Ask HN: If you quit your computer job, which non-computer craft would you pick
I spend 99% of my work time using computer and I'm considering abandonig this career/business completely. I'm thinking of picking a physical craft. I'm looking for something useful, sonething I could make a living with even if internet ceased to exist. Because I have to feed my family the criteria I must also consider are margins, market need and some scaling capacity (not huge, I don't want to get rich) ...
112 comments
This is something I've been thinking for a while for my long term future!
A dream of mine would be to setup a hostel of sorts, with an area for camping, a cafe, maybe food trucks in the summer?, surf/climbing options nearby and perhaps a partnership with schools/guides.
And the main thing: a big hangar to work on campervan conversions, with a ton of tools available and some staff supervision. The idea being that you bring your van, pay some sort of membership/one-time fee and work on it, with our help.
Perhaps do some in-house conversions for clients, but that would be just a side business to help keep things going.
A dream of mine would be to setup a hostel of sorts, with an area for camping, a cafe, maybe food trucks in the summer?, surf/climbing options nearby and perhaps a partnership with schools/guides.
And the main thing: a big hangar to work on campervan conversions, with a ton of tools available and some staff supervision. The idea being that you bring your van, pay some sort of membership/one-time fee and work on it, with our help.
Perhaps do some in-house conversions for clients, but that would be just a side business to help keep things going.
When I was younger I visited Timsplace in the Grampians in Australia, just this kinda joing (though it was hiking/climbing, no surfing).
Don't know if Tim has retired, but was a ton of fun to stay there:
https://www.timsplace.com.au/
Don't know if Tim has retired, but was a ton of fun to stay there:
https://www.timsplace.com.au/
> a big hangar to work on camper van conversions
Just an FYI, but if it’s at an airfield, the FAA can come after you if you don’t also use it for some kind of aviation. I forget the exact wording, but it’s basically to help protect hangar prices for people who fly.
Just an FYI, but if it’s at an airfield, the FAA can come after you if you don’t also use it for some kind of aviation. I forget the exact wording, but it’s basically to help protect hangar prices for people who fly.
Electrical work, particularly high-end commercial/industrial. Well-paid, lots of the same structured reasoning/debugging as code, and demand is exploding.
I'm curious how safe (physically, not career-wise) different trades are for people with ADD.
As a software developer, I get by with a combination of Adderall / Vyvance, software tests, and the freedom to take a day off if I'm feeling particularly flaky.
But I'd imagine that doesn't work with e.g. industrial / commercial electrical work. Partly because schedules assume you're rarely out sick, and partly because making a mistake can kill you or other people.
As a software developer, I get by with a combination of Adderall / Vyvance, software tests, and the freedom to take a day off if I'm feeling particularly flaky.
But I'd imagine that doesn't work with e.g. industrial / commercial electrical work. Partly because schedules assume you're rarely out sick, and partly because making a mistake can kill you or other people.
Can you explain a bit more? I would like a backup plan if the software developer career dies for any reason
Have been pondering the same question. A hobby of mine is cooking, but turning a hobby into a job might remove all the fun.
Especially considering the restaurant industry is exhausting. Have a few friends who are chefs and they do genuinely enjoy it and are passionate. not sure if I could do that though.
Especially considering the restaurant industry is exhausting. Have a few friends who are chefs and they do genuinely enjoy it and are passionate. not sure if I could do that though.
Highly not recommend opening a restaurant - chat with any chef, they'll tell you the best food they've had was in their own kitchen. You're better off organising soirées or large meals for friends and charging the cost of food if that gets too high - you get the best of both worlds.
But as another commenter said, making a youtube channel or something of the sort could be a great idea - but no sure profits.
And going to culinary school is an absolute pleasure - I highly recommend it for your own knowledge only.
But as another commenter said, making a youtube channel or something of the sort could be a great idea - but no sure profits.
And going to culinary school is an absolute pleasure - I highly recommend it for your own knowledge only.
I've had the same thoughts as you - I've heard from chefs the thing you should do is take a part time job working in a kitchen to double check you enjoy it. The pay is awful, the hours are long, and if you lose interest in cooking you may kick yourself. You could always take a sabbatical between jobs and attend a culinary school in Europe which would be awesome?
Ive been thinking about this a lot. I feel the only way to get any credibility with food is to be a professional chef, otherwise no one seems to care? Or do something crazy like uproot your entire life and dedicate it to one cuisine like mark wiens did and create content for a western audience. but that seems to extreme for me.
