Ask HN: What tech job would let me get away with the least real work possible?

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webcam/drugselling if IT-related, pentesting if the real IT.

State schools is what you want. Strict 9-5, no overtime, no expectations, insane bureaucracy that makes everything slow down to a crawl. You can spend years there without doing anything at all.

"Part-time" is the keyword you are looking for. Besides coding, if you want to get into bullshit jobs, become an agile coach, scrum master, product owner, etc...

If you like tech (sw dev in particular based on the roles) enough to do it but can't motivate yourself to do it for a job, consider making it a hobby and changing careers. Don't ruin your passion by making it a chore.

Jobs that are "low effort" are rare, usually you need one of:

- time: job is time consuming (think monitoring cameras for N hours a day)

- physical: job requires physical work (think sorting boxes in a warehouse or janitorial work)

- skilled: job requires certification/skill (think electrician or engineering)

- social: job requires interacting with humans (think customer support or sales)

Depending on you skillset/preferences select one or two and search for vocations/jobs. Jobs usually have a mix of them (and there are likely some more categories). Jobs always require effort, that's why people are paying for it. If you want to reduce time look for "part time" jobs.

If you are fine with mid-low pay, take a look at jobs in public institutions (Education, Government). They tend to have rather good long term working conditions and are commonly open to people changing careers into public service.

Find a smallish company that exists for 15+ years and isn't acting like they're about to solve the biggest problem in human history or boasting about 12 gigabillion percent of growth in the last year. There are plenty of them but they easily fly under the radar, especially in older industries (real estate, newspapers, banking, &c.). You can try working for a governmental or non profit thing too

Defense industry. You get paid reasonably well to work at the pace of your government customers, who are almost never in a hurry.

Scrum Master or Project Manager. However, I'd assume in the current market these jobs are not easy to find.

I feel exactly the same as you my friend.

I suppose I am on a similar boat wrt job satisfaction and the direction things have gone and are going in this industry. I am also one step ahead of you, from the sound of it, in a job that doesn't require me to devote my life to it and gives me time for personal projects, gym, and just figuring out shit in life. This is not to boast, but to give you a heads-up: I haven't figured out much of anything just yet, and I am not strictly sure my current position is significantly better than what was before it. Perhaps slightly better, with more time to think, and having somewhat detached myself emotionally from the job. Which is to say, if you can take a break altogether with somebody else supporting you financially, I'd do that and really consider things as an "outsider" to your own life. Also talk to people to get more perspective. Otherwise, I think I concur with the other suggestions given here.

<3

Government-related jobs.

Literally any job in big tech

Entire roles have been created for people to do this, in exchange the headcount makes your manager look more important. In tech alone there exists: product managers, scrum masters, middle managers of all kinds.

If you want to stay in tech, look for roles that can be filled by someone who doesn't know how to build or sell the product. Every business has to deal with supply and demand, the further you are from those things, the more likely the job is bullshit, and not doing it will be unnoticeable.

Government jobs. But my experience tells me that getting away with doing nothing is very corrosive to the soul and will be regretted later.

I've been working part-time for two years, works great for me! It's not easy to negotiate—and not with every company—but feasible.

A colleague of mine is developing an internal tool nobody needs in a large IT corporation. Since it's not client facing, there's no rush from project managers. It's dragged on so long that other internal tools have already implemented most of the needed functionality - so there's no good value proposition now. The only argument keeping it alive is sunk cost fallacy. Colleague works minimal required 3 day weeks, spends maybe 2 hours in the office drinking coffee, and tells me how he enjoys life with lots of hikes and outdoor activities.

This accurately describes many tech jobs outside of FAANG or the startup scene. Lay low, close your tickets, and invest aggressively into the S&P 500. You'll be done in about 12 years. Most you'll need to worry about are fudging annual "goals" that have nothing to do with the actual work.

Really this sounds like apathy and disillusionment with the state of the mainstream, a sentiment i understand perfectly. I would encourage you to consider web contracting for local businesses or communities you're a part of. You'll have to take ownership of what you do and care about it, but consider that will be much easier to do when you actually do value what you're a part of and what you're doing. When it's not making gambling apps, slop generators, or DRM for juice presses, you might be surprised at how your outlook on work changes.

I would aim... Away from the glare of the software world.

There are plenty of smallish companies that just bob along. If you pinch your nose for long enough you quickly become indispensable, and your productivity will rarely be very challenged.

But... Be aware. "Bullshit jobs" can be enjoyed only by the right mind. Most people find them miserable anyway, it doesn't really matter if they are easy, or low effort. (This means also that I disagree with recommending to become Project or Product Manager - when those roles are properly useless... They are also soul crushing, with layers of stress on top)

I had one of these. Comfortable income; not big tech but well over USA median. Remote. Put in 5-15 hours a week.

Strongly recommend against it.

What I would recommend instead is have a hard look at what's causing pain in your current situation. Try and get as concrete as possible. Try going one level deeper from 'world is hyper capitalistic' to what hurts. When I talk to people that express similar views there is usually some other deep hurt that is going unaddressed. ie 'im not being valued for my work', 'I have a deep fear I will not be able to provide or be valued', 'I like tech, but the current structure of tech employers doesnt fit well with me(weird noises in offices are deeply uncomfortable)' etc.

It's almost counterintuitive but 60 hard hours / week at something you enjoy and thrive in will be easier and feel better like 5 hours at something you hate. Most everyone has a desire to feel valued and needed, so look for what that can be for you. Note prestige of impact != internal satisfaction. If you enjoy serving tea, then doing that for little money (and lots of time) will feel better in the long run than doing a few hours of tech work you despise.

Also... strongly recommend tuning out from the internet / news / social media. Sensationalist headlines can obscure our felt experience of life.

Reading between the lines of your post, Im not sure if what you want is a job with low hours or to solve your deep unhappiness? If I told you I had a job that paid well but you would still be happy would you take it?

Find a role at a large "non-tech" comapny in a large department on a mid sized team. I had several jobs like that and the amount of effort required in the average day was minimal. Probably less than an hour a day of actual meaningful work. You'll hate your job but it's extremely easy and pays decent.

I can understand you are like this. Just be upfront about it during interviews. You might be surprised there are companies which are absolutely fine with that.

I'm on the other end, I do think your life should revolve around the thing that you are doing 8+ hours a day. I currently have colleagues which are the same like you and it feels I have to pull them through the mud. Just be upfront about it and find a good fit ( I too should find a better fit 8) )