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Hang in there. I haven't lived through a burnout yet, but I can relate to being stuck and unhirable, where your only background is in programming. No one will
by anon84759392 7y ago
Hang in there.
I haven't lived through a burnout yet, but I can relate to being stuck and unhirable, where your only background is in programming. No one will touch you for work in a different field because they figure you'll flee for a more lucrative dev role. No one will touch you for anything related to software, because they figure something must be wrong with you if you have the slightest gap in related employment. Devs are in such high demand, anyone good can find another job immediately, they'd say. Now you're in a self-perpetuating rut, and if you complain about it in the wrong community (not HN of course!), you just get told you must suck. It's completely demoralizing.
Went through that after graduating during the "Great Recession" and failing to find a dev position within six months of graduating. Ultimately, I clawed my way up (with a lot of help) after years of depression and suicidal ideation.
You may be headed away from programming, not back into like I was, but I really want you to take away the kind of encouragement online that I never received. Best of luck.
- plutonorm 7y agoThanks so much. I needed some kind words :)