I was mostly a tech hobbyists until 27 when I got my first real programming role. I was a photographer assistant, a graphic designer, an insurance salesman, an investment advisor, a construction worker, and a high school math teacher all before I was a software developer.
Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
91–98 of 98 posts
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#92Earlier quoted context omitted.
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,…
If you don't mind sharing, how do you go about finding these kinds of jobs?
MSPs (managed service provider, basically outsourced IT) are a great source of leads, and they often have customers in widely different sectors. They seem to get a constant trickle of software development work. Maybe one out of ten of these could turn into something big. MSPs will want 33%-50% of total for finding the lead so be up front about how long you pay them that finders fee (first $X thousand). Eventually that small project could turn into something full time. So pre-covid, you could go to Spiceworks (or similar) meetups, not sure best way to reach out to them now.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#93Maybe you're a person who works to live? If so, embrace it. Those who enjoy their work are often the opposite: they live to work. You could try tech or any number of other jobs (EMT always sounded fun to me.) But your goal should be to find something that you can tolerate, clock out, and lets you live your life. Stop putting "fulfilling work" and "career" on a pedestal and have fun.
Emt is a hard and thankless job with super low pay. It's really a shame
Ya, unfortunately it's a supply and demand issue. Lot's of people use it temporarily for patient-care hours to segue into a type of medical school or career. So pay isn't of concern to most of them.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#94Apply for a job in the local municipality (city) and county governments. Both these entities typically have thousands of jobs, no two the same, requiring a wild variety of skills. I assure you there will be position(s) that they will hire you into.
Pay is usually slightly lower than similar non-government work. On the other hand, most local and county governments have decent pension systems and good benefits, so tap into those as much as possible. And they won't ask you to do anything dangerous: civil governments are very risk-averse about their employees.
Once you have a steady job, look into broadening your education. It could be as simple as learning conversational Spanish or as complex as pursuing a Masters' degree in Computer Science. Again, most governmental jobs encourage their employees to pursue further education, in some cases going so far as to allow class and travel time to count as work hours. If you get another degree then it is then your choice whether you choose to advance within the system or go outside.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#95Have you tried creating a business? People forget this is the most opportunity-filled, complex economy in the history of humanity. The idea of "spend your career at corporations" is only about 100 years old as a result of the industrial rev. Forget it about it for a second. My grandfather launched a company in his youth and it was considered normal, he wasn't considered an "entrepreneur", he was just doing what many…
Don't like 99% of small businesses fail?
Not even close. The 5 year survival rate is around 50% and the 10 year survival rate is around 34%. Even the 25 year rate is close to 17%. I didn't quickly find any data on what causes business exits, but my guess is that the chance of "positive" exits (mergers, acquisitions, closing to transform to a new concept) gets pretty high at some point between year 5 and 10.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#96Do you have insight into details, problems and current solutions in those 20 industries?
I'm looking for validated B2B business ideas, e.g., companies in industry _ share problem _, this can be solved by software solution _, early adopters will be _, personal introduction can be made to _ .
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#9733 years old. I have the degree. I went to grad school too. I have ten years of being a web developer. Last summer I worked at Sonic again; Carhopping! You’re not the only one feeling it. :) stay happy
What led to you working at Sonic?
It’s the place that offered me a job first. Need of money, I had an infant at the time
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#98I can't seem to reply to it but I second poorjohnmacafee's comment about creating a business. I was in a similar place to you 6 years ago, it never really clicked for me in a regular job. I started my own small business in the vein of Max Maher/Rohan Gilkes/Sweaty Startup (moving service/house cleaning etc. ). I knew nothing about the industry I chose and worked on average about 25 hours a week. The competition is we…
Hey there, what kind of business did you start if you don't mind me asking?