It's a long shot, but you could always create a cooking channel / show. There are many amateur cooks on YouTube that have a large following, not necessarily because of their cooking skills.
But then again, you can try your luck at the creator lottery with any other topic as well.
But then again, you can try your luck at the creator lottery with any other topic as well.
I wish I knew. I’ve had a handful of ideas, but they either just pay garbage at the lower end or require expensive education and I’m horrified of how old I’d be by the time I could complete any of it. I’m not too attached to money, but I have rent to pay and that doesn’t seem to be getting any cheaper, in fact quite the opposite.
I’ve wondering about going into PLC programming, a couple different science/engineering fields. Hell I’d think about joining the NOAA Corp if I didn’t want to keep my hair.
I’ve wondering about going into PLC programming, a couple different science/engineering fields. Hell I’d think about joining the NOAA Corp if I didn’t want to keep my hair.
Omg I didn't even know that the NOAA Corp was a thing.
Like we had uniformed service branch I had no idea existed.
Wow.
Like we had uniformed service branch I had no idea existed.
Wow.
Carpentry I guess, if it had to be non-computer based. Maybe electronics?
But I already spend a lot of time doing board game design and used to be better about writing. I can do both to an extent without a computer, but I can type a lot faster and with less stress on my hands than with pen and paper, and at some point with board games I have to do graphic design, design/type up a manual, sell sheets, how to play videos, a Tabletop Simulator version (so publishers can test with their teams, that are often not all local anymore, or so I can utilize online playtest groups), and that's just for me pitching the game to a publisher, I'm not even manufacturing the game.
So ideally I'd probably be doing board game design supplemented with writing. Although it's super difficult to make good money with those (not impossible, but very difficult).
I just read a tweet this morning from a pretty well known game designer in the hobby board game industry (Jonny Pac), and he made $22k doing it full-time last year (and $10k! the previous year). And his business and travel expenses were $10k (you have to go to a lot of conventions to network and pitch to publishers if you want a decent chance at having your games signed), so he netted $12k last year[1].
So yeah, don't choose board game design if you care about making money to support your family.
[1]: https://twitter.com/jpaccantin/status/1647455444884156417
But I already spend a lot of time doing board game design and used to be better about writing. I can do both to an extent without a computer, but I can type a lot faster and with less stress on my hands than with pen and paper, and at some point with board games I have to do graphic design, design/type up a manual, sell sheets, how to play videos, a Tabletop Simulator version (so publishers can test with their teams, that are often not all local anymore, or so I can utilize online playtest groups), and that's just for me pitching the game to a publisher, I'm not even manufacturing the game.
So ideally I'd probably be doing board game design supplemented with writing. Although it's super difficult to make good money with those (not impossible, but very difficult).
I just read a tweet this morning from a pretty well known game designer in the hobby board game industry (Jonny Pac), and he made $22k doing it full-time last year (and $10k! the previous year). And his business and travel expenses were $10k (you have to go to a lot of conventions to network and pitch to publishers if you want a decent chance at having your games signed), so he netted $12k last year[1].
So yeah, don't choose board game design if you care about making money to support your family.
[1]: https://twitter.com/jpaccantin/status/1647455444884156417
I went from being a geologist to coding bootcamp grad to software engineer (nearly 8 years in and still enjoying it).
I would probably go back to some aspect of geology. Part of me still misses it (though, my previous jobs were less glamorous: environmental consultant helping to do environmental remediation on land that people wanted to build McMansions on).
If it could be absolutely anything, prior experience or not: definitely wood working. I don’t know which side of a saw to use, but I’d love to learn.
I would probably go back to some aspect of geology. Part of me still misses it (though, my previous jobs were less glamorous: environmental consultant helping to do environmental remediation on land that people wanted to build McMansions on).
If it could be absolutely anything, prior experience or not: definitely wood working. I don’t know which side of a saw to use, but I’d love to learn.
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For two years I've had a hobby maintaining a kefir culture (similar to yogurt), and I've found it to be one of the coolest processes I've worked with and possibly viable as a business prospect. All you need is kefir grains, milk, and containers- you don't even need to keep it warm like with yogurt! Still takes some effort, though, since "harvesting" requires straining the kefir to separate it from the grains. The "grains" that you start each batch with naturally grow and multiply as you use them, so you can scale up or down just by getting more and/or larger containers.
