I have been a software programmer since 1975. Right out of high school and into a community college. That's over 45 years. The PC revolution just started then. In 1974 my brother got a MITS Altair 8800. I retired at age 64 (2020). I have been thinking of getting another contract. I love creating programs. In my spare time, I write code. It's in my blood to develop programs. I've worked on microcontrollers all the way up the cloud computing. I'm still a kid playing with my toys (code and hardware). I love learning (playing with) the new technologies that keep coming out. Must be my Asperger syndrome I discovered in 2010.
My husband & I have been working in tech since 2006, after finishing college. He got into programming while I’m involved with testing. In my case, I’ve had a good mix of working for a big tech company to small start-ups. It only became fun now with my current company because I’ve been growing a lot, not just with my testing knowledge, but my other professional skills. It feels exciting to grow and also explore what other things I can learn and contribute. My husband on the other hand, have been working with mostly big tech companies, working on the same technology and he’s also not the type who’d explore other skills. He feels burnt out and bored with his current work. Lol I guess overall, you need a company/culture that will encourage you to grow or not just focus on earning more, but focus more on trying new things and gaining more skills.
That’s also what I love about being a software engineer! You can combine a lot of your interests and be able to work in different areas/sectors like fashion, health, gaming, the environment, etc. And of course be learning a lot about building good software at the same time. Thank you and your guests for the great insights Mayuko! 💕
Since I was in 1st year college I watched your videos and it motivates me to keep my dreams alive, to become a software engineer. Now I'm graduating in BS Computer Science on August 18 and hopefully I become a Software Engineer soon!!
I love that you did this video. Many people tend to equate software engineering with software and technology companies. But after you enter the career, you realize that many types of companies need software engineers and people who think like software engineers. You learn to apply your skills to solve new problems instead of just building apps by tech companies.
I am not a software engineer yet but well on my way to being one in the next 2 years as my time in the military comes to an end and I graduate with my B.S. in Computer Science. I would say that a lot of software engineers acquire such a great skill set that they learn the business and then work for themselves. You will make enough money as a software engineer to make some great investments. I would also say the money is good enough that you can retire in 12 years instead of 20 years if you play your cards right.
There's a balance when it comes to the career path you take in software engineering. Sure many go developer to junior to mid/senior and few make it higher to lead/staff/principle. Value you can return on a company investment is what drives any business. No matter how long you've been doing it the key is to always keep learning new things. The flip side of course for software engineering is stepping away from it into management or product roles that just expect you to have a background in it. It's such a huge field at this point.
As someone who has been doing this "professionally" since the mid 1990s (and coding since 1980) - it can definitely be a long term carrier - many of the devs that I've seen leave the field left because they made enough money that they can do whatever they want (and many still code for their own projects) - I still enjoy it and love learning new languages and stacks all the time - definitely blessed to be able to do something that is as much my hobby as my carrier
@manny There really isn't any magic path, to be honest - it's be smart with your money [save/invest wisely], and virtually any path in tech - whatever floats your boat - and diversify your sources of income so you are "weather proof" if a storm comes - there isn't any one path though - there are thousands of paths - you simply have to find the one that is right for you
As a 5 year software engineer at Amazon, if you're not a manager (individual contributor), your software engineer career is as long as your ability to continuously learn at a good pace, unfortunately this pace is moving at a faster pace.
@@amans6504 no, it’s a fact. Managerial position is not really that replaceable, unless he is retired or make a big mistake. While tech talent are totally replaceable…
@@juliansihite1289 with management comes accountability, responsibilities, targets? Whereas engineers are supposed to be individual contributors. I don't think it's easy to replace a senior enginee, most new grads are script kiddies, they don't know how to write low level code. Coding is an art, someone who have spend time a decade doing it, they can hack build anything and get rich in between invest that money and so on. Managerial positions only exists because the product is existing. Managers are anyway decreasing. The comparison isn't fair. All I know is most of the world is just full of passionless, mediocre people. Someone who love their craft will thrive.
NSBE on deck! Awesome video, Mayuko! In my almost 10 years experience (coming up on 9 years), I have learned you have to advocate and lead your career path. This can range from learning to the people/organizations you work with. It can be easy to stay to collect a check but the challenge is to continue to grow.
