Tell HN: Getting Ready for Unemployment

> Maybe I should learn things and get distracted in these uncertain times.

It sounds to me like you've already got one foot on the ladder out of that hole.

I'm pretty sure I've been in that hole, and I'm pretty sure I remember that ladder.

Chat to your doctor about this, sounds like it may be ‘proper’ depression and they’ll be able to give you advice to tackle it. Maybe you aren’t but talking it through early and catching it early is best :)

A life lesson I learned was to ensure your personal life is as satisfying as your work life so when one tanks you have the other. Make sure your mental model of yourself is >than just ‘software developer’. Learning Japanese sounds healthy :)

On a productive note, if you want work look at Python. There’s tons of remote Python roles and it has some ML elements your maths knowledge will help with.

^ , its exhausting seeing the world for what it really is. You have the fed currently tipping the scales against workers right when workers started having bargaining power after ten years of liquidity being pumped and stored under the rug that was the equity/private markets, no money circulating means no real inflation. Once the fed members sold a year ago in October it was obvious they were going to crash the economy all that money rushed out into hard assets and money began circulating. Sure supply side played a part, makes for a great cover. Now you have record inflation and before workers can demand higher pay to offset the higher cost of living they're going to nip it and restart the cycle where workers have no leverage all over again having to accept a lower standard of living where your money doesn't go as far. Unless you were born wealthy, you're playing a short stacked game that's -ev. As more people realize that playing by the rules and working hard gets you no where, the more crime and scams will become appealing and will thrive. And for all the tech workers who made decent money the past ten years and have the libertarian mindset that you accomplished it all by yourself, well that was mostly the feds liquidity pumping your options and RSUs and even then you probably deserved more money than you got paid. About the easy way out comment, have felt and feel the same way, though the blink reunion tour might buy me more time.

Expand beyond C/C++. I realized about halfway through my career that full time C/C++ work was diminishing and higher-level languages and frameworks were going to open up more jobs (they did). For me, this involved learning more web tech (python, javascript, UI dev) as well as Java. As a C++ dev you might want to also look into Rust as thats becoming more prevalent and popular these days.

Hell, you should just apply to a bunch of Rust jobs, noting your deep experience in C/C++, and see if they bite.

Good luck.

Even if you lose all your property and declare bankruptcy, you can still drive a car, you can still work in food service, you can still drag yourself out of the hole. I hesitate to bring up religion here, but even if you are not religious then philosophies like stoicism can bring you peace. And also look into psychiatric drugs like anti-depressants, they do work for many people. Good luck and don't give up hope