Farming? Modern farming is more like project management, hiring management company, hiring operation company, corps planning, taking to banks, managing finance, managing subcontractors, sales, etc.
Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
41–50 of 127 posts
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#42Beekeeper
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#43Consider finding your “Why” first. Then decide what to do.
The method is really sound and you can do it within 2-3 hrs together with another person.
There is a book outlining the method. It’s called “Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team“.
I did it with 2 friends. It was pretty eye opening for them.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#44Dedicate yourself to learning finance and FIRE appropriately. Take up Options Trading.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#45I love being a UNIX sysadmin and there is nothing else I've ever wanted to do.
However, if I were in your position and didn't want to do this work I think I would either get formally certified as an electrician and do electrical work or I would get certified as a paramedic (not merely EMT/EMR) and work as a firefighter.
I think electrician is an easier route - especially if you are not very physically robust - but the firefighter route typically has a very good pension 20 years later.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#46Personally, I found the problem isn't engineering. I do that for free in my spare time. It's dealing with corporate bullshit that grinds me down. As such, helping worthy causes with their technology problems can be hugely rewarding.
What helped for me was switching from a 5000 employee company to a 50 employee one. I really loved my previous job, but just witnessing the politics made me want to quit, and I'm glad I did.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#47I love being a UNIX sysadmin and there is nothing else I've ever wanted to do. However , if I were in your position and didn't want to do this work I think I would either get formally certified as an electrician and do electrical work or I would get certified as a paramedic (not merely EMT/EMR) and work as a firefighter. I think electrician is an easier route - especially if you are not very physically robust - but t…
Apprentice electricians need to be in good shape. You'll be out on job sites, in buildings under construction, climbing ladders, pulling wire (long runs of wire are heavy, etc. possibly in cold or windy or rainy weather, etc.
This is true of most trades, except maybe machinist. That is what I'd look into, personally. If you're a programmer, you can still continue that by learning CNC programming.
I honestly don't know how easy it is to get into trade work in your 40s with no experience though. I think most people in those jobs start straight out of high school.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
The OP will easily get a tenured job in any tech related branch after a PhD, while just going directly for teaching (as others advised) would result in long term socioeconomic downgrade.
I have a feeling that you haven't worked in academia. There are no tenured jobs that are easy to get, for the simple reason that firing tenured faculty is intentionally difficult. Tenure-track positions at any reputable university, and even disreputable ones, are highly competitive are require a history of research, in addition to the PhD. Mostly fresh PhDs need to do at least one post-docs in order to be considered…
Nor with the fact that OP is approaching retirement age... if you figure 10 years from beginning a PhD program to tenure (which certainly isn't a hard limit, but probably isn't an unreasonable basis to start from) then they might have only 10-15 working years left after 'getting there'. While hiring and tenure considerations would word it _very_ carefully to avoid the appearance of age discrimination, I suspect that would factor into any such decisions.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#49Follow your hobby or curiosity, not other people's advice. You'll probably make less money, but is that the most important thing for you now?
I started helping my wife baking as well as setting up business selling baked goods online and at the farmers market while zooming with my tech friends on the other side of the planet at night and helping them at the margin with their new startup.
The baking business has been growing that demand is far surpassing our capacity. Right now having hard time hiring people to help in the kitchen. My knee is hurting because of standing and walking in the kitchen for at least 12 hrs non stop at least 5 days a week for the last few months. It's been highly therapeutic and very satisfying though.
Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?
#50Don't run away from tech.
Run towards something you like. What that is, depends on you.