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Career Change from Software

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  • 23-09-2017 10:42pm
    #1
    jaredGalen
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭


    Another career change thread.
    I'm 36 and I want to get out of software development.

    I'm not very good at it, have a job but I can't see myself doing keeping it up for another 2 years, not to mind 20.

    I have been considering going back to college and saw courses in LIT.
    http://www.lit.ie/Courses/LC278/default.aspx
    Renewable and Electrical Energy Systems - BSc

    Now, this is an area I am very interested in. Often plan on how I could have a hybrid wind and solar plant with storage on my dads farm :P

    I like practical work, so getting involved in designing and installing domestic or industrial solutions sounds interesting.

    Looking for some recent testimonials of the renewable energy sector or this field in general if anyone has any!


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    #2
    Hollister11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Hollister11


    Would you consider transitioning into management?

    You have technical knowledge (even if you don't think you're good at it)


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    #3
    jaredGalen
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭jaredGalen


    Hollister11 wrote: »
    Would you consider transitioning into management?

    You have technical knowledge (even if you don't think you're good at it)

    I don't believe I'll be any happier with that role either. My passion or enjoyment of the development and even seeing a project from start to finish has gone, has been gone for a while. 2 jobs ago I thought a change of job would solve it. Here I am again.

    Either I make big change or I muddle on and try and find my interest in the area again.


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    #4
    Teyla Emmagan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,641 ✭✭✭Teyla Emmagan


    Well why don't you go for it then OP? You have 30 more years to work and the course sounds very interesting. Maybe you could do some programming on the side to get you through college. If you are in a situation where you can afford this financially then go for it. There is no point being unhappy.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 11,614 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Yeah I'd say go with it. Your software dev experience might easily lend itself to the course and or the career. Lifes too short to be unhappy in the thing you spend most of your life doing.


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    #6
    Berserker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    Nothing worse than working in software development if you don't like it. In agreement with others on the thread, life is too short. Move on, if you feel the need to.

    On a personal note, have you discussed your lack of passion for software development with your manager or seniors, OP? The volume of experienced developers, like yourself, who are leaving the sector should be a concern but it doesn't seem to register. The organisation I work for seems to think that there is an endless supply of developers out there.


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    #7
    jaredGalen
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭jaredGalen


    Berserker wrote: »
    On a personal note, have you discussed your lack of passion for software development with your manager or seniors, OP?

    I'm not comfortable going to them just yet. They are having trouble recruiting which was a surprise to me at a my level and higher. I'm not even there a year, plus I don't know when this might become reality.

    Given how late it is in the year, it might be next September before I can enroll in any college course. Wish I had done this in February.

    I contacted the admissions office, so I'll wait and see for now. I'm looking around for similar things also.

    Financially I wouldn't qualify for any back to education aids so I'd have to figure something out.


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 11,614 ✭ [Deleted User]


    viewpost.gif On a personal note, have you discussed your lack of passion for software development with your manager or seniors, OP?

    Jaysus no, don't do that. Go and tell people who love what they do, you don't love doing it too? At best they will try to re-ignite that passion so expect lots of projects coming your way OP, at worst you alienate yourself within the team.

    Stick out the job until you've got a plan in place whether its re-training or whatever.

    Can I also suggest going into serious saving mode. If you decide to go back to college full time you'll need as big a nest egg as possible.


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    #9
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users Posts: 28,488 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Any interest in moving to implementation roles - guiding users to make the most of the software, rather than writing the software itself? It is great to have people with a basic understanding of the technology and the databases behind the scenes in these roles.


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    #10
    grahamor
    Registered Users Posts: 872 ✭✭✭grahamor


    jaredGalen wrote: »
    Financially I wouldn't qualify for any back to education aids so I'd have to figure something out.

    You would probably be entitled to 20% of the course fees back when you submit a tax return.


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    #11
    Berserker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    jaredGalen wrote: »
    I'm not comfortable going to them just yet. They are having trouble recruiting which was a surprise to me at a my level and higher. I'm not even there a year, plus I don't know when this might become reality.

    I wouldn't worry about that too much. Most organisations are in the same boat regarding talent and it is only going to get worse with the influx of organisations, in the area of finance in particular, due to Brexit. The human resourcing in software development is woeful in Ireland. Recruiters match keywords and the application and interview process is getting so drawn out that people get fed up with it and drop out. Exit interviews on the other hand are lightweight, so the employer never really finds out why people are leaving.
    Deleted User wrote: »
    Jaysus no, don't do that. Go and tell people who love what they do, you don't love doing it too? At best they will try to re-ignite that passion so expect lots of projects coming your way OP, at worst you alienate yourself within the team.

    That would be a really bad move on their part. The OP is on the brink of leaving the organisation. Why burden him with new projects etc? This is going to leave a knowledge gap if/when he leaves. If they know that he is unhappy with the work they can look to address it.
    AndrewJRenko wrote: »
    It is great to have people with a basic understanding of the technology and the databases behind the scenes in these roles.

    Exactly what I was thinking. This way the employer gets to keep him or her as a member of staff and he or she gets to move into a new role.


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    #12
    jaredGalen
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭jaredGalen


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Stick out the job until you've got a plan in place whether its re-training or whatever.

    Ugh...this is probably what will happen for now. Too late to get a course I think. That and as was mentioned, I should try and save a bunch while I can. Oh why didn't I buy bitcoin 10 years ago!!! 😭😭

    Thanks for all the positive feedback and thoughts. Same question as many others but helpful to get some direct words of wisdom!

    Realistically I'll just have to stock it out for a bit longer.... 🀕. Shouldn't grumble I suppose!!


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    #13
    jaredGalen
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭jaredGalen


    Hah!
    Back again 18 months later, have my CAO application in.
    Haven't raised it with anyone at work.

    So by the end of June/July I'll have to know what I'm doing for sure.

    Can't believe it was Sept 2017 when I start this thread...


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    #14
    OMM 0000
    Registered Users Posts: 3,733 ✭✭✭OMM 0000


    Thanks for the update.

    I think it's OK it took you a while to make the move. It's a big decision after all.

    Seems you're making the right decision. You spent a lot of time thinking it through.

    Good luck!


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    #15
    HANDofFATE
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭HANDofFATE


    Well, if you understand, then you can re-try the courses and learn to be a hardware engineer. My friend is constantly passionate about his hardware and equipment. I don't know about you, but it seems to be an interesting thing - I'm already starting to think about it myself. Although here you still need to think about what you like best. If you have always been interested in encryption, then you can also go to the data protection service. Trying to start something new is always a good thing.


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    #16
    False Prophet
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭False Prophet


    HANDofFATE wrote: »
    Well, if you understand, then you can re-try the courses and learn to be a hardware engineer. My friend is constantly passionate about his hardware and equipment. I don't know about you, but it seems to be an interesting thing - I'm already starting to think about it myself. Although here you still need to think about what you like best. If you have always been interested in encryption, then you can also go to the data protection service. Trying to start something new is always a good thing.
    That was 2 years ago, OP has probably cashed in the bitcoin he bought 4 years ago and bought an island somewhere


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