an outlet.