I'm just about to turn 30 and I'm looking for a way out. One issue is that it's simply less lucrative where I am (New Zealand) than it is in the US. Here it's a

I'm just about to turn 30 and I'm looking for a way out. One issue is that it's simply less lucrative where I am (New Zealand) than it is in the US. Here it's a solidly lower middle class career trajectory. Another reason is I don't think software development is very respected. Look at job advertisements - the most important skill you can have is to already have experience with a given tech stack. This trumps domain knowledge, communication skills, or even total experience in the industry. How much more clear can society make it? We're highly replaceable cogs who need to have limited responsibility and autonomy. My job is half business analyst, which is a good thing, but transitioning to pure BA would mean starting again at entry level. To me my options are pursue management aggressively, start my own business, or accept that I'll have about the same standard of living as blue collar workers a generation ago.