Ask HN: Do you find your job fulfilling? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Do you find your job fulfilling?

6 pointsfulfillmentQ8 comments

I have worked in the same general field, for the same general customer set, for my entire career. I’m comfortable, paid well, and work relatively stress free.

The issue is that over my career I have built many different tools to accomplish various “required” tasks. Yet, if I’m being honest, only 2 of them have ever actually been put to minor use. The rest were shelved for reasons out of my control (but not for a lack of capability, completeness, etc..)

I’m 10 - 15 years out from retirement and I’m annoyed that I can’t point to anything tangible that has had any impact on anyone.

I am trying to figure out if I’m lying to myself, by thinking I’ll find the proverbial greener grass somewhere else.

With that, do you find your job fulfilling?

View on HN

Yes, but mainly because I get to help my coworkers. The actual work doesn't really matter, but being someone who can assist when your coworkers running into issues is great

Yes! Same here. Not just coworkers but people in general, e.g: other departments of the company to be unblocked or more efficient. And not only that but the industry at large :-)

Anyho. I guess we're all co-workers.

I do find my job fulfilling.

Similarly to you I've also worked at the same place for many years now, been doing very similar things for the same customers, etc. Similar to you I've been tempted by greener pastures some place else.

However unlike you I definitely have had an impact, I know this because people have told me so, not just managers but actual users and support personnel for my product.

Like the 2 other comments above from 41209 and aprdm this is what makes my job more satisfying.

I also try to "market" my developments. By trying to document them, by sitting down with managers, with users, with new hires, and explaining them, by opening them as APIs and allowing other people to script them.

That said it's very frustrating at times since many people are stuck in their ways and some are still using the old and slow tools that were developed before I came, and I still have to support those.

No, nowadays unless you are working in a new proj or a startup then you are pretty much maintaining legacy code or developing new code on piles of legacy code.

People who get into the business early is lucky as they get to build new things regardless of their skill levels.

"Do you find your job fulfilling?"

No, but it pays the bills.

No, not at all. It does pay the bills though.

Not at all. I dislike it but as others mentioned here, it pays the bills

Yes. I find even more fulfillment in doing side projects.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com