HACKER Q&A
📣 throwaway25626

How to transition away from software engineering


I have had a lot of trouble focusing on work, and I think it has something to do with severe burnout from software engineering. Nothing feels new or fun anymore, I dread working for a company and writing the same four programs every day, and as a result my performance at work is suffering. I would like to transition to something else (ideally research), but doing so would be a substantial pay decrease, at least initially.

I have a mortgage I need to pay and cannot really afford a pay decrease, and I don’t know how to transition careers as a result. This has led to a feeling of being “trapped” in my current role, with no way to escape.

Has anyone here successfully transitioned careers without it destroying their life? Are there any tricks to ease the monetary pain?

  👤 mrspeaker Accepted Answer ✓
I felt the same way last year, and had just moved countries. I decided I wouldn't apply for any jobs that were "normal": the normal work I would do. No IT consultants/agencies, no web-dev companies, no finance, no advertising, no SAAS, and nothing where I'd have to write the same four programs over and over. It took a while, but I ended up getting a job in a completely new domain: but one that still required my core skills.

So I get to learn a lot of new things, while still being a productive team member.

I'm starting to feel that software development should be a means to an ends - not the ends itself, so focusing on the (non-software) domain is the play.

I had the luxury of being able to take my time, but I found a handful of interesting opportunities that matched my requirements. It's much rarer than regular-old IT jobs, but they ARE out there!

Good luck!

👤 elviejo
Uff I've battled with the same demon. What has worked for me is working on two dimensions: Internally and externally.

Internally: Therapy with a professional and practicing the Wim Hof method... Has really helped.

Then externally: get out of debt: Watch Marie Condo or the minimalists... Get ride of over 80% of your stuff. Then your house is going to look enormous... Go live in a small apartment...

Also get ride of car debt and credit card debt.

Then you are going to be free materially and mentally.

👤 stevenalowe
If you want to do research, do research. A really interesting idea can be extremely rejuvenating, and might lead to more/different opportunities.