Once you get the hang of making base kefir, which is like a drinkable yogurt, you can get into advanced applications like straining it greek yogurt style or using the kefir to quickstart other fermentations like sourdough or bokashi- most fermentations are lactobacillus or yeast, and kefir gets you a pretty reliable DIY source of a liquid containing both. Get great at making kefir, and you can use it to power a lot of highly marketable and unique products that can easily be marked up way higher than the cost of the milk that goes into them.
Hmm, maybe I should be keeping this idea to myself? Oh well, competition makes a healthy market.
Once you get the hang of making base kefir, which is like a drinkable yogurt, you can get into advanced applications like straining it greek yogurt style or using the kefir to quickstart other fermentations like sourdough or bokashi- most fermentations are lactobacillus or yeast, and kefir gets you a pretty reliable DIY source of a liquid containing both. Get great at making kefir, and you can use it to power a lot of highly marketable and unique products that can easily be marked up way higher than the cost of the milk that goes into them.
Hmm, maybe I should be keeping this idea to myself? Oh well, competition makes a healthy market.
Masonry or something similar, probably. I don't have the patience for making jigs for woodworking, and anyway can never get over not-trusting them so the whole thing is stressful (and, for some reason, my measurements are never precise enough, no matter how careful I am), and fine work is one of the few things that can still make me irrationally angry (oh my god, you want to see me mad, have me try to wire an outlet under a sink, or a tight-fit ceiling fixture, "fucking wire just go where you're supposed to! Ouch! Goddamnit! Why do they make these wires so fucking stiff!!!") so electrical work, sewing, et c., are definitely out.
But I like carrying somewhat-heavy stuff. I bet I could get really into masonry. I've loved building e.g. short retaining walls out of landscaping bricks. The historical-restoration side could get delightfully nerdy and bookish. I've enjoyed tiling when I've done it, except for all the time on the ground, which masonry would have a bit less of. So masonry's probably what I'd try first.
But I like carrying somewhat-heavy stuff. I bet I could get really into masonry. I've loved building e.g. short retaining walls out of landscaping bricks. The historical-restoration side could get delightfully nerdy and bookish. I've enjoyed tiling when I've done it, except for all the time on the ground, which masonry would have a bit less of. So masonry's probably what I'd try first.
I'm moonlighting as an airline pilot, the best part of this job is that you don't have to think about it after you finish for the day.
The worst part is the money... but it's not all about money, right?? :-)
The worst part is the money... but it's not all about money, right?? :-)
How did you manage to do that?
I learned to fly as a hobby after hours. I started teaching people how to fly on weekends and evenings for about 3 years, accumulating the required hours to be an airline pilot. I recently interviewed and was hired by an airline. I've tried to make my schedule Fri-Mon as much as possible. While I'm on reserve, I don't actually fly all that much, so I even get some weekends off.
> I've tried to make my schedule Fri-Mon as much as possible. While I'm on reserve, I don't actually fly all that much, so I even get some weekends off.
Just trying to understand: when you say "make my schedule Fri-Mon as much as possible", is that for your 'primary' computer-y job or your moonlighting piloting job? How you do prevent conflicts?
Can you 'dictate' the availability for your pilot job? Wouldn't airlines want people that were reliably available rather than 'part-timers'? Or do they like having a pool of 'spares' to fill in gaps for short notice unavailability?
Just trying to understand: when you say "make my schedule Fri-Mon as much as possible", is that for your 'primary' computer-y job or your moonlighting piloting job? How you do prevent conflicts?
Can you 'dictate' the availability for your pilot job? Wouldn't airlines want people that were reliably available rather than 'part-timers'? Or do they like having a pool of 'spares' to fill in gaps for short notice unavailability?
I went to UND for piloting back before 9/11 - and the airlines generally only hired for life. It's fascinating to see how this is changing.
I’d think that would pay a lot these days.
Certainly it is getting more lucrative, but you have to be there for a few years before the money starts to be within 1/3 of what a software engineer in Silicon Valley is making.
Electrician or plumber? Gotta make $$$ for the family and these seem to be in need always.
This. The income is excellent and my wife would be head over heels in love with me. I mean not that she's not now. Though I wouldn't need the occasional nudge I give her by fixing the home network.
