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Ask HN: Burned out from tech, what else is there?

100 points by bleosh ↗ HN
I’ve hit a point after working as a dev in SV for about 10 years where I just don’t feel interested in the space anymore. It’s almost impossible for me to motivate myself to care about whatever it is I’m doing at work, and I’m just irritated by people around me at work. I’ve switched companies a few times thinking that it was just environment, what the company was working on didn’t interest me, etc but always feel this same sense of dread after while at any place I go to which has made me think it’s time to move on to something else.

Has anyone transitioned out of being purely an engineer to something else and found more happiness? I’m ok with moving out of this area and not making as much money

60 comments

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kotaKat
I’m still on the fence of buying a large cargo van like a Sprinter and outfitting it to be a one-man ‘expeditor’ cargo carrier. Travel the country hauling one-off pallets from point A to B, check the DAT boards for loads and journeys abound.
accrual
I'm in a similar situation, thinking about a paycut or sabbattical just to do something different.

I think it's key to think about what makes you happy and interested in your work, and then find a way to map from your current position to a new position where you can do more of that.

If you're ever unsure or worried about making a move, remember that life is fluid, things change, doors open and close all the time. Taking a step forward into the unknown will light the path to the next step, but taking that first step requires accepting some uncertainty and trusting it will work out anyway.

rkagerer
If you want to try something totally different, check if you have a local volunteer fire department looking for new recruits. I know a few people who eventually transitioned from tech and made it into their full-time career. I think part of the draw is you show up, solve a problem, leave and feel good about it.
wavemode
When I reached this point, I left to start my own company. Build something that would actually be mine.

Though obviously that's easier said than done.

pinewurst
For a few years I switched to supporting medical research, which made me feel good. The tech BS sadly penetrated there after a few years too which ended that for me.
itqwertz
Take a break for a few months to recalibrate what you want from life. Tech will still be here when you’re ready again. Go travel, use your physical body to walk and hike and lift, have a couple of flings, go to a bar at noon, work a few temp jobs, apply minimalism in your life, learn about something you like, etc.
dec0dedab0de
I often dream about being a carpenter, a park ranger, or a truck driver. But it feels like it's too late, and my family would suffer from the lack of funds as I transition and learn.
rustyboy
What about it has burnt you out? That should direct where you go next
sieste
Teaching is a very fulfilling profession. Organising knowledge and developing learning material on topics you care about is creative and intellectually stimulating, and connecting with your learners gives it a human component that is often missing in dev roles. Some teaching jobs are even relatively well-paid...
rbancroft
Where is the sense of dread coming from?
mgrat
Take a sabbatical if you can afford it and do random things. I'm in the US, so some of the things I've done - spent months through-hiking the Appalachian Trail, cave diving, camping, whitewater kayaking up and down the east coast. I needed another output and to put something besides work first. Work will always be there, and when I returned I found just working with other people more pleasant/rewarding.
schainks
If you want to use your hands and collaborate with humans a lot in person, the trades seem to be quite exciting right now. Salaries are also good — A good plumber in our area makes nearly $800/hr, and that's not touching what the datacenter plumbing folks are making.
taesu
If I was in that position with high NW, I'd quit and invest for a living (trend trade, not day trade)
Havoc
Off-grid lifestyle sure is starting more appealing by the day
krapht
Yeah, I know three - one transitioned to teaching, another to being a paramedic, and the last to social work.

On the other side I also know a teacher who switched to cyber security for the money after he started a family.

You have to know yourself and what motivates you to know if you'll find things more meaningful elsewhere.

StephenHerlihyy
I left technology about a decade ago to join the Military. It was an adjustment, but honestly was the greatest job I've ever had. Compared to tech where everything seemed high stress and had terrible work life balance, my military career was like playing on easy mode. Failure was impossible, no one wanted to stay a minute longer than they had to and everything was already on fire so putting it out was never really that urgent. It sounds crazy but I loved it. Now I am refreshed and pivoting back to tech with a fully funded Master's degree.
embedding-shape
Look for IT positions in small/medium-sized companies doing other things than creating products for other startups,or similar. You'll be solving real problems for people who are experiencing them, and most important thing to look out for is what the IT culture is beforehand, and how the rest of the company treats them. If you manage to find something where all of those are OK, they're a dream for a programmer, as you can solve problems the way you see fit, as long as you actually solve the real problems.
kldg
Strongly agree with this. I actually kind of wish I could go back to SMB IT (well, I mean I can, but I'm ~retired) with the knowledge I now have; I would've done things very differently/better. If it's small enough, you'll find yourself taking on all sorts of interesting facilities work; it can be pretty fun not knowing what the work day will be like. Some days I would paint, other days I'd be cursing at Active Directory, other days I would be working on the security system, other days I would be running new cables, and sometimes I'd just sit around and play video games. I left IT to do on-call overnight/weekend work in B2B tech support with the same company, where my role upgraded to sleeping through my shift.
harryday
Wherever you go, there you are.
sfpotter
Why are you asking HN? Do you have anyone you know in your personal life you can talk to? Family or friends? Hopefully someone you know well can give you some honest feedback and help you figure out what would be a better fit for you. I don't see how a bunch of strangers on HN could possibly help seeing as they know nothing about you and totally lack context.
adrianmonk
Maybe they are looking for people who've experienced transitioning from tech to something else. Even if they know lots of supportive people in real life, it's possible none of those people may have gone through this process.
itunpredictable
I spent a couple of weeks working on the line in a restaurant over the break. It was the exact opposite of my tech job and obviously doesn't pay very well, but could be a good thing to try for a while and see how your brain changes
badatlife
Take an inventory of what you value & what you want from work. Impossible to give advice without knowing that
justchad
I’m in a similar situation. I decided after a decade to quit my job and take some time off. I might work on my own company or switch careers entirely. I’ve thought about using the time by going back to school for networking.
clintmcmahon
I was in the same boat around the 10 year mark as well. I started a t-shirt business on the side. It took a while but after a few years made enough to live off of.

Eventually I came back to tech as a contractor/consultant and like it so much more. My passion for development and engineering is much higher now.