Since then I've worked in all sorts of roles and companies in different countries. From freelancing to consulting to startups to established product companies. From fullstack GUI to backend to frontend to tech lead and product development.
It all started out as a passion for solving problems, improving other people's lives by helping them use computers to solve their problems. And I got to the point where I was really, really good at it. So good that I needed more leverage to do my thing.
So I've been pushing that angle for quite a while now. Being very clear about wishing to work more with people and processes than writing code all day. And I feel like I have a lot to give, a lot of hard won experience and empathy, a lot of observations and reflection on the general dysfunction in the industry.
But the hiring process has frankly gotten so dysfunctional and disrespectful lately that I'm considering throwing in the towel and switching tracks completely. It wasn't always like this, I remember a time when you could sit down and have a nice, relaxed conversation and then you were hired.
It's like the clueless suckers who ruin everything in this world in the name higher profits have infiltrated the entire software industry, and I would frankly rather starve than help them reach their goals.
I stayed at my first startup for 13 years. Loved every minute of it, because we were creating something meaningful together; and actually having fun, not just talking about it.
Since then it's been a pretty depressing downhill ride, last year was a total disaster and I'm afraid its getting worse.
I'm pretty sure there are still companies out there worth working for; where experience and skill is appreciated, where humans are seen and have fun.
But I'm sick and tired of searching, of having to deal with clueless suckers; of being treated like a tool, means to an end.