How much time needed for the license? In my place I think 1.5 years for the training and maybe a few years for apprentice and then an exam to get the license.
Also if Union gives you work a large amount goes to them. So a lot of people don't go through them.
Also if Union gives you work a large amount goes to them. So a lot of people don't go through them.
No joke. When I needed my toilet fixed I was quoted $150 an hour which includes driving time and I live in a relatively low cost of living area.
Yep. And if you prosper you can deduct a lot of expense from the business.
I’d open an Italian beef shop in Tokyo. Definitely need more Chicago food in Japan.
Nobody mentioned YouTuber yet. Hate to be the “old man shakes fist at cloud” but the world is changing. My friends kids are in middle school and they have to say what they want to be when they grow up. The list is like: president, firefighter, YouTuber.
Nobody mentioned YouTuber yet. Hate to be the “old man shakes fist at cloud” but the world is changing. My friends kids are in middle school and they have to say what they want to be when they grow up. The list is like: president, firefighter, YouTuber.
Probably a small farm. Small local farms in my locale tend to target higher end restaurants and also have weddings and other events on the farm to make ends meet. It isn’t ludicrous, but it is enough to make a living.
If I could manage making less money I would probably do gardening.
If I could manage making less money I would probably do gardening.
I'd want to build dry-stack stone walls. I find them beautiful when well made and they last for hundreds or even thousands of years. Meanwhile the stone & mortar walls I see around my neighborhood don't seem to last more than a couple decades.
My brother is running a retreat center in Peru, I'm currently there helping out. I'm about to start a programming job next week though because I need money to build a house and to be able to travel. But basically tourism. What I miss in tech is human contact and empathy. When I'm here helping out my responsibilities are answering questions and making sure everyone has what they need (if someone needs a new towel I can get one for them, and also I do translations).
I hope work will be more fun when I work fewer hours and I will also be able to fill my social needs and spend time in nature.
I hope work will be more fun when I work fewer hours and I will also be able to fill my social needs and spend time in nature.
I'd open a vegan restaurant/coffee shop with lots of board games and promote the game of Go.
Motorcycle mechanic, or more specifically restoring and updating vintage motorcycles. Before 1980 almost all of them had points-breaker ignition. This is not difficult to replace with modern electronic ignition as long as the stator is still good. Plenty of stator rewinding services out there if not.
I've also got a side hustle 3d printing some of the discontinued small plastic parts like brake hose guides and fork guard guides for vintage motorcycles and ATCs so that would very likely expand.
I've also got a side hustle 3d printing some of the discontinued small plastic parts like brake hose guides and fork guard guides for vintage motorcycles and ATCs so that would very likely expand.
Metalworking, in particular small-scale CNC (heading towards watchmaking, but probably not starting there.) I wouldn't completely eliminate the "computer" component, but ditching the CNC aspect is certainly a possibility if I were to develop an incurable hate of computers.
Already doing it (to a limited degree) for my hobby electronics projects, e.g. to make custom heatsinks.
Already doing it (to a limited degree) for my hobby electronics projects, e.g. to make custom heatsinks.
I would look into getting into coffee roasting, as coffee has recently become a hobby of mine. It's always a surprise to discover how deep of a rabbit hole there is for just about every niche interest out there. Mechanical keyboards, audiophiles, straight razors, watches - the list goes on :)
I quit my computer job and bought a hotel. Now writing all kinds of tools/apps to help in the operation.
How is that working out for you?
I imagine any role in the service industry must be way more stressful than most IT gigs.
I imagine any role in the service industry must be way more stressful than most IT gigs.
It is if you are managing a 24/7 business. Sometimes, I think about hiring someone who take over my role and buy another hotel. But sometimes, I don't feel like expanding.
Post covid things were crazy but hoping it will be normal by end of this year.
Post covid things were crazy but hoping it will be normal by end of this year.
I'd like to be a writer, I like to write, I think my prose is decent. I think that's as close to being an artists as I could possibly be. I read a book once where someone became enlightened and could enlighten others through wood carvings, I think that would be really pleasant. I could also see myself teaching, I've seen what teaching can do, but I've also seen the current state of education, it would be tough, but aren't all things. There's also trades, maybe welding, or framing, architecture, something that incorporates art with manual labor--an "I did that" moment as you drive past something. Horticulture too, that's an option.
