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> Students hear about software grads getting tremendous starting salaries. Why should they choose hardware engineering? I didn't. They shouldn't either. It's a

> Students hear about software grads getting tremendous starting salaries. Why should they choose hardware engineering? I didn't. They shouldn't either. It's a harder job, with less perks, for less money. The real question is why do the existing hardware engineers keep doing what they are doing when they could be making double just by picking up the phone and talking to a recruiter?

rfdave 4y ago
Perhaps it's because there's little skill overlap between hardware engineers and software engineers? Perhaps it's because they have different career goals and desires?
bsder 4y ago
> I didn't. They shouldn't either. It's a harder job, with less perks, for less money. This is 100% correct. Stay far, far away from semiconductor companies until the salaries come up where they belong. > The real question is why do the existing hardware engineers keep doing what they are doing when they could be making double just by picking up the phone and talking to a recruiter? 1) Because those of us who are good at hardware engineering aren't making half of what software people make--we're making the same or more. 2) Because the people in hardware probably don't have knowledge of the "modern" web stack idiocies. A remarkable amount of hardware still runs on VB6! (the last useful desktop development environment) 3) Because the super high salaries at the FAANGs are an anomaly--as we are seeing from all the layoffs. 4) Because I do things that require my in person presence in a lab, I can't be outsourced. Everybody wants to only work from home, but they forget that if you can only work from home you can be replaced by somebody cheaper.
- powerslacker 4y ago
  All good reasons to stay away from software. Would be lovely to learn one "stack" and stick to it.
jpindar 4y ago
>when they could be making double just by picking up the phone and talking to a recruiter? I am getting so sick of people saying things like this. Of course, their companies never happen to be hiring at the moment...

rfdave 4y ago

Perhaps it's because there's little skill overlap between hardware engineers and software engineers? Perhaps it's because they have different career goals and desires?

bsder 4y ago

> I didn't. They shouldn't either. It's a harder job, with less perks, for less money. This is 100% correct. Stay far, far away from semiconductor companies until the salaries come up where they belong. > The real question is why do the existing hardware engineers keep doing what they are doing when they could be making double just by picking up the phone and talking to a recruiter? 1) Because those of us who are good at hardware engineering aren't making half of what software people make--we're making the same or more. 2) Because the people in hardware probably don't have knowledge of the "modern" web stack idiocies. A remarkable amount of hardware still runs on VB6! (the last useful desktop development environment) 3) Because the super high salaries at the FAANGs are an anomaly--as we are seeing from all the layoffs. 4) Because I do things that require my in person presence in a lab, I can't be outsourced. Everybody wants to only work from home, but they forget that if you can only work from home you can be replaced by somebody cheaper.

powerslacker 4y ago
All good reasons to stay away from software. Would be lovely to learn one "stack" and stick to it.

jpindar 4y ago

>when they could be making double just by picking up the phone and talking to a recruiter? I am getting so sick of people saying things like this. Of course, their companies never happen to be hiring at the moment...