From the time I naively chose computer science as my major in college, to graduating and working in the related industry, to leaving the workplace, and then experiencing full-time childcare, now that the child is finally in kindergarten and I have some free time, it’s time to reconsider what to do next for income and development.
Why Choose Tech Career?
Market Advantage and Leverage
From a market specialization perspective, it is more suitable to engage in work that leverages existing experience and offers relatively high leverage. Although I’ve lost the packaging provided by a company, and my personal skills need to be updated according to market demands, and I need to manage myself like a one-person company in many aspects, this might not be a bad direction in the medium to long term. This is no longer a linear task game but a free mode. The word “crisis” now holds more risks, but also greater opportunities.
Cognitive Perspective
Interestingly, it was an unexpected gain. Early on, I found the learning and work monotonous and boring because I was only told how to do things. Driven by curiosity to understand why and what kind of people were behind it, I read some books on the history of computing and biographies of famous computer figures. I re-read them in detail during my time with the child. I gained a deeper understanding between the lines, which allowed me to break free from the “Truman Show” of common knowledge and ingrained perceptions around me.
I saw what truly good programmers are like: their abilities and beliefs, their hobbies and personalities, as well as the inherent values and taste in the things they created. Simply put, good programmers are not plaid-shirted nerds who worship overtime and involution (excessive internal competition). They are individuals with character and aspirations. They pursue purity in their work, and they also advocate for an interesting and meaningful life, thereby finding their self-worth and meaning in life. Through books, the programmer community can travel through time and experience the past glory of MIT, Bell Labs, and even the Homebrew Computer Club. Looking back, I’ve been part of good teams that shared similar traits of freedom, purity, and simplicity. I feel a deeper resonance with the values of these people and teams.
Therefore, my understanding of programmers is no longer just a means of work and earning, but it has gained an added layer of social identity and value recognition. It is a choice of what identity one will use to integrate into various industries and diverse groups of people, and what value one will exchange in the marketplace.
Why Not Full-time Employment?
Family Perspective
The current world has a “bug”—full-time work is extremely unfriendly to parenting. I would generally leave in the morning and return very late, while kindergarten ends at 4 PM. Forget about taking care of the child; I might not even see them before bedtime. In these situations, the grandparents usually step in. Considering my family’s situation, I need to dedicate time to the child, so the schedule doesn’t suit full-time employment.
Recruitment Perspective
There are currently many age restrictions. Although statistical reports and numerous cases prove this is unreasonable, the prevailing sentiment is such that the difficulty in applying for jobs increases, suggesting the local market is not healthy or mature enough.
Development Perspective
I already have significant insights from my time in the workplace. Objectively, the benefits of the workplace are two-fold: it offers a relatively stable salary and reduces the individual’s business costs—it’s a convenient and stable “packaging.” The product development, sales, and operations of the entire business process are completed by others; you only need to focus on your professional tasks.
The drawbacks are also evident. personal technical development is limited by the team and company, which might not be free or advanced enough. Business acumen is also limited, as it’s impossible to cover the entire process. Result measurement mainly based on time, promotion, and other mechanisms are highly competitive and heavily reliant on luck and the team. Therefore, long-term development is restricted.
How to Proceed?
I think a two-pronged approach is more secure.
Gaze at the Stars, Do the Right Thing
As my meta-cognition increases and I delve into technical culture, I increasingly feel the value of doing the right thing. Technical culture and the source of technology need to be studied. As I learn deeper, I can feel the inherited genes of popular technologies. Taking front-end as an example, there were many solutions a long time ago. Today, many have disappeared, yet solutions similar to the Unix file system have endured. This shows that such designs, having withstood the test of four or five decades, are highly valuable. It’s fine to try popular and interesting technologies, such as microcontrollers and circuit boards. This may not have a direct relationship with short-term career or profit, but with time, they will help you break free from templated skills and life, allowing you to progressively evolve from cognition, to ability, to identity in the free mode, ultimately reshaping your life and becoming the person you aspire to be.
Keep Feet on the Ground, Focus on Career Monetization
The goal is to integrate into social production and earn money professionally as quickly as possible, and gradually. Although the transition from the corporate technical and collaboration model to a business community technical model requires adjustment, and I have zero experience in customer acquisition and sales—many things won’t be smooth sailing—the risk is also accompanied by greater opportunities and freedom. The priority is to survive first, and then slowly develop.
The Ultimate Question: What Kind of Life Do I Want to Live?
Before this, I was, like most people, living a life and career that was assigned and planned for me. Now, I finally have the opportunity to slow down, examine everything, and restart. So, life is short; in this era, what do I want to do, with whom do I want to work, what kind of person do I want to become, and what kind of life do I want to lead? The hackers’ answer is very simple: a life pursuing extremes, interestingness, and usefulness is satisfactory enough.