HACKER Q&A
📣 paxys

Career Coaching for Software Engineers?


I consider myself a very good engineer, but after over a decade in the industry and building up an impressive resume, I am very lost on what’s next. I am ready to move on from my current role, but am trying to judge the trade offs between a FAANG job, a startup (if so, what stage), doing independent consulting, starting my own company, trying management and more.

Has anyone had success with a professional career coach to help guide them through these decisions? If so, can you provide recommendations (both Bay Area or remote)?

  👤 fdgsdfogijq Accepted Answer ✓
My honest opinion on tech is simple, if you arent good at leetcode your growth as a developer is limited. Move out ASAP:

if (can solve hard leetcode problems) {

  return moveToFAANG;
} else {

// move out of developer roles

  return moveToManagement(bestBrandedCompanyCanGetInto).asynchronous(workOnOwnCompanyInFreeTime);

}
👤 WheelsAtLarge
Your next step is management or a career change. It's a wise move to review your options now. You won't retire an engineer. The days were you could work at one company in the same position are mostly gone. Do yourself a favor and go into management. If you don't like it then move on to a different career.

A job I've noticed getting more popular is a director of IT at medium to large companies whose job is to maintain an IT department using outside IT contractors and temp workers. At most they have an assistant and a few helpdesk positions that are full time at the company. This way companies can run an IT department that costs a fraction of what it used to cost a few years ago. But even that position is being superseded by companies outsourcing all of IT and hiring apps as needed - no director needed.

IT is mostly a cost center for companies so the logical thing to do is to reduce the cost as much as possible and as fast as possible. That's what's happening and will continue to happen. It's not favorable to a long career in IT.

Look into careers that bring in money to the company and you get very good at it. Companies will kiss your butt if they know you can bring in more than what it costs to keep you employed.

👤 bitfield
You might find this helpful, or at least interesting: https://bitfieldconsulting.com/golang/career
👤 jf22
Why not all of those things? ;)

I spent the last 10 years trying all of those different jobs and it helped me dial in what I like to do.