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Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

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Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#261

Post by pycal »

LeonM wrote: post #95
a1studmuffin wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I second this. I could diagnose a PC problem, pull it apart, swap hardware out, put it back together again without a second thought. But something goes wrong with my car and I'm all like "car's broken, better call the mechanic". Can anyone recommend a beginner's guide to mechanics? I feel like even some basic knowledge would go a long way.

Buy a cheap car (i.e. a MX5/Miata) and go racing (on a racetrack). Stuff will break and you will have to fix it, since it's not your daily car there is no pressure in having it fixed on time, just take your time and figure out how to fix whats broken. Youtube is a great source for instruction videos. Even if the car does not break, you will still need to wrench on it to upgrade the brakes, engine, transmission, suspe…

This is actually how I became a programmer; cutting my teeth on problem solving physical systems, and learning how to self-teach using Haynes manuals fixing a classic F-body Trans Am.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#262

Post by snicky »

meigwilym wrote: post #122

I live on the edge of a national park. In summer they advertise for Wardens to help with patrolling the park, on a voluntary basis. If I could afford it I'd happily code for 6 months of the year, then be a warden for the rest.

Try this first: http://www.firewatchgame.com/ :)

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#263

Post by jimbokun »

6DM wrote: post #211
magic_beans wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the point of owning tech books when a) much of the content is online and b) there are new developments in languages/frameworks all the time?

Although it's changing, books for me has largely been about someone taking the time to actually plan out, organize and go into detail on the topic. Blogs and release notes are good for staying up to date or for figuring out a work around. They "used" to be not so good at the getting started part. Fundamentals are still better off starting with a book before moving to online imo.

"Although it's changing, books for me has largely been about someone taking the time to actually plan out, organize and go into detail on the topic."

I agree, except I don't think it's changing, because the end artifact of "plan out, organize and go into detail on the topic" I would still call a "book", regardless of how its delivered.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#264

Post by eel »

I would love to get into structural engineering. I just can't justify the cost of school, and the end salaries are not even going to be better than a software developer's.

Or maybe be an auto mechanic. Or a woodworker/metal worker/welder. Or a farmer (seriously).

Part of me wants to embrace the city and "book" knowledge to further my career, and part of me wants to abandon it and go back to a rural life and just make/repair things.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#265

Post by RUG3Y »

clueless123 wrote: post #125

Relief bush pilot on the Amazon jungle... Today, there is so much need for transportation of Doctors/Teachers/Helpers within villages in the Jungle. Unfortunately most of the obstacles to achieving this are purely political/Bureaucratic.

There are several Christian groups that do this. They deliver missionaries into isolated areas but they also bring supplies, doctors, etc. I know some people who are involved and it's pretty cool.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#267

Post by cschep »

up_and_up wrote: post #246
pc86 wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless moving out of SF/NY is a deal breaker, it's not necessary to make $100k+ a year to have a solid middle class life. You won't be driving a BMW making $55k a year but you won't need to eat Ramen to make the mortgage payment either. Obviously kids make this harder and my perspective is certainly biased as my wife and I don't plan on children so our nut is much lower every month than our friends with kids in HS or…

> it's not necessary to make $100k+ a year to have a solid middle class life Depends on your circumstances. 100k with one salary?

"Obviously kids make this harder..."

If you didn't have kids you would feel incredibly rich. You could pay off your house in five years and feel even richer.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#268

Post by dx034 »

clueless123 wrote: post #125

Relief bush pilot on the Amazon jungle... Today, there is so much need for transportation of Doctors/Teachers/Helpers within villages in the Jungle. Unfortunately most of the obstacles to achieving this are purely political/Bureaucratic.

Depends on the country, but I've heard of several areas (in Africa and Asia) where they're looking for pilots to serve remote areas. They have trouble finding them because it's one of the most dangerous jobs you can do (landing on a runway isn't fun when animals start crossing it) and many people quit after realizing that.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#269

Post by OJFord »

RUG3Y wrote: post #252
joss82 wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have fond memories of programming a "guess the number" game in basic as a kid. Let's become a professional software developer!

Come on, giving educational tours to children isn't anywhere near as rigorous as being a software developer. What point are you trying to make?

My reading was that if there's any regret about choosing professional SE, one should be careful not to think something else would be better for a reason similar to that the choosing SE.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#270

Post by mauvehaus »

Interesting timing. I'm quitting my development job at the end of the month and going back to school full-time to become a furniture maker.

I have a lot of reasons for wanting to do this. The most straightforward ones are that I want to create something tangible and enduring with my time.

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