Woodworking. I have variously built furniture and done small turning projects (bowls and boxes), which I have found to be very satisfying. Similarly, there are a few suppliers for instrument making of various kinds and from various levels of "scratch" building. I have enjoyed finishing and assembling a couple of guitars, and I could see doing that full-tim for customers who are willing to pay a premium for custom work. I've also toyed with the idea of wooden boat-building. Having put together a Puddle-Duck back in the day, I think this could be a satisfying craft to practice, but the barrier to entry is higher, and the market might be a little harder to break into.
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I have no idea. My two main proficiencies, programming with UI/UX and graphics design as a distant second, both revolve around computers.
I'm decent enough with my hands and have the patience and mindset to figure things out so that's no problem, but there's not too many other things that offer comparable compensation without considerable credentials and/or field experience.
Ignoring pay, if I had the resources required I guess I'd just throw things against the wall and see what sticks. I spent a lot of my teens and early 20s sketching on paper, so maybe a good starting point would be to pick that skill up and polish it to marketability.
I'm decent enough with my hands and have the patience and mindset to figure things out so that's no problem, but there's not too many other things that offer comparable compensation without considerable credentials and/or field experience.
Ignoring pay, if I had the resources required I guess I'd just throw things against the wall and see what sticks. I spent a lot of my teens and early 20s sketching on paper, so maybe a good starting point would be to pick that skill up and polish it to marketability.
My wife and I want to set up a Bed-and-Breakfast or a decked out cafe with a mini-bookstore/reading nook where she'd make the beverages, a couple foods, and customers while I handle most of the cooking and management. It would give her a place to sell her books (she's an artist and recently completed a book she's been writing for a while) and me a place to sell candles (I've always wanted to make candles since I was a kid, but didn't realize until recently just how easy it can be).
Plus it would give me a lot more time to spend with her and our daughter, which I don't get nearly enough of right now.
Plus it would give me a lot more time to spend with her and our daughter, which I don't get nearly enough of right now.
Morbid fields will always exist and pay well.
If you have a family already then getting into the funeral director industry is safe, well-paid and will be around forever.
The people who pick up corpse parts on train tracks are paid very well and it needs no education.
If you have a family already then getting into the funeral director industry is safe, well-paid and will be around forever.
The people who pick up corpse parts on train tracks are paid very well and it needs no education.
> The people who pick up corpse parts on train tracks are paid very well and it needs no education.
Lol I have a friend looking for work, I'll make the suggestion.
Lol I have a friend looking for work, I'll make the suggestion.
I do drywall on the side right now, so I would probably continue to do that. Maybe step up a little bit and do new constructions as opposed to renovations and fixes. Maybe get my general contractor's license too.
Building my own home is a dream of mine. So I’d love to learn how to frame a home and then slowly expand my knowledge to learning all the other trades that go into it from plumbing to electrical to painting and tiling.
Having grown up in apartments, i disliked so much of the maintenance involved in owning a home...so when my life partner and i owned our home, it did create plenty of stress for me. Then over the years, i grew to treat some of the work as very much zen. Now, i am back in an partment...and planning for our next home - the one that we will retire within...and i look fdor ward to at least some elements of home ownership. For the last year or so, as i learned how to "zen" about some elements, i very briefly wondered if my partner and i should buy a plot of land, live in a trailer temporarily and literally together build our own dream home...but, the concern we have is that our age might limit things tiny bit. so now i wished i had tried this earlier in our lives. Ah, well.
One of the trades, whichever looks interesting and has high shortage. For example, electricians.
I quite enjoy woodworking, but I don't know how feasible it would be to turn that into a career.
I quite enjoy woodworking, but I don't know how feasible it would be to turn that into a career.
Woodworking. Always being fascinated with it. Maybe start my own food business; also appealing, although I heard from people that work in the food industry that is literally hell.
Edit: autocorrect
Edit: autocorrect
I'd get into BBQ. Buy a pickup, a tow-behind smoker, park on the side of the road and sell meats to people for lunch. Gets me envious of myself just thinking about it.
I started to prepare to AI war domination, my new my obligatory daily activity is in practice on DIY construction in electronics, setup practical tools on local server that can help me find required knowledge without internet, even I try to sell something from my DIY with marketing. I also didn't know how to do anything except how to cope with tasks on a computer, but at some point this will make me defenseless. A year later I feel better.
Start on the Nebuchadnezzar :p
Teaching. Not an easy path, but deeply satisfying.
