Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#421

Post by jtode » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 5:43 PM UTC

I have a friend I just met recently who was a programmer (mostly CAD software, he says) back in the 80s-90s, but 19 years ago he married into a fishing family and has been a commercial fisherman ever since. You can do whatever you want, especially if you have a nestegg to bounce off of.

I have done many things, but I went from IT into being a Technical Director for animation. In my case my income went up, cause reasons, but I think for many folks in pure tech it would be a significant cut. But my coworkers are awesome, my work is fun, I'm pure remote from the shore of Lake Winnipeg. Life is great.

I can't generalize my experience onto the entire labour market, but from what I can see, the whole "gaps in your record" matters a lot less now than it did. My record is abysmal from that perspective, again because reasons, but in animation at least that really doesn't matter. I'm one of many autodidacts here.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#422

Post by kerryoco » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 5:48 PM UTC

bufordtwain wrote: post #193

mabbo wrote: post #47

The greatest such story I've ever read is this one from a GitHub issue comment: https://github.com/docker/cli/issues/267#issuecomment-695149... > Sorry I missed your comment of many months ago. I no longer build software; I now make furniture out of wood. The hours are long, the pay sucks, and there's always the opportunity to remove my finger with a table saw, but nobody asks me if I can add an RSS feed to a DBMS, s…

My son is taking classes in IT and one of his current lecturers switched from carpentry to IT after cutting off several fingers.

dang. Do they avoid high typing requirements, or have a workaround of some kind? I often wonder what my backup plan would be to any kind of hand injury, let alone missing fingers. I used to do a lot of carpentry but my fingers are intact.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#423

Post by nuclearnice3 » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 5:53 PM UTC

kashunstva wrote: post #416

jollofricepeas wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t understand Americans POV on this subject. Other than providing tutors and making sure their children are in the best secondary schools, I don’t understand the American obsession with paying for college. The best way to prepare your child is to let them experience reality not coddle them. - A luxury university diploma will not guarantee a good job - There are other educational opportunities besides an expensiv…

> I don’t understand Americans POV on this subject. Long-term, the American style meritocratic striving is probably unsustainable and harmful in innumerable ways. But it is _rational_ at least in terms of the choices parents make. Numerous metrics point to increasing economic disparities; the rungs on the ladder keep getting farther and farther apart. How can I as a parent best position my child to negotiate that cli…

> An expensive education doesn’t guarantee a good job? True.

Exactly right. The OP set up a ridiculous straw man. Avoiding smoking doesn't guarantee you won't get lung cancer.

The returns to education are well documented and large.

https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2021/data-on-display/educa...

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#424

Post by staticman2 » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 6:12 PM UTC

Manuel_D wrote: post #415

jackhack wrote: post #314

Earlier quoted context omitted.

starting one's life with the (emotional/financial) weight of "just" $80,000 to $100,000 in debt is not a good strategy, in my opinion.

The interest on those loans are pretty low. To the extent that people recommend you max out your 401k before paying off your loans. College graduates have lifetime earnings of 500,000 or more over non-degree holders. If 80-100,000 is prohibitively expensive then something is going on where universities are failing to deliver valuable and education, and the solution is those students stop seeing university as a good i…

"The interest on those loans are pretty low. To the extent that people recommend you max out your 401k before paying off your loans. "

You say this like this is normal advice.

People make all sorts of wild recommendations during a bull market, it wasn't that long ago that people were trading stories of buying Bitcoin with the money their grandparents gave thrm for college.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#425

Post by aprdm » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 7:35 PM UTC

I have a friend who gave up a very good salary to be a baker. He baked a lot during COVID and loved it. He seems very happy -- and is living with the money he gets.. he wasn't/isn't rich, was in the start of his tech career (5y in I think)

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#426

Post by monroewalker » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 7:43 PM UTC

mauvehaus wrote: post #171

mabbo wrote: post #47

The greatest such story I've ever read is this one from a GitHub issue comment: https://github.com/docker/cli/issues/267#issuecomment-695149... > Sorry I missed your comment of many months ago. I no longer build software; I now make furniture out of wood. The hours are long, the pay sucks, and there's always the opportunity to remove my finger with a table saw, but nobody asks me if I can add an RSS feed to a DBMS, s…

That's me! It also generated a rather large discussion here and if you want to read how things were going up to that point, I posted a lengthy comment there: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24541964 How am I doing now? Still good, still grateful to be married to somebody who gets good health insurance through their job. Still need to update my website a bit (is that work ever really done?). Still working on the…

Oh I think will reach out about purchasing some furniture actually! I've had an idea in mind I'm hoping you'll be able to help with. It's a combo dresser / RSS client that could hold not only all my clothes but also any recent updates to my subscriptions

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#427

Post by ravagat » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 8:08 PM UTC

detourdog wrote: post #215

bityard wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow! I've been dabbling in real estate investment as a potential escape hatch from tech and I'd love to hear more about this!

What can I say. I bought an old school house around 2 miles from my house spent a fortune turning into a mixed use building. Each classroom is a studio apartment. I had a fiber line installed. I guess the only thing I can say is that 8 units was a magic number for me. The idea is that if one should pay about 25% as rent. 8 units represent 200% of the average income of my town. The downside is that all the serious bui…

I drove by your building a few years ago and thought it looked great amidst the scenery. I like that you were able to convert it, thanks for sharing

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#428

Post by detourdog » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 10:13 PM UTC

ravagat wrote: post #427

detourdog wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What can I say. I bought an old school house around 2 miles from my house spent a fortune turning into a mixed use building. Each classroom is a studio apartment. I had a fiber line installed. I guess the only thing I can say is that 8 units was a magic number for me. The idea is that if one should pay about 25% as rent. 8 units represent 200% of the average income of my town. The downside is that all the serious bui…

I drove by your building a few years ago and thought it looked great amidst the scenery. I like that you were able to convert it, thanks for sharing

Must have been lost. Next you are in the neighborhood stop by. I'm on the corner of 2 roads that lead no-where and has no stop signs.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#429

Post by detourdog » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 10:36 PM UTC

detourdog wrote: post #411

emmelaich wrote: post #396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That looks like an excellent place for a small company offsite weekend. Or week.

Yes, I’m trying to figure out how best to use it.

I guess I'm trying to start a hacker design community. My interest is trying to fabricate sophisticated laminates using a CNC and vacuum infusion. Ideally the other 7 units would be occupied by other HN readers that want to be able to walk to the Appalachian trail or a couple of art museums. massmoca.org clarkart.edu

The building has a fiber line and 5 static IPs. Almost net zero and proof that air-sourced heat pumps work in New England even if the rooms have 44% glazing on 1 wall.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#430

Post by boosting6889 » Sat, Mar 04, 2023, 11:59 PM UTC

adamsbriscoe wrote: post #29

boosting6889 wrote: post #7

I would actually like to be a doctor but it’s not really feasible starting down that route in my 30s

It is feasible actually. Graduated med school with two people in their late 30s, early 40s. You didn't ask for it but be forewarned: it'll take 10 years before you have a realistic taste of what the job actually is like. I don't usually speak in absolutes, but I will confidently claim that no amount of shadowing, training, volunteering in clinics/hospitals, or family will provide you with a shortcut to that experienc…

That’s what scares me. Putting in all that time and taking out all those loans to find out you actually hate it.