Ask HN: How can a junior dev maximize their income?

Let's say you are a junior dev that wants to maximize their income over the next 10 years, median outcome for someone capable of getting into a FAANG, not lottery tickets. What should you focus on?

ML+Python+Pytorch because it's hot right now? Java because no one wants to maintain legacy Java code but there are lots of it and the demand will be there? COBOL to take that even further? Node.js because it's popular? Swift because Apple will continue to dominate the high end? Practice and pass the tests to get into a FAANG? Go work for a high frequency trading company? Learn SAP?

Asking for a friend (TM). Seems like a particularly interesting time to ponder this question (again), with layoffs in tech all the rage and geopolitics looking a bit less 'steady as she goes' than say, 10 years ago.

As posted here recently:

Don’t be a junior dev.

https://medium.com/zerotomastery/dont-be-a-junior-developer-...

Learn Java or C++, get good at leetcode, and work in finance. You don't need to be a good engineer – these places are messes of legacy code created in fiefdoms run by people who care more about money than the engineering. You'll make a ton of money and feel poor because the quants will make far more than you ever will.

In my opinion this is a truly terrible path to choose, but you will earn more than anyone in tech who doesn't win the startup lottery.

I know this question is situated around the tech, but the real answer is to leave every couple of years. There is always more money to be made, and the more experience you have the easier it is to get it.

I'm not saying this is what somebody should do, but if you're only indexing for income, then it's the only answer IMO.

While I personally didn't go down this path and wouldn't necessarily recommend it... if you are going to, the answer has almost nothing to do with any particular tech stack.

NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK, hop jobs every one to two years and make sure each of those jobs comes with a salary increase greater than what you could get via the promotion ladder at company you are leaving. Be a good enough software developer that you can switch tech stacks at will. Learn the software engineering (design patterns, how to communicate with stakeholders, etc) and language design / compiler / networking fundamentals (so you can easily switch programming languages / stacks).

Beyond that, certain subsections of the tech industry have higher salaries so network with people in those subsections.

Also just to be clear, the point of networking is so when you hop jobs you aren't applying to random jobs, you are being referred by employees at other companies.