Ask HN: Former devs who can't get a job, what did you end up doing for work?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Shift into Trades and Manual Work

  • Many former devs report moving into trades: electrical work, general handyman services, construction, carpentry, and roofing; some do it part‑time alongside coding.
  • Several say there’s high demand and chronic no‑show / low‑quality contractors, making good tradespeople competitive and often well-paid locally.
  • Others push back: cited labor stats show median electricians earn far less than software devs; hours can be unstable, and high incomes often require business ownership and overtime.
  • Physical demands are debated: some argue active work is healthier than sitting; others describe long-term joint/back damage and exhausting repetitive motions.

Other Career Pivots

  • People move into:
    • Outdoor and forest service roles (appealing but currently hit by layoffs and low security).
    • Long‑haul trucking.
    • Restaurant/hospitality work (low stress but low pay and draining).
    • Aviation maintenance (A&P mechanics), with “crash course” schools as entry.
    • Wildlife photography, horse breeding/training, heavy marine construction.
    • Alternative health (e.g., ear acupuncture), seen as more meaningful and people-focused.
    • Medicine and related clinical paths (scribing now, med school or allied roles later), despite grueling training.
    • Commodities/futures trading, which some find intellectually satisfying but others characterize as gambling with survivorship bias.

Entrepreneurship, Side Projects, and Consulting

  • Many keep coding but for themselves: indie SaaS, mobile apps, embedded devices, wearables, home automation, or trading tools.
  • Some formally “retired” from industry but now write free/open-source software or small commercial tools.
  • Several started startups or one‑person consultancies, noting that consulting can be easier to sell in downturns, but invoicing delays and finding clients (networking) are major issues.

Age, Burnout, and Industry Frustrations

  • Numerous posts from people in their late 30s–70s describe:
    • Difficulty getting interviews, pressure to hide experience, and clear age bias.
    • Fewer roles that genuinely need 15–20+ years’ experience, and lower salary offers for older candidates.
    • Disillusionment with agile/Scrum/SAFe “ceremonies,” Jira-heavy cultures, and perceived managerial process obsession over actual coding.
  • Some accept lower pay or leave tech entirely for autonomy and self-determination; others feel trapped financially and continue job hunting with low expectations.

Coping Strategies and Advice

  • Tactics mentioned: moving to low‑COL rural areas and solving local business problems; networking with SMBs; leveraging ops/support roles that still allow coding; data annotation for LLMs; going back to school; and simply continuing to build skills and projects while unemployed.