> Teaching. Not an easy path, but deeply satisfying.
I'd imagine that depends on where you teach. My sister is a public-school science teacher in a U.S. city, and it's been a horrible experience.
She has very little control over the curriculum, and some students are so disruptive that the rest of the class learns little.
I'd imagine that depends on where you teach. My sister is a public-school science teacher in a U.S. city, and it's been a horrible experience.
She has very little control over the curriculum, and some students are so disruptive that the rest of the class learns little.
Every state in the US is different, and different school districts and neighborhoods come with their own differences too. I have multiple friends who teach in public schools in the US, and I have some experience teaching, so I don’t think I’m really under any illusions about what it’s like.
(One person I know became a middle school teacher at a public school and described it as “easy” compared to her previous job, which was informal education. There is a lot of variability in this profession.)
(One person I know became a middle school teacher at a public school and described it as “easy” compared to her previous job, which was informal education. There is a lot of variability in this profession.)
> some students are so disruptive
Can you just politely ask them to… go away? My high school teacher did this and it was very pleasant for us that actually wanted to learn.
I presume it was pleasant for the disruptors too since they always seemed more than happy to spend an hour doing something pointless instead.
Can you just politely ask them to… go away? My high school teacher did this and it was very pleasant for us that actually wanted to learn.
I presume it was pleasant for the disruptors too since they always seemed more than happy to spend an hour doing something pointless instead.
> Can you just politely ask them to… go away?
You can ask. When one of them threatened to kill her, the school administration kindly moved him to another classroom in the same hallway.
But it's nearly impossible to get these students expelled, even for criminal threat.
You can ask. When one of them threatened to kill her, the school administration kindly moved him to another classroom in the same hallway.
But it's nearly impossible to get these students expelled, even for criminal threat.
Can you pick the school district? If so, I would think areas with higher Indian/Chinese students would be a nicer environment.
Probably metrology. I've got a decent start on an electronic metrology home lab, but other sorts are also interesting. Metrology research is particularly interesting, finding ways to measure things more accurately & precisely than any current equipment can do so, and to quantify how precise & accurate those measurement systems are despite that!
This is an interesting one I’ve looked at a few times, but like many, I’m horrified by the expensive (in time and money) education required.
I'd love to make giant piles of compost full-time and then sell it, or else use it with soil to pot cool plants and sell those.
Photography! Contemporary photography really does require a computer, but I find it's a lot more physical, and requires you to leave the house, which is very different from the laptop/screen life. This is definitely not a post-internet, post-apocalypse type career though. Farming seems like a safe bet in that case.
Custom tooled leather accessories. I've been tooling leather (and selling some on and off) for years. It's possible to make a living with it, but it's certainly not easy. With the prevalence of fast fashion, people often get serious sticker shock when they see what a hand made item actuallly costs.
I'm waiting on new handmade leather shoes to arrive: https://www.quoddy.com/collections/mens-in-stock/products/me...
I prioritized handmade in the US. I live in shoes like this, so I was OK spending more for quality with the later ability for refurbishing/resoling.
Quite an art.
I prioritized handmade in the US. I live in shoes like this, so I was OK spending more for quality with the later ability for refurbishing/resoling.
Quite an art.
I've definitely been considering something that keeps me outdoors during daylight hours. Solar installer/technician comes to mind.
I'd be interested in applying specialized robotics automation to e.g. hydroponic grow systems or residential/commercial environmental controls or something like that too.
I'd be interested in applying specialized robotics automation to e.g. hydroponic grow systems or residential/commercial environmental controls or something like that too.
If you do, would you mind posting here in a couple of years about how the treatment is different? I don't mind working with computers, I do mind the non-stop hostility that comes with it. I'm curious if other professions have to put up with the same sort of abuse and disrespect we do.
Nurses have it worse.
At least we get paid a lot to put up with it…
According to Indeed, I get paid about the same as a registered nurse in my state. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
How much do they work though. I know some nurses that had good pay on paper, but were absolutely desperate to get out of the field. They just worked so many hours it wasn’t worth it.
> worked so many hours
When you factor in unpaid oncall and unpaid overtime, many programmers are in the same boat.
When you factor in unpaid oncall and unpaid overtime, many programmers are in the same boat.
Woodworking is almost cliche for us at this point, but it's good fun. Hard to turn into a business, which is true of most craft.
