HACKER Q&A
📣 dexwiz

How to Switch from Business Software?


I have been a full stack SWE doing business oriented web software for 5 years. I like programming, but I want to move into a field I find more inline with my personal values. I have a STEM degree, but not sure how I can adjust my skill set from building webpages to something more applicable to renewables or related engineering efforts. I want to be able to self study, but need some goals to work towards.


  👤 PaulHoule Accepted Answer ✓
The general advice goes like

"You want to work in Geography A, in industry B, with job title C. If getting all of those at once seems hard, you might switch to one of them at a time. Maybe change to industry B, work up to job title C, then move to geography A"

You could already interview for a position doing basically what you do now for a company in a better industry, for instance.

Any kind of big change can be broken up into smaller bits.

I'd advice anyone who feels incomplete web programming to try embedded programming with Arduino (I did this myself) I started out blinking a few lights and making a logic tester for 74 and 54 series ICs, then I got a idea for a flashy side project which is in progress now. (An LED strip for the side of my car that can display letters, symbols, or picture of a Mclaren F1, ...)

I am not looking for a new job, but I have even more ambitious ideas of artistic and performance projects that are the personal version of a moon shot which I will need allies to pull off and the project above will be part of a portfolio which could get me the support that I need.


👤 MattGaiser
Why do you believe that web tech cannot contribute to those fields? Seems like you could contribute by joining companies working in those spaces with your current skillset.