Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 71 posts

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#51

Post by rswerve »

icedchai wrote: post #49
rswerve wrote: post #27

Civic tech. Do good work with smart people. Look at 18F, USDS, the Digital Services Coalition consultancies….Some projects are more exciting than others, but these orgs are mission-driven, mostly about improving digital services for Americans.

This sounds good in theory. I’ve tried this with a smaller consultancy. The problem is there’s too much bureaucracy for my tastes, coming from startups. Also I ran into some of the worst code I’ve seen in my life. Maybe I just wound up at the wrong place.

There’s a lot of bureaucracy dealing with the government, no doubt. Also a lot of bad code. Hopefully neither of those were coming from your own team, because yeah, you might have been at the wrong place. I’m at a DSC shop where I’ve worked with ex Apple and Google folks, and some of the USDS people are the best engineers I’ve ever worked with.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#52

Post by icedchai »

rswerve wrote: post #51
icedchai wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds good in theory. I’ve tried this with a smaller consultancy. The problem is there’s too much bureaucracy for my tastes, coming from startups. Also I ran into some of the worst code I’ve seen in my life. Maybe I just wound up at the wrong place.

There’s a lot of bureaucracy dealing with the government, no doubt. Also a lot of bad code. Hopefully neither of those were coming from your own team, because yeah, you might have been at the wrong place. I’m at a DSC shop where I’ve worked with ex Apple and Google folks, and some of the USDS people are the best engineers I’ve ever worked with.

Sadly, the code/quality issues were from my team. Bureaucracy issues also, to a lesser extent.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#54

Post by nicbou »

I use tech to do non-tech things. There's a huge demand for that.

In my case I help people settle in Germany. It's just a website plus a few widgets that support the content. There's just enough tech to scratch an itch, but without the meetings, the sprints and the other corporate annoyances.

I started the website 7 years ago out of frustration with local bureaucracy, and it became my full time job 3 years ago.

I don't think that I was tired of tech. I was just tired of office life in general. I much prefer the chaotic, unstructured nature of self-employment.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#56

Post by frfl »

nicbou wrote: post #54

I use tech to do non-tech things. There's a huge demand for that. In my case I help people settle in Germany. It's just a website plus a few widgets that support the content. There's just enough tech to scratch an itch, but without the meetings, the sprints and the other corporate annoyances. I started the website 7 years ago out of frustration with local bureaucracy, and it became my full time job 3 years ago. I don…

How does your website generate revenue? I'm assuming it more of a online service platform for new immigrants rather than a immigration blog or guide?

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#57

Post by Cloudef »

jokethrowaway wrote: post #6

Real estate is an option. Buy a house, fix it up, rent it (most likely short term to avoid tenants squatting your house and being protected by the police), sell it. Repeat. If you start a business pick a place where economic prospects look good and the government won't ruin you or kill your market. Eg. I wouldn't start anything in any high tax country in Europe or California

Considering the values of OP, I think real estate is not a business he wants to enter in, though I think flipping (of rundown houses) is still on the moral good side.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#58

Post by throwaway_0xff »

twodave wrote: post #21

Based on your other comment I would explore working in a field either with a mission or a small team that isn’t looking to get rich off of an idea. I left a software job for some of the same reasons you stated, but I found I could go back in time by finding a company to join in an earlier stage where customers and reputation still matter more than the dollars or some board of directors.

[dead]

Re: Ask HN: What's the best way to exit tech?

#60

Post by elsnosrap »

I'm 48 and I'm seriously considering nursing school. The tough part will be not working for 16 months or so while in school. Perhaps I can get part time work.

I'm at a director level position and I am just tired of the field and don't want to be an aging tech worker.

Post reply on HN