There are endless new things emerging (and continuous demand of solving remaining old untouched issues/problems left) in the world of software engineering so if you can really find fun in software engineering it's surely a great job to make a long term career. I've been working as software engineer (including related jobs not necessarily directly writing code though I've been keeping writing code anyway) since 1990 and I guess I'll be working more years as software engineer.
Daniel Tomko summarizes very well on the importance of having breaks and not compromising on having the best team members and the management. I 100% agree with him.
I agree with the burn out. I’ve been a self-taught developer for 7 yrs but never actually worked in the industry. I’m also currently taking online computer science and halfway towards completion.
My father in law is a self taught pretty much ( was in the air force and went college classes randomly ) and now a coo of pharmaceutical company . He is 55 and he said he is the only c level executive who doesn’t have degree . I guess so the answer is yes since he’s been doing his job for over 20+ years 😅
Going on 6 years now and I currently work at a healthcare company developing their new web and mobile app. The healthcare space has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to technical solutions and this company is all in on innovating in the space which is both interesting and exciting for the long term of my time here. I get to work full remote and my hours are super flexible. That being said, for anyone who is currently looking to get into software engineering or some tech related field, this is still definitely the time to do so. It's not easy and it's hard, but it's rewarding and yes... it generally pays very well. ;) Especially if you're someone who get's board easy, this job is never boring.
Hi, I’m a healthcare professional but I’m thinking of learning programming. In your experience is employability good even without a bachelor’s degree in computer science?
@@flossqueen As a self-taught dev, I found that getting a job in the beginning can be tough but once you get at least 1-2 years of experience, getting jobs after that seems to get easier. At least that's my experience. Not having a bachelors degree never seemed to bar me too hard from getting work.
I've decided I'm in software engineering because I like being competent at using and building technology, but I don't want to stay forever. Hoping to transition back to physics/math later in life!
Hahah this video made me count the years. I graduated in 2004. Sheesh 18 years?!? That went quick. I will say that I’ve been more of a software engineering ‘manager’ for the last few years than I have been an actual developer. I agree with the guy in the video that graduated in 95, Sometimes being away from the code feels wrong… especially when you used to code. And your value is higher if you can actually produce software and build the services that are going to production. If you get up to management staff you may be giving up the thing that you love that got you into this field in the first place! Beware of the corporate ladder… it may be leaning up against the wrong wall.
@@reviews9216 yeah.. sometimes it’s not. Management is the only thing to do as you move up but you may not like it if you love to code. Instead of managing tech you’re managing people. Some love it, others don’t you just have to be sure of what you want.
This isn't mentioned in many places, but in terms of long term career prospects, one of the biggest hurdles for ICs is getting beyond staff engineer. Each company is different and figuring out the criteria is often a challenge in and of itself. But it seems like you inevitably need to gain visibility without seeming like you're trying to gain visibility... If you stay for too many years below staff or even at staff, the job turns into a ticket ritual without much autonomy and you will feel it.
Well explained. Just became a software engineer and as a fresher the only thing I could see is my career growth. But your points are very informative for all such folks out there. Thank you for making this video. 🥰🥰
With all due respect Mayuko the survey says "50% of respondents have been coding for ten years or less". Not only that does not fall into the category of 'most people' but also it doesn't not suggest anything unexpected is going on. For the last decade tech industry has been getting a lot of heat and extended quickly (smartphones came along), so the new space had to be filled with less experienced people and new CS grads (which has been growing in number consistently as well). 50% of 10+ years of experience sounds pretty amazing to me. And of course it's gonna be different from lawyers or doctors. Not that software engineers prefer and do work for 30 years but this distribution just makes sense.
the thing is that i cant see myself sitting at a desk coding in my 50s lol but i guess people transition to mentoring and managing projects when they become senior programmers
Software Engineering or a career in Tech is a long term career. The only question is do you want to code for the rest of your career? I see two paths to take, one is to become a Manager and two is to become a Software Architect.
For me personally, I don’t want to work at a screen for that long of a time. I’ve been working for consulting agencies going on 4 years, and I don’t ever see a shortage of work. I mean a contract may run out, but there’s always going to be something new. I think if you want to be in the industry for a long time, there’s always going to be work. Companies are always going to have technical problems that they need help with. No need to worry. My goal is to drop down to PT work once I feel comfortable charging a high rate, then work on opening a coffee truck :)
My question is if it's a good idea to be a programmer for 20 years or to save / invest at the beginning then you will be able to do whatever you want even to build your own startup.
