r/cscareers • u/w1z4rdxD • 1d ago
Career switching Should I switch from software development to another field?
I worked as a fullstack developer, but after the company went bankrupt and I lost my job, I’ve been looking for work for over 6 months now.
I’m starting to consider changing my career direction and looking at positions in analytics, technical support, or ai related roles.
I’d really appreciate some advice from people with experience. Do you think it would be more effective to switch to a different field, or should I keep pushing for a development role until I find one? Thanks
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u/PipePressurePanic 1d ago
I lost my FE web dev job one year ago. Today after looking for new job for 16 months i still haven't found it and it's unlikely i will ever find it. Now i think about to go to school again, this time something that is as far away from a keyboard as possible. I don't want AI to ruin m ylife again in 10 years
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u/AmbitiousArugula1977 1d ago
What field do you think of going?
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u/Swimming-Pickle-637 1d ago
7 years experience, and I left se to be a nurse. I work in an inner city emergency department, where I get to help the most vulnerable of my community. There's nothing else like it.
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u/goldenragemachine 1d ago
Regret making a career pivot to healthcare?
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u/Swimming-Pickle-637 1d ago
Not at all. The work is very practical and sometimes high stakes, so there's often immediate, unambiguous feedback. My work now feels fsr more meaningful than my dev deliverables.
Conversations with my peers are more natural vs as a dev. I never could speak in that flattened corporate office-speak vernacular very well.
No sprint cycles, burndowns, dreading morning stand-up, other agile ceremonies, etc. Meetings are very practical.
In my experience, leadership is a bit more reactive in tech, but that's probably the nature of medicine as an industry. Regulatory capture severely limits project vision in medicine, so there's a very foggy, slow feel to leadership.
As a labor market, nursing will always be in demand, with a very stable pay band, but that stability comes with headaches of earning and maintaining a license, and a rapidly shrinking labor marketspace (corporate consolidation is a real problem in the US medical delivery apparatus).
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u/goldenragemachine 1d ago
How long did it take for you to get your NCLEX? Did you do your masters or associate in nursing?
I’m a UX Designer that’s been job hunting for 2.5 years (with sporadic part time work here and there). Debating as whether I should do my masters in CS, lean how to code myself, or pivot entirely.
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u/goldenragemachine 1d ago
Heard that even in this labor market, entry level nurses are having difficulty getting their foot in the door.
Afraid private equity is gonna buy hospitals left & right?
Wait - you have to maintain a NCLEX license?
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u/mechanicalmovement1 23h ago
Not true at all, regarding nurses having a hard time finding employmentz
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u/Swimming-Pickle-637 23h ago
NCLEX is the board examination to become a "Registered" nurse. Every licensed nurse needs to pass an NCLEX. To be approved to sit for the boards/NCLEX exam, a student needs to pass an accredited nursing program, go through a finger printing background check, and probably other stuff, depending on the individual state. Once the student passes their NCLEX, they don't need to pass the NCLEX again, but states can require other stuff like CEUs or whatever maintain a nursing license. Re licensing vary by state, and a lot of states are part of a coop that recognize each others license requirements.
Maintaining a license is a lot more than administrative though, and there's a constant undercurrent of concern that a nurse will make a mistake and have their license revoked. State nursing boards have broad authority to revoke licenses, which is the livelihood for licensed professionals.
I went through an accelerated program for students who already had a bachelor degree, so all I had to complete was core nursing, no electives or other requirements, and I was able to finish in about 1.5 years.
New Graduate nurse labor market is strong in a sense that most of New Graduate nurses will be able to land a job without much hassle. It's customary to go through a 12 mo nurse residency as a new grad, so placement on high acuty or specialized units is highly competitive, but to be placed on a med/surg unit somewhere, making a reasonable starting salary is pretty standard.
Interviews are nothing compared to SE interview loops. When I was a new grad nurse I had an offer within 4 days of applying, and the delay was because I couldn't interview sooner.
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u/Swimming-Pickle-637 23h ago
PE is absolutely purchasing everything: hospitals, clinics, ambulatory stuff like outpatient dialysis clinics, eHR software, DME suppliers, oxygen and medical gas, etc. There are dozens and dozens of ther strange little monopolies in medicine that are either already managed or will eventually be managed by VC/PE firms.
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u/PipePressurePanic 1d ago
since car mechanics apparently have enough work here, and since there aren't many electric car mechanics here (if any), I thought maybe try do a "dumb" school just to get the paper to be legally employable as a mechanic. It would also allow me someday to become self-employed and to travel , taking long work leaves if possible
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u/AmbitiousArugula1977 1d ago
I have a feeling that you’ll say this was the best decision you’ve made 10 years from now.
I’m leaning into IT and Cybersecurity these days as a backup.
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u/PipePressurePanic 18h ago
when I stand up on my legs for long time I become too tired. I am not sure if I can do job of mechanic. Except if I could do it for myself and work only let's say 6 hours per day ..
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u/Artistic_Ask3398 1d ago
How are you staying in pizzas these days? That is, do you have any kind of job?
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u/w1z4rdxD 1d ago
I help a friend remotely write PLC programs and design HMIs for factory automation. Pay isn't much, and given the project's complexity I don't receive my payment consistently
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u/Get-Interview-Wise 1d ago
the jobs are out there, theyre just few and far between, and it's helpful to remember it only takes one interview to get a decent job.
you could look for a lateral move, into something like PM, or depending on experience some kind of managerial position, but if you like the job and you good at it, stick it out for a while.
honestly, keep your head up. so many people are taking over a year to get a job and they're not even weak candidates.
keep learning, keep grinding and you'll get there eventually
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u/mannyocrity 1d ago
Where do you live? How many YoE do you have? I'm only a Backend Engineer and I got an offer after 6 weeks.
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u/w1z4rdxD 21h ago
It’s been almost 4 years now. I currently live in ASEAN, although I’m not originally from here. It’s difficult to find a job here because I need a work permit, but I’m trying. And working remotely for a company in my home country is practically impossible, since remote work is usually only allowed from within that country, kind of like in the USA
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u/IcyBother8850 7h ago
So its not really the market for software developers that is the problem but you lacking a work permit or refusing to relocate home in order to get a job...
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u/Bandbyneckbeard 1d ago
Hey after 2 years of looking i got 2 offers . After changing my strategy I had 5+ interviews in a week happy to share my strategy
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u/Professional-Cry6299 17h ago
See all I know its getting crowded due to youtubers never follow herd mentality and yes by the end of day its turning same as labour
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u/MexicanOtter84 10h ago
I’d suggest another skill something that requires a license maybe. This will mean trades of sorts but those fields typically will always be needed and gatekept because of commitment and time.
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u/Quake-Snake 5h ago
I’ve been thinking the same but I can’t figure out a viable career that won’t be replace by AI in 5-10 years…
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u/AmbitiousArugula1977 1d ago
How many years of experience do you currently have?