Ask HN: Should I leave my job? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Should I leave my job?

19 pointshacknat18 comments

I don't have a CS degree. I taught myself how to program in my early 20s (I'm now in my late 20s). I started out in front-end web development. I got hired by a company about 2.5 years ago to be on their front-end team. I learned a lot, in the early days it was great, they gave me the flexibility to do some really interesting things (back-end stuff, I even got to create a shared memory project using the Win32 api for our services to share common caches). They keep giving me front-end projects though. Now I'm working on an Android app for them, it's going fine, but I am seriously bored to tears and I'm finding it more and more difficult to stay motivated.

I don't want to be a front-end engineer anymore. I'm building a compiler in my spare time and that's what keeps me loving programming. Obviously I should be working in the back-end or OS level. How do I make this transition? I have some things I can point to in my work experience to make the transition, but not that much. Should I go back to school (I don't really want to)? How can I convince another employer to hire me on to do interesting systems work for them without an Engineering degree (I studied literature). Maybe I just need a perspective change?

I think you already know the answer to your question, but lets see if I can reaffirm it. Start interviewing, there's tons of backend work available. At a new company you'll have the specific role you're looking for, and you most likely won't be asked to take on out-of-role projects as the primary developer.

As far as OS level stuff goes, I can't really answer that question. If you think you're good enough, figure out a way to impress people with your compiler work. If your work on that stuff has some potential, I can't see why a company won't give at least a phone screen.

Just take it easy, send out a few resumes every week, see what kind of interest you get. Good luck.

You're right, I just realized I'm looking for someone to tell me what to do, because I don't want to face the music on my own. This adult shit isn't easy.

You described my own situation almost perfectly: Late 20s, self taught programmer, good amount of professional experience, right down to building a compiler in my spare time. My motivation towards programming has always been mathematical abstraction, rather than engineering. Some time ago, I decided that I need to either a) get payed to work on whatever I want, whenever I want, or b) get a job that isn't mentally taxing, and keep programming on the side.

I've picked b.

I'm about to leave my job to take a 12 month volunteering role in SE Asia, with some small web-development contracts to keep me going. It will give me time to think seriously about the future of some side-projects, and generally, about what I want to come back to.

I'm certainly not saying that this is what you should do, but just that it is an option.

Good luck! I think "a" is ideal, but tough to find, I'm going with "b" for a while longer I think, because I don't even think that being a back-end developer for a place that is doing simple CRUD (99% of businesses) will be any better than what I have now.

Don't leave your job... yet.

It sounds like you would eventually like to leave, but do not leave until you find another one. Given your academic credentials, your job is currently your greatest qualification. Landing another gig without it would be much more difficult.

Fair enough.

Yes, but spend sometime hunting for your next jump. For what you're interested in, you'll need either some pretty significant open source contributions or a degree. Study what opportunities are available, plan and then execute.

Would you recommend doing my own thing or helping out on a high-visibility project? Both?

If you're working on an existing project, you get involved with something more complex right away, and get in touch with other experienced and driven people - and such connection can lead to a good job opportunities as well.

Speaking of your own thing - if there are other people interested in it and actually using it, maybe sticking to it would be a good idea, too.

The jump from frontend to backend isn't insurmountable as you make it be. Many programmers are competent at both. There is shared knowledge and knowing both trades actually makes you a better developer, as you can reason about requirements and architecture in a more holistic way.

I would suggest you only quit your job if you find another one where you can be in a mixed-talent team and take on both roles. This way you get paid and learn.

OMG, do not go back to school. As for "I have some things I can point to in my work experience [...] but not that much.", just put your spare time stuff in the cover letter (or under experience as "Personal project") and the employers you want will recognize a True Enthusiast(tm).

You reckon huge amounts of enthusiasm would be, somehow, tantamount to having a nice portfolio? Or would a portfolio carry much more weight? (take this question given the circumstances of a junior dev -- 1-2 years xp in back-end)

Sorry for the slow response, I just found the Threads index. :) If you have the nice work history, use it. If not, go with your strength. Most good employer devs were themselves doing Great Things when they were just out of the box and when reading resumes we are looking for that younger version of ourselves.

Don't quit until you have an offer. Start giving the interviews which surprise you little bit. Interviews are mostly different from what you will be working on. I am on the same boat. My case is other way around. Trying to do a transition from backend to front end. Best of Luck.

Just from the case you are asking this question means you should probably start looking.

Remember there is no harm in looking to see whats out there.

The most common way to leave your job is to shop around for another job, and when you get an offer you can't refuse, leave your job.

Thanks

There must be a lot of us for this question to receive so many up-votes. I was expecting maybe 2 or 3 at most!

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