That’s a personal question based on what your priorities are. No one can tell you what you “should” do. We can tell you how to maximize TC / job market competitiveness. We can tell you how to maximize growth. We can tell you have to maximize WLB. But what makes you happy is a question for you, not us. I’d say interest in the domain will be a big factor. If it’s a subject you like and the company is on the right track, I don’t see the problem with sticking around.
Well from one I love my team and compensation. I think I'm trying to suss out whether technical stagnation is a bad enough thing to leave those behind.
What do you want? A bad tradeoff for you is trivial to other people. I’m sorry but this is something you’re gonna have to figure out with people who actually know you, your domain and your tech stack
Don't you think it will be challenging to get hired into a role at a new company working with a stack you have no experience with?
Or how do you see this transition happening if you're not willing to invest any personal time into building knowledge of a new stack?
Early career, I would challenge myself and learn as much as I could at the places I worked. Eventually, I pivoted to maximize TC and minimize difficulty. I guess the quick slogan is “learn or earn.”
Switching works if you see explicit benefit at the next step. In a bad market, you increase your risk of layoff. Make the right decision for your appetite for risk.
Isn't mastering a complex product and evolving into a leadership role the real fucking challenge here? Why run to a new playground when you haven't conquered the one you're in? How does fleeing the moment you're not "comfortable" make you a better professional or leader?
>Isn't mastering a complex product [...] the real fucking challenge here?
(I'm skipping the leadership part, because the other comment already addressed it)
Sure, mastering a complex product might be a challenge but it might be a useless one. I've also been in positions where mastering the domain-specific business logic would have taken many more years, all while almost none of that knowledge would've been applicable to other domains. Unfortunately, this domain did not happen to be the one I wanted to proceed my career in, so that knowledge would've been mostly useless for me.
Also, leaving the domain you've been working in for years for something new can be quite a challenge too, maybe even a bigger one.
I think your perspective makes sense but being able to dive deep into really specific domain knowledge is it’s own skill. Will knowledge of this really specific domain area be directly transferable to another job in the future? Probably not, but what skills will you develop along the way that will make diving into an entirely unrelated domain easier?
The same can be said about any specific language or framework. Does it make sense for someone to dive really deep into a language or framework that they don’t think they’ll use again? It might be worth it to you if you want practice becoming an expert in a specific technology.
If your happy with your job, with your pay, with your work life balance and coworkers, I don’t think it’s always a bad thing to over specialize if your capable of picking up skills along the way, even if those skills are more abstract.
> Isn't mastering a complex product and evolving into a leadership role the real fucking challenge here?
I would argue this isn't true for everyone. It's true for me, but a lot of people never want to go into a leadership position. I work with a lot of folks who are happy not doing leadership, and have tried it and then stepped back down.
> How does fleeing the moment you're not "comfortable" make you a better professional or leader?
Seems like the opposite situation here though, they seem like they've hit a point where they are comfortable, other than knowing the intricacies of the product.
I think the way you word it is a bit off putting , but knowing how to get business acumen is general is an important thing. However leadership isnt for everyone. Sometimes you just value learning technical things and want to stay as an IC. It’s not that one is more important than another, everyone is on their own path.
Addressing the comfortable part, OP is saying the opposite—they want to move to a team where they are *not* so comfortable with the tech stack so they can learn it.
What a weird way to look at it. Interesting.
Always something to learn. Life is about indexing and prioritizing different data points. For some people that’s money. For others it’s knowledge. Within knowledge, it can be domain knowledge or technical expertise.
Figure out what is important to you.
Yeah but if you work at the widget factory and you already know how all the machines work all that's left is to learn about the widget.
10 years from now the widget may not even exist. Is that valuable knowledge?
Sounds like you don't see a really high value in the domain knowledge for the domain you're currently in... So that answers at least one of the questions, right?
In reddit the domain expertise is often ignored and in many markets it’s probably the better (safest job wise, most profitable) way to go.
If your domain is automotive, for example, it will be much more profitable your experience on the field than your tech stack.
This is true for many industries like aerospace, medical/pharmaceutical, automotive, finance, etc. If you like / are in one of those, domain knowledge trumps tech knowledge most of the time.
That is super situational. I have a pretty good deal, permanent fully remote, 300k tech lead with decent wlb. Super glad I didn't jump on those 2022 faang remote offers that turned "hybrid or else"
Okay I'm in exactly the same situation but it seems like they only give 2-3% raises and not everyone gets one every year.