But even as a hobby, it's a good gateway to DIY, and that's a good gateway to actual trades, and you can make serious money, plumbing, roofing and general maintenance.
But even as a hobby, it's a good gateway to DIY, and that's a good gateway to actual trades, and you can make serious money, plumbing, roofing and general maintenance.
Start a small scale Pizza and craft beer joint, or
become a dog groomer, because isle of dogs.
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I'd probably get a job as a welder after spending some time at a local community college getting certification. It's a highly paid skill, in demand in most areas and you don't have to go in to debt to become educated in the field.
I really love fitness, so my "post career career" dream would be to start a gym.
Back to drilling oil wells, I suppose. I expect there will be a larger share of geothermal wells by then. In theory I can pick up any number of blue collar jobs, there is a huge overlap. Interesting question, thanks :)
I would pick drawing, painting, comics, or something in that area. As I read in a comic, I'd have to eat tuna out of the can for the rest of my life but I would at least be happy.
In your place? Electrician.
In your place? Electrician.
I chose electromechanical prototyping and product design when I had the chance precisely because I'd rather use computers as tools without having to basically live inside of them :P
whenever i get totally burned out - i think of becoming a policeman, you can do some real good there, pay is also not too bad and where i am from there is no age restriction to join
I'd start a bike shop. My town is pretty bikeable but the nearest shop (which I hear is very good!) is quite a ways away, which isn't great if you need a quick repair.
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Farming, lots of the same multi-variable problem solving, systems thinking, and as hands-on and rewarding as the trades. Not as lucrative with interest rates being high.
I'd love to be a stationer, then add a book section (for rare, old or special books), and maybe if things go well enough, have a small tea house section.
I'd love to be a CNC machinist. I was making gears in a machine shop before long covid got me.
Sooner or later I will have my own CNC mill to play with in my garage.
Sooner or later I will have my own CNC mill to play with in my garage.
I'd look into some kind of technician work. Maybe specializing in solar panels. Something where I drive a van full of tools places and fix things.
I'd like to learn to sew. Seems like a lost art and would like to help bring old things back to life, such as quality clothes, upholstery, etc.
I've been sewing my own clothes now for about a decade, and it is the one of the most rewarding hobbies I have ever had. Go for it!
Thanks! Any resources you can point me to?
Sewing apparel can be really hard to figure out by yourself, even with youtube. The best way (imo) to learn is to find a self-paced, bring your own project kind of class. A skilled instructor will help you step-by-step with a project you are passionate about.
I would start by making a little zipper bag, then pajamas, then whatever interests you. Maybe t-shirts because it's so cool to make a t-shirt out of a unique fabric. But they can be tricky.
The instructor will help you learn the patterns and techniques. And with someone helping you its less frustrating in the beginning.
Eventually you learn the techniques and then it becomes all about the creativity and craft. Im telling you, this hobby pays dividends. I hope you enjoy it!
One thing to remember is that commercial garments are usually certain types of fabrics for a reason. So when you break the rules you really gotta know what you are doing. Just like business ;D
I would start by making a little zipper bag, then pajamas, then whatever interests you. Maybe t-shirts because it's so cool to make a t-shirt out of a unique fabric. But they can be tricky.
The instructor will help you learn the patterns and techniques. And with someone helping you its less frustrating in the beginning.
Eventually you learn the techniques and then it becomes all about the creativity and craft. Im telling you, this hobby pays dividends. I hope you enjoy it!
One thing to remember is that commercial garments are usually certain types of fabrics for a reason. So when you break the rules you really gotta know what you are doing. Just like business ;D
I’d like to be one of those people that restores old buildings using traditional crafts.
And civil engineering. That seems like it’s always beneficial.
And civil engineering. That seems like it’s always beneficial.
I have always dreamt about running my own café and eventually sell bags of coffee with my name on it. Would be cool.
Electrician. Would be hard on my body I'm sure, but I just don't see that job ever going away.
I'd love to run a small music venue that doubles as an art/event space during the day.
Most people talk about raising goats - I'm raising llamas on my farm.
If you haven't before, consider technical blue collar work. It pays well and is underappreciated by many.
Anecdote:
I live in Florida. A years ago, when I was starting to get my foothold in computer security and cryptography, several of my friends began transitioning from minimum-wage restaurant work to working in HVAC. (For installs, piece work is better than hourly.)
