Can we share something a little more positive?
I love working on the problems that I do... we do ML/ NLP work with some standard issue (fun) web development using good tech... but we get to focus on things that will actually move the company forward, and the barrier to implement good ideas is low.
I DEFINITELY like being far away from all the shitty jobs I used to do, both financially and the work. Aside from a fluke emergency, I will never professionally do landscaping, dishwashing, bathroom cleaning... etc again (I know most devs come from comp sci... I did not)
I like that I get to work from home when it makes sense too. I live at the beach and its great to have the time to go for a surf before you kick off your day.
theres more... but I need to get back to work!
I love the trust that everyone puts in me. I feel like I'm my own director, of a team of 1, and that I can work on whatever I want, but people trust me to be working on important stuff.
There are so few barriers between having an idea and actually shipping it. And everything I ship improves the experience for our customers and our internal team by so much!
As a programmer it's also been a ton of fun working with hardware and in the biology domain... not sure if I can ever go back to pure programming!
Also everyone is so nice and kind and smart and curious. Honestly sometimes I look around and wonder if everyone is just messing with me.
Since joining I've felt excited about going to work, in contrast to the past when I was just excited about what was going to be for lunch at work.
Next is working in a small company where you can make architectural decisions as a regular developer due to hat swapping and not too much legacy code compared to a bigger company.
Finally working in a non office building, nice colleagues, flexible hours etc.
Sorry, but there are no positives to being employed. Just an absence of negatives.
Needing a broad set of skills keeps me energized, whereas I would personally feel stuck being a specialist.