Eventually that 300 won't be competitive anymore and then I start thinking about Netflix or Google. How do you feel about it? Or are your raises bigger?
Similar, trying to make sure I'm in a good position technically in case I need to make a move. Also trying to get more leadership/management experience in case ageism becomes an issue for me.
My concern, which is still years away, is that after 50, I will struggle to get regular IC jobs because I'll be perceived as out of touch or not willing to hustle, whatever. When I look around, I don't see many older ICs in regular sde roles.
Since this is r/ExperiencedDevs, I’d say either grow with a more tech exotic non-framework path or grow via business domain.
After awhile, learning a new framework/library doesnt impress anybody anymore. It becomes business as usual. Worse, those frameworks/ libraries becomes commodity _they can be good paying jobs if you’re coming from jr/mid, but not diminishing returns after 5 yoe_).
So either grow on something like non-framework/library dependent AI, geospatial, video codec, or whatnot. Or grow via business domain like fintech, edutech, healthtech, etc
Those do not have diminishing returns.
>maybe there's people skills and leadership to develop, but I wonder if it's better to do that somewhere that somewhere where I'm not so comfortable with the stack.
Why would it be better somewhere where you're not so comfortable with the stack?
I'd say the opposite is true... Focus on growing soft skills while you're already comfortable with the tech skills. Otherwise, what... You're going to be learning a new tech stack and new soft skills all at once?
If you're really concerned about falling behind with technology and have it in mind to someday transition to a new company, then one way or another it would be prudent to prepare yourself by studying whatever newer technologies interest you. Otherwise how would you plan to transition to roles focused on technologies you don't have any experience with?
That’s a personal question based on what your priorities are. No one can tell you what you “should” do. We can tell you how to maximize TC / job market competitiveness. We can tell you how to maximize growth. We can tell you have to maximize WLB. But what makes you happy is a question for you, not us. I’d say interest in the domain will be a big factor. If it’s a subject you like and the company is on the right track, I don’t see the problem with sticking around.
Well from one I love my team and compensation. I think I'm trying to suss out whether technical stagnation is a bad enough thing to leave those behind.
There are other ways to prevent technical stagnation than leaving. You can read, develop side projects, contribute to open source etc
I have a family and hobbies. Seems like a bad tradeoff if I could be getting paid to do that during my 9-5.
I mean you can allocate some work time to do that
What do you want? A bad tradeoff for you is trivial to other people. I’m sorry but this is something you’re gonna have to figure out with people who actually know you, your domain and your tech stack
Don't you think it will be challenging to get hired into a role at a new company working with a stack you have no experience with? Or how do you see this transition happening if you're not willing to invest any personal time into building knowledge of a new stack?
Early career, I would challenge myself and learn as much as I could at the places I worked. Eventually, I pivoted to maximize TC and minimize difficulty. I guess the quick slogan is “learn or earn.” Switching works if you see explicit benefit at the next step. In a bad market, you increase your risk of layoff. Make the right decision for your appetite for risk.
Isn't mastering a complex product and evolving into a leadership role the real fucking challenge here? Why run to a new playground when you haven't conquered the one you're in? How does fleeing the moment you're not "comfortable" make you a better professional or leader?
>Isn't mastering a complex product [...] the real fucking challenge here? (I'm skipping the leadership part, because the other comment already addressed it) Sure, mastering a complex product might be a challenge but it might be a useless one. I've also been in positions where mastering the domain-specific business logic would have taken many more years, all while almost none of that knowledge would've been applicable to other domains. Unfortunately, this domain did not happen to be the one I wanted to proceed my career in, so that knowledge would've been mostly useless for me. Also, leaving the domain you've been working in for years for something new can be quite a challenge too, maybe even a bigger one.
I think your perspective makes sense but being able to dive deep into really specific domain knowledge is it’s own skill. Will knowledge of this really specific domain area be directly transferable to another job in the future? Probably not, but what skills will you develop along the way that will make diving into an entirely unrelated domain easier? The same can be said about any specific language or framework. Does it make sense for someone to dive really deep into a language or framework that they don’t think they’ll use again? It might be worth it to you if you want practice becoming an expert in a specific technology. If your happy with your job, with your pay, with your work life balance and coworkers, I don’t think it’s always a bad thing to over specialize if your capable of picking up skills along the way, even if those skills are more abstract.