Even as a helper, their wages rose from $9/hour (dish pit) to $300 per install (typically one install per day, sometimes two if they're smaller jobs), which for a typical 8 hour shift is congruent to about $37/hour. Most days, they left at or just before dawn but were home for lunch, which is 4-5 hours. (Occasionally they'd have a late evening, but most homeowners and gated communities don't like workers staying past 5 PM.)
Last year (almost to the day), my friends started their own HVAC company. (They would have sooner, but you need four years of supervised work to even qualify for the state certification test.) They drew enough business to be self-sustaining in their first quarter. (Remember, though, this is Florida; I don't imagine the same demand would be felt in Alaska.)
The secret sauce to running a successful HVAC company in a state with a warm climate is surprisingly simple, and the bar is very low: Don't be a scumbag.
Don't try to sell people things they don't actually need, especially a unit when their existing one doesn't need replacing. Often, they encounter customers that need a new capacitor (less than $200 of parts and labor) or a drain line cleaned for a 3 year old air conditioner, but other companies wanted them to fork over $10,000 for a new unit.
More bluntly: Don't be a Louis Bruno. https://winknews.com/2022/07/05/state-reaches-a-deal-with-br...
It's depressing but the most basic business ethics put you in a class of your own compared to a lot of your competition, but that's the world today. (There are some obvious comparisons to other, more white-collar industries here, of course.)
Trust is the currency of every business, whether they realize it or not. There are fertile lands waiting to be tilled in this respect. Having integrity has a high up-front cost (harder sales pitches), but is better in the long-term for your community.
This is all to say: If I had to leave my computer job, I'd study HVAC and work with my friends. (I helped get their business off the ground, as their only investor, so I'd already be more than welcome.)
There are a lot of technical blue collar jobs out there (and not all are hard on your body like construction).
It's important work; everyone needs running water, electricity, and running toilets. Everyone in cold climates needs a viable way to heat their home. Everyone in warm climates needs a viable way to cool their home. Many people need both.
Anecdote:
I live in Florida. A years ago, when I was starting to get my foothold in computer security and cryptography, several of my friends began transitioning from minimum-wage restaurant work to working in HVAC. (For installs, piece work is better than hourly.)
Even as a helper, their wages rose from $9/hour (dish pit) to $300 per install (typically one install per day, sometimes two if they're smaller jobs), which for a typical 8 hour shift is congruent to about $37/hour. Most days, they left at or just before dawn but were home for lunch, which is 4-5 hours. (Occasionally they'd have a late evening, but most homeowners and gated communities don't like workers staying past 5 PM.)
Last year (almost to the day), my friends started their own HVAC company. (They would have sooner, but you need four years of supervised work to even qualify for the state certification test.) They drew enough business to be self-sustaining in their first quarter. (Remember, though, this is Florida; I don't imagine the same demand would be felt in Alaska.)
The secret sauce to running a successful HVAC company in a state with a warm climate is surprisingly simple, and the bar is very low: Don't be a scumbag.
Don't try to sell people things they don't actually need, especially a unit when their existing one doesn't need replacing. Often, they encounter customers that need a new capacitor (less than $200 of parts and labor) or a drain line cleaned for a 3 year old air conditioner, but other companies wanted them to fork over $10,000 for a new unit.
More bluntly: Don't be a Louis Bruno. https://winknews.com/2022/07/05/state-reaches-a-deal-with-br...
It's depressing but the most basic business ethics put you in a class of your own compared to a lot of your competition, but that's the world today. (There are some obvious comparisons to other, more white-collar industries here, of course.)
Trust is the currency of every business, whether they realize it or not. There are fertile lands waiting to be tilled in this respect. Having integrity has a high up-front cost (harder sales pitches), but is better in the long-term for your community.
This is all to say: If I had to leave my computer job, I'd study HVAC and work with my friends. (I helped get their business off the ground, as their only investor, so I'd already be more than welcome.)
There are a lot of technical blue collar jobs out there (and not all are hard on your body like construction).
It's important work; everyone needs running water, electricity, and running toilets. Everyone in cold climates needs a viable way to heat their home. Everyone in warm climates needs a viable way to cool their home. Many people need both.
I would make furniture or do wedding photography.
Buy a Surf School
- Teaching CS and research
- gardening
- assembling lego for Legoland
- gardening
- assembling lego for Legoland
Restoring old motorbikes.
Bon vivant
Winemaking
teaching meditation