Behold, we are one step closer to a world where "AI will do the mundane tasks, and the we all are going to engage in creative hobbies such as music creation"... Oh... wait...
Readit Newsthrowaway_32u10 commented on Eleven Music elevenlabs.io/blog/eleven... · Posted by u/meetpateltech
throwaway_32u10 commented on Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE? · Posted by u/throwaway_32u10
> I'm not a good enough software engineer to do complex stuff (think: very high load, distributed, etc) - so I can't pass interviews to all the FAANG move-fast-high-load-distributed-world-changing-do-our-7-round-dfs-bfs-interview style companies.
Feel free to disregard if you're simply not interested in FAANG, but what makes you say this? What has your interview preparation looked like so far?
I have almost two decades of experience. I'm approaching 40 years old, I have a family. Sure, I might sound stubborn, but I don't have the time to study 3 months for the nuances of DFS algorithms, or grinding leetcode.
The interviewing process should evaluate my knowledge as required by the job description, and not to play a role in satisfying the ego of the interviewer(s).
So yes, while I did refresh my memory on Big-O notation, and ran through some common brain teasers, I'm not going to read books and invest 3 months of sleepless nights in order to get the opportunity to be a cog in FAANG.
throwaway_32u10 commented on Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE? · Posted by u/throwaway_32u10
> I didn't progress fast enough to the style of companies that deal with high load, and other mambo-jumbo tech.
To clarify, you blame “not being a good enough software engineer” on working for the wrong companies?
I don't know how to express it correctly. But yes, sort of. I didn't work in high-load-kafka-like companies, so I'm kind of stuck in my mid level company types that do relatively simple things.
throwaway_32u10 commented on Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE? · Posted by u/throwaway_32u10
TBH, it sounds like you don't quite know what you want yet. That's fine, but until you figure out what you're aiming at, you'll be plagued by FOMO until you nail it down. Realistically, you'll probably have to sit in this discomfort until you get a clearer vision.
> My only option is to jump between jobs and swim in somewhat the same salary range, until AI will replace
That's the mind virus that the CEOs want you to have.
> I have a SaaS that generates pennies
Most people's initial independent ventures don't make any money, so give yourself some credit here.
> I would love to switch to being self-employed either via consultancy or having my own business, but I can't seem to figure out how to make the switch.
Limit risk by requesting a reduced working schedule at your current gig and do more independent work in the time you get back.
I know what I want, but I'm afraid that it's not possible to achieve this. I want full autonomy (as much as possible) over my time and the kind of work I do, while still making at least the same amount of money I make now.
So it would be something like a line of people who are willing to hire my services, while I decide what to work on and how to do it.
> That's the mind virus that the CEOs want you to have.
What do you mean by that?
throwaway_32u10 commented on Ask HN: Ways to progress career wise as SWE? · Posted by u/throwaway_32u10
> However, it seems like I'm stuck at my level.
Have you gotten any feedback in your current role about why you're stuck? The reasons can vary from the difference in expected behaviors from level to level, no room at level +1, your current company/manager not really caring about your advancement, etc.
> I have no managerial experience, hence I can't get any leadership roles (either people or software)
Is this because you don't (or haven't had opportunities to) step up to lead/own chunks of work?
> I'm not a good enough software engineer to do complex stuff
Do you plan to do anything about this? It's hard to advance without some amount of self-improvement?
> I have a SaaS that generates pennies...[snip]...I tried to bootstrap some projects, but most of them are hit and miss (more on the miss side).
This seems to conflict with some of your earlier statements. Are you saying that you're motivated enough to try to bootstrap multiple projects, and have started a SaaS that actually has paying customers? It seems to me that if you have that motivation, you should be able to improve and grow to learn the things that you think are holding your career back.
> Have you gotten any feedback in your current role about why you're stuck? The reasons can vary from the difference in expected behaviors from level to level, no room at level +1, your current company/manager not really caring about your advancement, etc.
I'm in a family-like company, so there is not much feedback giving. I'm trying to change a job, but there are few struggles: (1) I can't really improve salary that much due to OP, (2) the market is currently shit, (3) even if I find a job, it sets me back to square zero.
> Is this because you don't (or haven't had opportunities to) step up to lead/own chunks of work?
I did lead/own chunks of work. But it just seems not enough to justify leadership roles. I get the "it's impressive, but we need someone a BIT MORE qualified".
> Do you plan to do anything about this? It's hard to advance without some amount of self-improvement?
When I was younger, I dabbled in many areas: game dev, web dev, os dev, embedded, assembly, C, Java, JS, PHP, etc. Eventually I found my career and my niche, but due to certain luck (or lack thereof), combined with my young naivety, I didn't progress fast enough to the style of companies that deal with high load, and other mambo-jumbo tech. And now, I just have a lot of years of experience in mediocre companies/products.
> Are you saying that you're motivated enough to try to bootstrap multiple projects, and have started a SaaS that actually has paying customers?
I do. I have a lot of motivation when it comes to actually solve problems. I talk with customers, do development, and try to find new ways to market my SaaS. I just hate doing to for someone else when corporate politics is involved.
throwaway_32u10 commented on On DeepSeek and export controls darioamodei.com/on-deepse... · Posted by u/jrmyphlmn
I'm kind of tired of the entire narrative that "US good, everyone else bad", as if only US deserves to hold powerful technology because it will be used for "the greater good", rather than employ it in military applications, as if Anthropic didn't partner with Palantir.
And it amazes me how many people can't seem to see past the "US is good, everyone else are bad" smoke mirror.