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Comment by ugh123 | Hacker News Reader

Expand beyond C/C++. I realized about halfway through my career that full time C/C++ work was diminishing and higher-level languages and frameworks were going to open up more jobs (they did). For me, this involved learning more web tech (python, javascript, UI dev) as well as Java. As a C++ dev you might want to also look into Rust as thats becoming more prevalent and popular these days.

Hell, you should just apply to a bunch of Rust jobs, noting your deep experience in C/C++, and see if they bite.

Good luck.

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Are you sure? I have 10 years of C++ dev experience and I feel like a hot girl on tinder… have to constantly fend off recruiters. I have at least a an offer a week… I sometimes go through the interview just to stay sharp (I love my current workplace, been here for almost 8y and I am not planning to change anytime soon) and usually end up with an offer!

Very sure. I have pretty much on every programming language on my resume and LinkedIn (and yes - I have actively worked on projects that shipped to customers using those). Number one recruiter reachouts are webdev (Javascript), followed by generic web backend stuff (Java, sometimes Go, less likely C#). Then there are the Rust crypto blockchain stuff recruiters (yes, it's unfortunately 90% of roles using Rust). And the very least in terms of volume is C/C++/Embedded stuff.

Probably you don’t have enough C++ experience… almost every time I interview someone who claims some experience in C++ (damn… sometimes even people that worked in C++ only for years) I am very tempted to advise them to completely remove C++ from their resume cause their knowledge ridiculous! I am literally bombarded with offers! (My company develop all its backends, web services included, in C++)

Maybe? Maybe not? You are likely as well positioned on judging about that based on looking at an arbitrary name on a message board than the usual recruiters are based on looking at LinkedIn profiles. They are buzzword searching, and a the actual skill check follows in an interview loop. It might just either be about different buzzwords, or a different geographic region.

Ditto. Java is like C++‘s popular cousin who lives nextdoor, talks too much and doesn’t like to take his trash out. It won’t take you long to get familiar with it.

Hey, he gets around to taking the trash out eventually. If he can remember where it is

Java just hires garbage collectors, whereas C++ opts to painstakingly pick up its trash itself.

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