Working as a programmer should be used as leverage to build own projects on the side, like a social media presence or a start-up. Working in a big tech company makes you especially replaceable, thus you'd be wise to invest in skills that enable you to build your own thing.
I've been programming since the age of 13, and had my first paying job at 16, its been 20 years... Most people at my point just get burnt out. My boss use to program and while he is trying to get back into it, he struggles because it takes a lot of mental anguish. The best way I can explain it is, he wants to be productive and when he doesn't hit that productive strive, he doesn't want to work on the project. Another way to look at this is as so... You've climbed Mount Everest 10 years ago, now you're asked to climb it again and that passion for doing it the first time isn't there. For me I'll climb that mountain as many times as my body will let me, but for many ... many others they will not do this. I've worked with people that I know will not last long in this industry because of the way they work. I've worked on some of the most mind numbing code bases, that have even made other people literally quite where I've worked. For most its like some race to get to that one place, but what happens when you're there? How long can you last?
Hello. I am 16 years old, I will be 17 soon. I am very interested in the world of information technology. But I didn't do programming intensively before. Once 2 years ago I was very interested, I even made a bot that predicted the bot. But my family did not support my decisions and since then I have given up programming. And now I want to go to university to study computer science, but now I notice the competition around me. Almost all of my peers have started programming since childhood, have achievements in competitive programming and apply to top universities in the world. And I am a person who does not really succeed in anything (both in programming and in academic knowledge), I feel that I am starting to give back. I live in Kazakhstan, which is also not a very good place to live. And I don't know what to do now. Even part of this text I typed in the translator. I don't even know if I will be able to succeed in the field of IT.
@@bayastantursaliev7142 Keep at it. I freelanced while I washed dishes. I was programming for $2-$3 an hour for online work and would slowly let go of cheaper clients. Once they knew my value they were willing to pay more, much more. That let me build the portfolio that let me land my first job programming for a company, rather than freelancing. Working at a company doesn't have to be a goal, but if you love this field, you can work in many other ways.
I have been in Silicon Valley programming for 35 years - last 20 years as a consultant (hired gun). My first program was writing Fortran program on mainframe. Now I'm doing Angular, Java, spring, ServiceNow, and whatever else is required. Definitely, you can program for years, but it gets harder. It gets harder because there are always 23 year old hot shot Stanford Grad with more energy, more knowledge, more everything, every single year - that are eager to please and make it big. And that's who they want to hire. You try to stay relevant but it's very difficult. Especially the front end stuff where things are constantly evolving. However, you can do what I did. Stay relevant and don't look for permanent employment. Market yourself out to the highest bidder and work 6 to 10 months a year. In short, program for 10 to 15 years with a real company as an employee. maybe take a shot at a startup. Make your money and get out. One good thing about programming in Silicon Valley is that it pays extremely well. I'm more than comfortable and had not had to work for about 17 years or so. So I wouldn't kid myself about working as a programmer for 20 to 40 years for the same company or as an employee for a company. That's not going to happen. You might move to management, product manager, or other position, but odds are, you're not coding for 20 to 40 years unless you make yourself a consultant. There's always an exception to the rule, but this is the most likely scenario (if you want to continue coding).
it's simple. People start their own companies and become tired of working for people. I have 10 years experience and I did that. I'll have to admit I do not code much anymore and I miss it a little but not as much as I like working for my own company.
Next year it'll be 20 years I'm working in the same company as a software engineer :) Technologies evolved a lot since, but we also evolve :) I'm still using mainly C/C++, Java, Objectve-C and PHP, but the frameworks/libraries I'm using today didn't exist 20 years ago.
@Mayuko - there's an *editing mistake* at 8:11. It just jumps to the next cut. And then at 8:15, we see you snap and pause and reading off the script to the next point. Just wanted to point that out, in case, because I know you already work so hard to edit these vids!
Your videos are really fab. I am considering learning to code mainly bc I LOOOOOVE all this. I worked IT in college just basic troubleshooting for faculty and students and I develop web pages in HTML, can use Photoshop, final cut, premiere pro and I'm Adobe certified. I also speak 5 languages and have seven yrs of teaching English, ESL and test prep. What I'm not sure about is can I get a work from home job if I learn to code. I love traveling, and I love being at home, so I don't want to spend 40hrs a week in the company of four walls and cafeteria food.
