4 ms·

I hear people saying this, but there are lots of people like myself who worked in the service industry, and as professional drivers for a long time before getti

I hear people saying this, but there are lots of people like myself who worked in the service industry, and as professional drivers for a long time before getting into tech (I was a delivery driver long before Uber was a thing though). Every job is stressful, but I often miss the other jobs I did (and would go back in a heartbeat if I could even net the equivalent of 45K USD). They're stressful in a different way, but at the end of the day you leave and your time until your next shift is your own in a way that I haven't experienced in a few years. > The back pain, being on the road all the time, and having to work even when "you're not in the mood" is enough to make you realize that there's no better money than IT money. I'm not sure how you figure the back pain from driving an Uber is worse than sitting at a desk all day long. And I love being on the road, listening to podcasts etc (obviously if I was driving passengers I might not be able to, but then again, I think a headset would be fine)

csomar 4y ago
Tech is depression and brain-breakdown inducing. Driving an Uber is tiring, boring and neck-breaking. But it's not going to make you mentally insane. Of course, this depends on the road conditions and the traffic of the city you are driving in.
- badpun 4y ago
  On the other hand, one month of tech is probably equivalent to 6 months of ubering? May be less or more, depending on the actual job. So, instead of driving uber for 6 months, just do a tech job for a month and then heal and recharge for five. Of course, this has to be amortized over time, but that's what I've basically been doing for the past 20 years.
  - badpun 4y ago
    Also, the good gigs are never in the super-optimized meat-grinders, such as Uber or McDonalds or Amazon warehouse. The good gigs are in places like the local city museum that almost on one visits, or being a personal driver for the mayor. So, basically, in places which don't care about efficiency that much. Of course, they're not trivial to find, and require some social capital (knowing the right person) to get.
schwartzworld 4y ago
There are some fun aspects to the service industry. I worked in food service for a decade and enjoyed it, but it's worth noting the obvious downsides. In food service particularly abuses run rampant, including widespread wage theft. Many restaurants have a toxic culture, all the way up to the top. I've known chefs who got violent, restaurant owners who brandished a gun at work, and have both experienced firsthand as well witnessing others being abused verbally or even sexually at work. Sure it can be fun, but the price for that fun is high. Lots of uncertainty about your financial future, high turnover as staff are essentially disposable, physical wear and tear on your body... I wouldn't want my kids to do it outside of a summer job. Sure, product managers are annoying. But nobody is going to fire me for checking my messages at work. I don't have to beg for time off or cover my shifts. Nobody has ever admonished me for stopping to catch my breath by saying "if you have time to lean, you have time to clean". I don't come home smelling like seafood or soy sauce or fryer grease. I don't have to miss birthdays or holidays anymore. And I make an order of magnitude more money than I ever could waiting tables (with health insurance to boot). Going back is unimaginable.
- pcthrowaway 4y ago
  > I don't have to miss birthdays or holidays anymore Interesting, my experience is the same except for this point. I feel like I never leave work now, I'm so stressed out I don't feel like I can properly socialize. When I'm not "working" I'm still trying to keep up with the latest tech, make sure I'm a competitive candidate and can get another job if I don't have one tomorrow (and I haven't felt any sense of security with my job for 3 years). Contrasting with service industry, I never missed birthdays; even if I had to show up at the tail end of the party sometimes, I showed up in a good mood and was generally excited for all the fun things I did in life outside of work. Yes, the pay wasn't as good, but I was much happier. I did get pretty lucky to never get sexually abused or a gun brandished on me at work though, I know that happens to people as well (though let's not kid ourselves and pretend sexual abuse doesn't happen in the tech industry as well) Also, the only time I've ever been physically struck by a superior was in a tech job (in Canada believe it or not). It was a light slap and after work drinks, but still, there are problems in all industries (and I slapped him back)
zerr 4y ago
Truck drivers usually net 6-figures annually, don't they?
throwaway675309 4y ago
Can you seriously not tell the difference? Being on the job as a courier forces you to be in a sitting static position. I have an electronic standing desk with a treadmill underneath it. Every 20 to 30 minutes I can swap from sitting, to standing, to walking.

csomar 4y ago

Tech is depression and brain-breakdown inducing. Driving an Uber is tiring, boring and neck-breaking. But it's not going to make you mentally insane. Of course, this depends on the road conditions and the traffic of the city you are driving in.

badpun 4y ago
On the other hand, one month of tech is probably equivalent to 6 months of ubering? May be less or more, depending on the actual job. So, instead of driving uber for 6 months, just do a tech job for a month and then heal and recharge for five. Of course, this has to be amortized over time, but that's what I've basically been doing for the past 20 years.
- badpun 4y ago
  Also, the good gigs are never in the super-optimized meat-grinders, such as Uber or McDonalds or Amazon warehouse. The good gigs are in places like the local city museum that almost on one visits, or being a personal driver for the mayor. So, basically, in places which don't care about efficiency that much. Of course, they're not trivial to find, and require some social capital (knowing the right person) to get.

schwartzworld 4y ago

There are some fun aspects to the service industry. I worked in food service for a decade and enjoyed it, but it's worth noting the obvious downsides. In food service particularly abuses run rampant, including widespread wage theft. Many restaurants have a toxic culture, all the way up to the top. I've known chefs who got violent, restaurant owners who brandished a gun at work, and have both experienced firsthand as well witnessing others being abused verbally or even sexually at work. Sure it can be fun, but the price for that fun is high. Lots of uncertainty about your financial future, high turnover as staff are essentially disposable, physical wear and tear on your body... I wouldn't want my kids to do it outside of a summer job. Sure, product managers are annoying. But nobody is going to fire me for checking my messages at work. I don't have to beg for time off or cover my shifts. Nobody has ever admonished me for stopping to catch my breath by saying "if you have time to lean, you have time to clean". I don't come home smelling like seafood or soy sauce or fryer grease. I don't have to miss birthdays or holidays anymore. And I make an order of magnitude more money than I ever could waiting tables (with health insurance to boot). Going back is unimaginable.

pcthrowaway 4y ago
> I don't have to miss birthdays or holidays anymore Interesting, my experience is the same except for this point. I feel like I never leave work now, I'm so stressed out I don't feel like I can properly socialize. When I'm not "working" I'm still trying to keep up with the latest tech, make sure I'm a competitive candidate and can get another job if I don't have one tomorrow (and I haven't felt any sense of security with my job for 3 years). Contrasting with service industry, I never missed birthdays; even if I had to show up at the tail end of the party sometimes, I showed up in a good mood and was generally excited for all the fun things I did in life outside of work. Yes, the pay wasn't as good, but I was much happier. I did get pretty lucky to never get sexually abused or a gun brandished on me at work though, I know that happens to people as well (though let's not kid ourselves and pretend sexual abuse doesn't happen in the tech industry as well) Also, the only time I've ever been physically struck by a superior was in a tech job (in Canada believe it or not). It was a light slap and after work drinks, but still, there are problems in all industries (and I slapped him back)

zerr 4y ago

Truck drivers usually net 6-figures annually, don't they?

throwaway675309 4y ago

Can you seriously not tell the difference? Being on the job as a courier forces you to be in a sitting static position. I have an electronic standing desk with a treadmill underneath it. Every 20 to 30 minutes I can swap from sitting, to standing, to walking.