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Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

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Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#51

Post by evilotto »

Obnoxious but serious question: are you living in your parents' house?

If not, move along, nothing to see here. (read the other comments about getting professional help, therapy, etc).

If you are, consider if you're just being complacent because you can be. Make a goal for yourself to move out within 6 months. Figure out what you need to do to live on your own, without free room and board to fall back on. And then stick to it.

Don't get me wrong, living in a rent-free or otherwise low-cost situation can be really beneficial, especially if you're paying off debt or saving for your own place. But it can also be a crutch that you lean on and prevents you from figuring out what you are going to do with your life.

Otherwise, create for yourself conditions where you can't be slothful. If you're in the US, walk one of the 3 Great Hikes. Travel through Europe (next year maybe). Join the Peace Corps. Get a volunteer job on an educational ship (e.g, the Lady Washington). These might be "dangerous", but don't underestimate the danger of being depressed at home.

Don't think that a job in tech will be any different from the others. At the end of the day it's still a job that you may like or not.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#52

Post by sector777 »

SamWhited wrote: post #26

I've got the opposite experience from a lot of people on this thread: I've hated every dev job I've ever had for the last 10 years or so (I'm also 30) and have recently started working retail (which is fine, I can't pay the bills with it, but I don't hate my life every morning at least) while I try to figure out how I can stop working for terrible tech companies that just build garbage as quickly as possible no matte…

I've worked as a software developer for smaller non-software companies (manufacturing more recently). I make half of what FAANG pays (still well compensated though) and I used to feel bad about it. But recently I've started to think that maybe not unravelling the fabric of society is worth something?

My customers (machine operators) are right outside my door. I can cut the time it takes to process a production order, the code ships by the end of the week, and I can go out on the floor and get feedback whenever I want. I generally only work on stuff that improves the primary business of the company, so there's very little "garbage" being built.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#53

Post by maaneeack »

holycrapguys wrote: post #30
zrail wrote: post #18

One thing to try is talking to a therapist about all this. There are a number of conditions that can lead someone to a life like yours, most of which can be managed with some coping skills.

I'm open to it. Do you do it? Can you give me an example or recommendation? Where I get hung up on therapy is that there's 100 different types. And it's an expensive endeavor to have so much leeway.

If you have insurance and a primary care doctor, ask them for a referral. If not, you don't need someone with a specialization to start, find a "therapist". There's that talkspace online option as well.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#54

Post by erosenbe0 »

You are in a perfect position to launch a career having gathered so much data.

Do you like working with people? Teams? Working in the field? Getting dirty? Do you like working with things and machines? Troubleshooting? Teaching? Writing? Self-learning or prefer training and certification? Danger or safety? Commission or salary?

A lot of careerless folks would covet knowing as much as you probably know about yourself, given all the things you've dabbled in.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#55

Post by readflaggedcomm »

evilotto wrote: post #51

Obnoxious but serious question: are you living in your parents' house? If not, move along, nothing to see here. (read the other comments about getting professional help, therapy, etc). If you are, consider if you're just being complacent because you can be. Make a goal for yourself to move out within 6 months. Figure out what you need to do to live on your own, without free room and board to fall back on. And then st…

What if he were, and was taking care of them? We should all be so lucky.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#57

Post by indigodaddy »

akomtu wrote: post #37

What if people with experience taught such newbies and used their network to pull them onboard in exchange for 15% of the newbie's paychecks for the first 5 years, enforced by a valid contract? There's clear benefit to all parties and this idea doesn't openly violate the law, although I admit it has a shady smell (a smell of good business?)

What you said was perfect except for everything after “onboard.” Let’s help each other out if we can and not want to get anything in return for it.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#58

Post by pyuser583 »

readflaggedcomm wrote: post #55
evilotto wrote: post #51

Obnoxious but serious question: are you living in your parents' house? If not, move along, nothing to see here. (read the other comments about getting professional help, therapy, etc). If you are, consider if you're just being complacent because you can be. Make a goal for yourself to move out within 6 months. Figure out what you need to do to live on your own, without free room and board to fall back on. And then st…

What if he were, and was taking care of them? We should all be so lucky.

That’s the sort of thing that drastically impacts and all career advice OP might receive.

If it’s the case, OP needs to mention it.

Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career

#59

Post by holycrapguys »

evilotto wrote: post #51

Obnoxious but serious question: are you living in your parents' house? If not, move along, nothing to see here. (read the other comments about getting professional help, therapy, etc). If you are, consider if you're just being complacent because you can be. Make a goal for yourself to move out within 6 months. Figure out what you need to do to live on your own, without free room and board to fall back on. And then st…

No worries not an obnoxious question, I've been on my own since 18 and have done a fair amount of international travel and lot's of hiking. I'm from Montana/Colorado currently in Texas.
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