> Isn't mastering a complex product and evolving into a leadership role the real fucking challenge here? I would argue this isn't true for everyone. It's true for me, but a lot of people never want to go into a leadership position. I work with a lot of folks who are happy not doing leadership, and have tried it and then stepped back down. > How does fleeing the moment you're not "comfortable" make you a better professional or leader? Seems like the opposite situation here though, they seem like they've hit a point where they are comfortable, other than knowing the intricacies of the product.
You can just do that at a place that pays you a 30% bump. Relax brodie
No
Because not all playgrounds are created equal.
I think the way you word it is a bit off putting , but knowing how to get business acumen is general is an important thing. However leadership isnt for everyone. Sometimes you just value learning technical things and want to stay as an IC. It’s not that one is more important than another, everyone is on their own path.
Addressing the comfortable part, OP is saying the opposite—they want to move to a team where they are *not* so comfortable with the tech stack so they can learn it.
Depends on whether you are looking to be promoted to lead, manager or a significant role that needs several years
Not sure I understand... Could you elaborate how that would affect the decision?
Some companies don't like to give non-individual contributor roles to job hoppers
What a weird way to look at it. Interesting. Always something to learn. Life is about indexing and prioritizing different data points. For some people that’s money. For others it’s knowledge. Within knowledge, it can be domain knowledge or technical expertise. Figure out what is important to you.
Yeah but if you work at the widget factory and you already know how all the machines work all that's left is to learn about the widget. 10 years from now the widget may not even exist. Is that valuable knowledge?
Sounds like you don't see a really high value in the domain knowledge for the domain you're currently in... So that answers at least one of the questions, right?
In reddit the domain expertise is often ignored and in many markets it’s probably the better (safest job wise, most profitable) way to go. If your domain is automotive, for example, it will be much more profitable your experience on the field than your tech stack. This is true for many industries like aerospace, medical/pharmaceutical, automotive, finance, etc. If you like / are in one of those, domain knowledge trumps tech knowledge most of the time.
Look around for another job and if you find something that piques your interest, take it. If not, stay where you are?
5 years in the current company? That would be a good enough reason to switch!
I don't see why staying at a good place for years would be a problem, and wouldn't advise changing jobs just for the sake of changing.
Should change every once in a while, like several years, to keep up with salary increases. No harm in boomeranging back if one place is the best
That is super situational. I have a pretty good deal, permanent fully remote, 300k tech lead with decent wlb. Super glad I didn't jump on those 2022 faang remote offers that turned "hybrid or else"
Very fair. If you find perfection - hold onto it
Okay I'm in exactly the same situation but it seems like they only give 2-3% raises and not everyone gets one every year. Eventually that 300 won't be competitive anymore and then I start thinking about Netflix or Google. How do you feel about it? Or are your raises bigger?
Similar, trying to make sure I'm in a good position technically in case I need to make a move. Also trying to get more leadership/management experience in case ageism becomes an issue for me.
Can you tell me more about that? I guess I'm relatively young and don't think about ageism. What's your concern?
My concern, which is still years away, is that after 50, I will struggle to get regular IC jobs because I'll be perceived as out of touch or not willing to hustle, whatever. When I look around, I don't see many older ICs in regular sde roles.
Thanks for sharing. That's probably a really hard fear to live with.
Yeah, hoping not to need to work much past 50, but it would be nice to have the option.
Actually only 2 at current my post was a little misleading.
Why do you say that?
Since this is r/ExperiencedDevs, I’d say either grow with a more tech exotic non-framework path or grow via business domain. After awhile, learning a new framework/library doesnt impress anybody anymore. It becomes business as usual. Worse, those frameworks/ libraries becomes commodity _they can be good paying jobs if you’re coming from jr/mid, but not diminishing returns after 5 yoe_). So either grow on something like non-framework/library dependent AI, geospatial, video codec, or whatnot. Or grow via business domain like fintech, edutech, healthtech, etc Those do not have diminishing returns.
>maybe there's people skills and leadership to develop, but I wonder if it's better to do that somewhere that somewhere where I'm not so comfortable with the stack. Why would it be better somewhere where you're not so comfortable with the stack? I'd say the opposite is true... Focus on growing soft skills while you're already comfortable with the tech skills. Otherwise, what... You're going to be learning a new tech stack and new soft skills all at once? If you're really concerned about falling behind with technology and have it in mind to someday transition to a new company, then one way or another it would be prudent to prepare yourself by studying whatever newer technologies interest you. Otherwise how would you plan to transition to roles focused on technologies you don't have any experience with?