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Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

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Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#161

Post by giantg2 »

mech422 wrote: post #148
giantg2 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now this seems like a fair assessment I can agree with. I do want to add that in my 30s I'm seeing my mental abilities diminish pretty rapidly, so I don't know how long I can keep doing this. I've also seen people switch to other careers as they get old because they can't handle it anymore. So it seems to go both ways.

FWIW - I'm 55 and still going strong after 40 years in tech... You sure you're not just burned out ? I go thru phases every 5-10 years where I don't even want to look at a computer :-P

I'm definitely burnt out. There's no road to recovery though.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#162

Post by 908B64B197 »

giantg2 wrote: post #159
908B64B197 wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I would expect the if there were demand for the higher quality devs then we would see them skewing the distribution locally (like on Glassdoor). Glassdoor or salary surveys aren't the most reliable source of information for outliers. There's a proportion of devs that are flying completely under the radar and who are completely invisible to most local companies, even if they are in the same "local market" [0]. Becau…

Like I said, they're too small of group to really effect the numbers. They would still be included in the BLS data though.

Something else to factor in is stock compensation. That probably won't be reflected in the BLS data.

What I've also been told is that due to the legal complexity of hiring international folks remotely, a lot of the people working remotely for US companies are legally contractor in their home country (so they would be reported in the local stats as self-employed and not necessary in the same category as other software devs).

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#163

Post by 908B64B197 »

cityofdelusion wrote: post #137
giantg2 wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be interesting to see what that looks like adjusted for location/COL. It's possible the comp due to cost of living with a high concentration of devs in one area might be enough to influence this. Until we understand that and compare it to the distribution for physicians, it would be hard to draw any conclusions from it.

Bay Area bias is almost certainly skewing this entire conversation thread. In my average non-coastal metro area, all the nice homes in the nice areas are owned by classes of people like lawyers and doctors, not software developers. Most developers I meet here drive average cars and live in average housing.

> Bay Area bias is almost certainly skewing this entire conversation thread

Definitely.

> In my average non-coastal metro area, all the nice homes in the nice areas are owned by classes of people like lawyers and doctors, not software developers.

Is the area benefiting from brain gain or suffering from brain drain?

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#164

Post by dennis_jeeves1 »

JCM9 wrote: post #17

Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career, start at an entry level position, work your way very high up the ladder and get paid very well along the way. I know folks without a college degree that started as tech support reps who worked their way up to senior roles in big tech that make multiples more than most physicians I know or others that had to go down a rigid path to get to…

This is a bot or something, trying to garner attention. Few people will believe you, sir.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#165

Post by sjducb »

JCM9 wrote: post #17

Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career, start at an entry level position, work your way very high up the ladder and get paid very well along the way. I know folks without a college degree that started as tech support reps who worked their way up to senior roles in big tech that make multiples more than most physicians I know or others that had to go down a rigid path to get to…

I'm amazed by the negativity in the replies to this post.

I transitioned into programming as an older worker and it was really easy. It's much easier to be a successful programmer than a successful scientist.

Also I don't think that ageism in tech is a thing. The reason that there are very few older workers is because the number of jobs is increasing exponentially (doubling every 5 years since the 60s). All of those new jobs have to be filled with inexperienced people who are mostly young.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#166

Post by chii »

giantg2 wrote: post #128
Kranar wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So no, these are not comparably paying jobs. And one does not "easily" earn more than a physician simply by enjoying learning. To become a physician requires on the order of half a million dollars in tuition not to mention the lost opportunity cost of around 8-10 years. It's tough to say but being a dev likely pays off all things considered.

There are alternatives, such as the military programs that will pay those bills for about an 8 year commitment. But yes, I agree that being a programmer is better from an opportunity cost perspective. What I'm disagreeing with is the claim that devs make the same as docs. When looking at the medians, it's closer to half. If they had compared to to nurses or PAs, then it would be more appropriate.

These alternatives require that you take a risk else where, such as the military one where you're going to have to be enlisted.

There's no free lunch.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#167

Post by chii »

iaseiadit wrote: post #95
sage76 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career Everyone I know who is older and already in the industry, is having a bad time trying to change jobs.

I work for a FAANG, and I don’t know of a single IC here that was hired in their 40s or older. Almost everyone we’ve hired is in their 20s, with a handful in their early 30s. As a 40+ IC, I’m praying I don’t get laid off because it looks rough for older workers.

> I don’t know of a single IC here that was hired in their 40s or older

Quite likely these older, experienced devs are either moving into management, or own their own consulting/contracting business, rather than be hired as an IC.

The problem with the current way large FAANG hierarchical pay structure is that ic have a ceiling in compensation.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#168

Post by GreedClarifies »

mrguyorama wrote: post #122
iaseiadit wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work for a FAANG, and I don’t know of a single IC here that was hired in their 40s or older. Almost everyone we’ve hired is in their 20s, with a handful in their early 30s. As a 40+ IC, I’m praying I don’t get laid off because it looks rough for older workers.

Isn't that more to do with the fact that FAANG often hires straight out of college so they can pay you $80k a year for a degree from a top university and you won't realize you are getting shafted because you are a dumb kid?

FAANG is the best job a person can get out of college. The pay and benefits far outstrip what one can get from startups.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#169

Post by linkjuice4all »

JCM9 wrote: post #17

Tech is a rare industry where you can easily pivot into it later in your career, start at an entry level position, work your way very high up the ladder and get paid very well along the way. I know folks without a college degree that started as tech support reps who worked their way up to senior roles in big tech that make multiples more than most physicians I know or others that had to go down a rigid path to get to…

Hey I resemble that remark!

But seriously - I learned HTML on AOL when I was 13 and dropped out of community college (where they were teaching Java and assembly).

I’m glad I had the very basic post-high school experience but much of what I know I was self taught as the technology came out.

I’m no electrical engineer and while I have a basic understanding of how transformers work I’m not about to revolutionize AI.

That being said I’ve been successful enough without incurring the debt of a bachelors degree while still making a lower (for HN) 6 figure salary.

Cost of entry is lower for tech (compared to some of the other fields mentioned here) and I’ve been able to pivot/expand into different areas within tech by continuing to teach myself with real world experiences.

It’s hard to let some rando on the street revolutionize healthcare/finance/whatever “established” system because they don’t get rebuilt every ~5 years.

Re: Tech jobs remain a good bet despite mass layoffs in Silicon Valley

#170

Post by tarboreus »

pipes wrote: post #127
giantg2 wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What sob story? Are those immediately adjacent roles physicians - no, they're making almost double nased on median hourly wage. There are many near that level that do not require extensive training, including ones that have sizable representation (look at all those manager positions, and FYI magistrates are near there and require no law degree, etc). Had that person used nurses, PAs, etc, then they would have been co…

Good grief, what are you angry at? Do you not like working in tech?

Person doesn't seem that angry?
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