I don't blame the guy, most software dev (most web dev, anyway) is just white collar plumbing. Fixing broken shit pipes gets old
I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
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Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#52I really think people who leave software engineering altogether mostly failed to find a company that respects engineers/pays well. If you are good at the algorithms interviews, you can make ~400k with 5 to 8 years of experience. Do that for a decade, and with some saving and basic investing, you are basically done working. On the other hand, fail to pass the algorithms interview, you are essentially stuck at 140-170k…
I see a lot of flak for this comment but I will say first hand it is true that you can study to pass FAANG interviews and double your salary (in the US). I spent 7 months studying during covid and finally made the leap. Obviously not everyone has the time to commit to studying (I almost burned out doing just 10 hours a week on top of my 9-5) but it is in the realm of possibility.
And the big tech cos have been constantly hiring and are mostly accepting full remote. Even during covid I readily had interviews lined up with FB/Google/Amazon.
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
> It all comes down to a test. And willingness to relocate, possibly across the world. And feasibility of getting an US visa. Or facing much, much stiffer odds if you want to be paid that well as a remote worker, since the number of remote spots with that kind of pay is incredibly small compared to the amount of people fighting over them.
> > It all comes down to a test. > And feasibility of getting an US visa. Or Switzerland, which is relatively easy for most Europeans, and easier than US for virtually everyone, I think.
Swiss total compensation at companies which pay 400-500k in the US is much lower than that. Unless you are super fortunate to join at the start of a boom cycle when shares are about to double in value or something.
You basically need to be in the US, and in the US in the Silicon Valley, Seattle or NYC, I think, to somewhat reasonably hit 400-500k with just an algorithms interview :-)
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#54“ For instance, I could be fulfilling any of these roles: …kitchen helper…” Has developing software really gotten worse in the last 10 years, have expectations gotten higher, or what? I’ve been around 20 years and (anecdotally) for me it’s better than it ever has been. I’m a mobile developer and not a web dev though, how much does language matter in job satisfaction?
What country/city? In Montreal I would say expectation got way higher. Positions with 85K CAD ask for 4 coding rounds and then just ghost you. On other hand one can land a 'municipal park manager' job with 125K CAD pay (of course if have access to such jobs). Also now it seems never ending scrums/ micromanagement are everywhere, exacerbated by covid-19 work from home.
Q: What's the difference between a Web developer and a large pizza?
A: A large pizza can feed a family of four.
First heard that joke around 2001.
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#55I really think people who leave software engineering altogether mostly failed to find a company that respects engineers/pays well. If you are good at the algorithms interviews, you can make ~400k with 5 to 8 years of experience. Do that for a decade, and with some saving and basic investing, you are basically done working. On the other hand, fail to pass the algorithms interview, you are essentially stuck at 140-170k…
That kind of thinking is what drives experienced people out of software. So 400k salaries (not equity) was available in the bay area before everything went full time remote, which is great if you are forever childless and 20 years old sharing an apartment with 6 other people. Then reality sets in. I have seen people do it though, contractors living in Afghanistan for a decade earing more than $300k with no living expenses.
> It all comes down to a test.
Well, that's more informed than a lottery ticket, but it still sounds like a gamble compared to nearly every other professional industry.
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#56I don't blame the guy, most software dev (most web dev, anyway) is just white collar plumbing. Fixing broken shit pipes gets old
Much like plumbers where clients don't understand the issue and yell at you for "excessive billing" or asking for discounts.
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#57[deleted]
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#58I really think people who leave software engineering altogether mostly failed to find a company that respects engineers/pays well. If you are good at the algorithms interviews, you can make ~400k with 5 to 8 years of experience. Do that for a decade, and with some saving and basic investing, you are basically done working. On the other hand, fail to pass the algorithms interview, you are essentially stuck at 140-170k…
There are a lot of ways that this comes off sounding like bullshit advice a la "make $300k a week with this one simple trick after taking my course" style advertisements. There are a million things that could go wrong over a ten year period with your perfect plan. I think there's a heavy survivorship bias among those who've managed to execute this kind of exit from work life.
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Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#59I see agile as the problem here. Before agile, I would essentially 'own' pieces of the code, so I was committed to making it maintainable. Now, it's all just pieces and parts, and I'm not responsible for nearly as much, which make me fungible, and in general is dispiriting. As a side note, I question the author's appeal to Marx as an authority.
> As a side note, I question the author's appeal to Marx as an authority.
Natural reference to make if you're writing about alienation from the product of one's labor.
Re: I am getting out of software development after 10 years of coding
#60I'm surprised I didn't see any direct mention of "agile", "scrum", and related bullshit (10 meetings a week, anyone?)