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Thanks for bringing up this perspective. What you're describing is a good career path for a self-taught programmer without the necessary network/luck to get in

Thanks for bringing up this perspective. What you're describing is a good career path for a self-taught programmer without the necessary network/luck to get into a Fancy Software Company. Building one's own company to the point where it sustains you is two levels above that. Here is my model to fit your perspective: Self-taught programmer/moderately-ranked state school -> Junior developer at unknown startup -> Intermediate/senior developer at that startup or another one -> Software Dev at Fancy Company -> Start company with colleagues OR high-paid, remote consulting gigs

ryandrake 10y ago
Interesting. I guess it depends on your acceptable risk/reward profile. I translate your model as: Junior developer at unknown startup [Medium risk, low reward] Intermediate/senior developer at that startup or another one [Medium risk, medium reward] Software Dev at Fancy Company [Low risk, high reward] Start company with colleagues OR high-paid, remote consulting gigs [High risk, high reward] I'd characterize the last one as a step backwards IF you consider "low risk, high reward" to be the best possible situation.