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yes, you will be able to own that coffee shop, but you won't want to. being their landlord is a better way to go. also, i don't think software is viewed as a "
by jimboyoungblood 15y ago
yes, you will be able to own that coffee shop, but you won't want to. being their landlord is a better way to go.
also, i don't think software is viewed as a "high-prestige" profession.
- bh42222 15y agoalso, i don't think software is viewed as a "high-prestige" profession. It really depends on where in the world you are.
- jimboyoungblood 15y agoi don't know about other countries, but being a software developer is not high-status anywhere in the united states. i lived many years in sf and mountain view. even there, being a "product manager" is higher status than "software developer" or "engineer".
- aaronblohowiak 15y agoHigher status, but often paid less.
- timcederman 15y agoSometimes, not often.
- ido 15y agoIt is considered quite high prestige in Israel (as does working in high-tech/engineering in general).
- patio11 15y agoWriting letters isn't high-prestige either, which is why lawyers don't describe their job as writing letters all day. Learn from their example.
- pacemkr 15y agoI've been thinking about this. Saying "I'm a software developer" just doesn't communicate what I do, even though programming is... well, what I do. Thanks for reframing the problem succinctly. You thought about this, so how do you describe your profession?
- patio11 15y agoMine specifically? "I helped two million kids learn to read last year" or "Occasionally, companies fly me out to them so that I can work for a week or three and make them several million dollars. The other 40 weeks of the year I keep myself amused." Back when I was doing software development every day, the answer was something closer to "You know X university? I make sure their entrance exams run smoothly." For a generic software developer, "I make my employer absolute piles of money by being clever in the general vicinity of a computer."
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- efsavage 15y agopatio11's answers are cute, but if you say things like that you'll probably just end up defending yourself against people's misinterpretations. "So you're a teacher?" or "You mean like a security guard?" I think the best approach is a middle ground, rather than say what you are, or what the ultimate result is, just say what you _do_. "I build websites" or "I build iphone applications" or "I run servers and networks" is something accessible that people can comfortably take wherever they want, e.g. "what language?" or "oh, i just downloaded this cool app that ..."
- tptacek 15y agoHis cute answer is safer than mine, which is "I rob banks." You need to internalize something about marketing. When Patrick says, "I helped 2 million kids learn how to read", he has framed the conversation in terms of the value proposition he wants to talk about. Statistically speaking, "nobody" cares about websites and iPhone applications. Moreover, virtually nobody --- even practitioners --- can tell the difference between someone who is good at building a website and someone who is working from a copy of "learn PHP in 3 hours". Saying what you "do" is a remarkably bad strategy. If the thought of explaining the broad value you choose to provide to people produces cold sweats, my recommendation is "practice more".
- phillmv 15y agoIt's relatively easy for us to be in the top 10-5% of earners. We don't get doctor-respect, nor lawyer-money but… I'd say medium-high prestige.
- bostonvaulter2 15y agoAdditionally I think our prestige is going to keep going up as time goes on.