Comment by anon9001 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by anon9001 | Hacker News Reader

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It entirely depends what you're trying to do. If you want to make a bunch of money, it's unfortunately more about politics and luck than merit.

If you're trying to maximize income, you should focus on understanding finance/business and building soft skills. You're probably over the threshold of how much you need to know about computers. Maybe get some training on how to work better with others, or how to negotiate effectively. In other words, soft skills are going to be the value you have over your peers that have been cramming CS for the last 4 years.

> I've been coding for half my life, out of pure interest for the building things and never got into it for the money.

The reality of working in tech is probably similar to what you've already experienced: Lots of people working with computers, but most know less about what's going on than you do. I was kind of shocked by this when I started working, but now I realize it's because most people don't need to care about how their tools work to do their job.

> If you're trying to maximize income, you should focus on understanding finance/business and building soft skills. You're probably over the threshold of how much you need to know about computers. Maybe get some training on how to work better with others, or how to negotiate effectively. In other words, soft skills are going to be the value you have over your peers that have been cramming CS for the last 4 years.

This. Outside of FAANG(-alikes) and some finance software work, the real money remains on the business side. Managing others. Presenting & selling ideas. Communicating. Knowing some computer shit is a big bonus but isn't what'll get you the big bucks. It'll usually get you the medium bucks, though, before topping out, which ain't the worst.

You'll also need that to go independent (start a business, start a consultancy, high-end freelancing) which is a third way (pure Tech in a handful of businesses; tech + people skills anywhere else; be your own employer) to make real money doing this stuff.

> It'll usually get you the medium bucks, though, before topping out, which ain't the worst.

Can confirm. I make medium bucks. The way the economics work, it made more sense for me to make medium bucks remotely in a cheap CoL area than it did to try and get big bucks in a major city.

I think what he means by big bucks is ownership.

Salaries top out at... $200,000 for non-specialized professions, $500,000 for the best of the best...

Compare that to the capital gains made by people who are owners of businesses. Or other large capital investments.

He does. The thing is you have to hang out with the right people, and even then it's a low percentage chance that you'll become an owner.

Completely agree with this point (especially the third). If you look at high income individuals, many have had a hand in building a new business or lead businesses. Same goes for consulting - imagine charging 20+ clients over the course of a year and the income that will generate.

You'll have to work your ass off, but if money is what you're after, starting your own business (or businesses), consulting, and high end freelance work are incredible places for this.

A fourth may be pure finance (M&A, PE, hedge funds). People in that business long enough and high enough on the chain make VERY good money.

"it's unfortunately more about politics and luck than merit"

To reiterate, software is not all about writing software. There's usually an immense amount of buy-in you'll need from other people, not limited to other software engineers.

All while simultaneously trying to navigate budgets and legacy systems. Even if you're pretty heads down, you'll still see the outward effects of these things.

All these things are necessary though, as the system within which the software operates becomes increasingly complex over time, it becomes necessary to engage with many different people in a multitude of roles and capacities.

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