Ask HN: Not finding joy in development anymore. Where to next? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Not finding joy in development anymore. Where to next?

5 pointsaspyct4 comments

Hey HN,

Over the past couple of years, I've slowly lost interest in programming. That's fine, per se, but is also a problem because I can't identify another professional-level skill I may have. I started programming early in life, and devoted a lot of time to that. 20-ish years later, I need a change.

Problem is: where do I go from here?

Obviously, over the course of my career, I developed a lot of soft skills, but so far I can't identify one strong skill that could 1. land me a job and 2. let me be efficient in that job.

Who around here has been in this position, and where did it lead you? Is there any "easy win" job transition that could work well, be close enough that I can use existing skills, yet different enough that the day-to-day problems are not the same?

Management or business/data analyst. Half the time these people are just glorified middlemen that get paid decent wages and just look at excel or support some obscure piece of software without dealing with programming stuff. I am in a fairly large company actually it has never been more prevalent to me that many of these people's jobs could be done by literally anyone. If you know programming and don't mind engaging with people, these are the sweet spot for you.

Why not try a different area of the industry? When I was frustrated with web programming, Steve McConnell suggested I get into embedded development.

I still do web programming for my day job but do embedded programming for fun.

With a good understanding of development processes and good soft skills, moving into management might be an option.

Have you developed a solid understanding of any application domain? Product management or sales might be another option.

Most commonly professional level skills imply relevant credentials and experience. So you might have to settle for a lower salary until you rebuild your career. Perhaps you can't identify any other strong skills because you have become a highly specialised programmer.

You could pivot into networking (routers and switches) or security (CISSP). They require an up front investment of time for learning and credentials (certifications) but it’s something different that is less chaotic.

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