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Canada didn't spend that money, yet healthcare is arguably worse than in US.
Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
31–40 of 76 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#32You might consider hiring yourself out as a contractor. This is especially interesting if you're specialized in some vertical where you can bring consultancy skills to the table. Be the guy who's brought in when there's a problem, replace some proverbial screw, and then charge a week's salary for it. Because nobody else knew exactly which screw to replace. Also, this path allows you to delegate work to other contract…
The thing I can't figure out is how to get a good pipeline of screws that need replacing. All of my previous roles have been full-time salaried staff, and my network is all people like that. Getting a new job of that type is the infamous hurdle of interview panels, which would mean getting the contract takes more time than executing it, if the model I knew applied. So what model does apply? How do you find enough wor…
Multi-decade permanent contractor here (software developer). Some of it is luck. Some of it depends on the nature of your industry. Also, OP seems to enjoy learning new tech stacks, which makes them attractive to more owners of screws that need replacing, thus increasing their marketability.
It doesn't hurt to occasionally beat the bushes and ask your friends if they need screws replaced, or if they know anybody who does.
Short answer: if you replace screws efficiently and communicate well, you will become the go-to person for replacing screws.
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#33You might consider hiring yourself out as a contractor. This is especially interesting if you're specialized in some vertical where you can bring consultancy skills to the table. Be the guy who's brought in when there's a problem, replace some proverbial screw, and then charge a week's salary for it. Because nobody else knew exactly which screw to replace. Also, this path allows you to delegate work to other contract…
The thing I can't figure out is how to get a good pipeline of screws that need replacing. All of my previous roles have been full-time salaried staff, and my network is all people like that. Getting a new job of that type is the infamous hurdle of interview panels, which would mean getting the contract takes more time than executing it, if the model I knew applied. So what model does apply? How do you find enough wor…
I can't speak for SWE, but in other industries a consultant is brought in with little formal process, as a one-time expense usually approved by somebody they knew already.
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#34Has one been offered to you or that's a theoretical question?
Why? I have friends who do want to go to management and ones who do not. None of us has ever have such offer.
Also, judging from HN/reddit people more often than not regret not advancing to management.
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#35I tried being a director. It wasn't great for me for the time. I'm back to coding, which I do for fun anyway.
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#36I was messing around on LinkedIn and I noticed that someone I hired into a senior position two jobs ago is still a senior engineer 14 years later.
I've had the discussion with various people reporting to me over time that they were perfectly happy right where they were and had no desire to progress.
Go with what makes you happy and try to find a place that lets you be.
Hell, sometimes I wish that I'd never been promoted.
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#37If you are ok with money and you do at your job things you want to do - stay that way.
Overengineering roles currently kills people that go higher on the ladder. Sometimes there is space to go back, sometimes they are burned out too much.
If you have safe procedure to change teams and environment in case of stagnation in current project - use it and be happy.
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#38I personally experimented the dread of high responsibilities, and decided "never again".
Since then, I have technical only positions.
There is much to do technically, and I'm better paid than my chief.
I enjoy each day of work, swimming in my lack of responsibilities
Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#39Re: Ask HN: Is it wrong not wanting career progression beyond senior?
#40It's perfectly fine.
I've mentored and hired a lot of people that just want to sling code and get their 3% inflation raise every year. Good on them, love those folks.