Re:Things they didn’t teach you about Software Engineering
by guina on Saturday January 07, 2023 @07:59PM
(#34294864)
I mostly agree with you but want to provide a little disagreement.
It’s not a dream job everywhere for every person. Not everybody is able or has the ambition to put in the work needed to be a top earning or top skilled developer. And even if you are a lot of the “dream” aspect of the job will depend on what country you live in, even in a remote-first world.
But if you’re in America it’s one of the last professions where the American Dream is still possible.
It’s a trade, so the better and more experienced you get the more money you can demand if you’re ambitious. Software also scales better than any business so your work can have an incredibly high level of impact.
Please name another career that pays you six figures out of college that doesn't involve several years of additional education, doesn't make you wear suits, is mostly non-life-threatening, is constantly in demand, and doesn't require special accreditations or certificates.
If you're spending more than your 40 working and aren't on call, then that is on you 90% of the time, in my experience. I have definitely worked more than 40 some weeks when I'm pushing through something, but there have been plenty of times where I worked less.
If you can't find advancement in your current role, then that's also on you. Not that this matters, as finding a new job in this industry is insanely easy relative to other professions, and they'll usually pay more for your skills.
IMO, you should ALWAYS be thinking about what you need to do to get to the next level, if career advancement is a priority. Everything you do should be in service to demonstrating capability in performing above your station and providing business value/revenue generation. Brag sheets and being vocal help a lot.
I am biased; I absolutely love what I do and wouldn't trade it for anything.