Fantastic video. I've been doing UI development for the last two years and I love what I do, but I can't see myself doing it forever. I don't have ambitions of becoming a product owner or staff engineer and I think it would be more fun to become an airline pilot.
Guy with 25 years of experience has a lot of guitars. I suppose then that it's a good career path to follow also since you get to have some free time for your hobbies and what not.
I’m a 20+ years software engineer. Is it a long term job, yes. But I do not want to retire as one and actively trying out other opportunities. (passive incomes)
Live! Do a ton of other interesting things along with your career as a SE. Take breaks 🏖, family! 👨👩👦 swimming 🏊🏊lessons, learn how to sing 🎶🎙, be happy 🙂, buy the jordans 👟, save 💰, invest 💱, love 💖, smile, be open to new paths 💭, meet people 🧑🏻🤝🧑🏿... and you won't even know you've been in over a decade already 💯.
I would say it is just based on the project I am working on (as project manager) that started over 4 years ago and will end in about 2028 xD no joke! #automotive
Ye but I think as more of the economy becomes automated/digital, there will be long term software engineers going 20+ years. Think just 10 years ago how different the internet was, about 15-20 years it was completely different and nowhere near as widespread.
my argument for 20+yrs experience: the rise of software engineer industry wont even be more than 50 years when first PC is invented (clumsy coding system in 1961 in NASA (ref. Hidden figures movie), first windows in 1981. since then there are a lot of different coding language rise and falls (c, BASIC, QBASIC, VB, C++,C#, DoS etc). At sometime people just wont be able to catch up and phase out.
I've been a professional computer programmer since 1998, but I've spent the last year unemployed and desperately looking for work. Normally I work in Banking with VBA, Excel, Access, MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, and that's really easy technology to work with. I've also re-skilled with learning Java, C++, Objective-C, C#/.net, JavaScript, Python. I've used them is a few of my startup businesses and some personal projects. In the years I've been a professional computer programmer I've had about 13 different jobs plus I've done 3 startup businesses. There is a complication that I'm living in Germany and my German skills are awful, I've been trying to learn German for a few years but I'm still awful. But I just keep hearing people saying that there are so many jobs in software engineering and there is a massive shortage of software engineers. Well in the last year of being unemployed I've spend all day everyday just sending off my CV, all over Germany, mostly Berlin because I love Berlin. Anyway it's not always that easy to find a job in software engineering.
Germany is a much different beast than here in the US - they tend to be more formal and the education requirements tend to be different, from what I've seen - it's hard to judge the greater market, if that's the only market you are targeting - i'd look broader into remote work and/or freelancing - best of luck with it
If you grow like Tesla/SpaceX maybe? Currently all the way to starlink satellite development! If you're stuck doing same thing you're going to jump to management/entrepreneurship
Could u pls create a video on : "How to go about changing your current tech skill within software development in which you have lots of experience to move to some new tech/prog lang ?". Is it practically possible ? Would highly appreciate it !
Hi. In my current job (which is a mid size startup business) I work as a senior mobile dev. I can easily see what this business lacks and I want to work in another role beyond a dev. So how can I go for a product manager or similar role while also write code daily?
You won’t be able to physically. Those roles you mention are very meeting intensive. A lot of discussion, a lot of brainstorming and research. You simply won’t have the time even if you wanted to. I’ve seen their meeting schedule most of the time they are fully booked for weeks ahead. The closest thing you can be is an Team Lead on a smaller project/company. You’ll be making difficult decisions, discussing features and priorities with the product owner/manager and delegating to your team and yourself. You’ll have to write code or help others. But that job seems quite demanding from the outside. I’m a mid, and my team lead seems to be keeping an insane pace, I can’t imagine doing that until I know the code base and product by heart and also the tech stack very well.
No, in my opinion it's not good to have it as a long term career. I can't keep learning forever. I can't keep looking at the screen forever. I got into management even though I can get into development. Main reason is health. It effects health - backpain, neck pain, and your body is effected in several ways if you work with computers for a long time. I decided to get into management. I don't have the pressure of learning new technologies, updating skills, etc. I have the freedom to read what I want to read. Software ppl have no knowledge of what's happening around the world, they are so boring coz they don't read anything outside their field. I didn't want that life.
hmmm, Idk who you are talking to then, bc all of the people I know who are interested in becoming software engineers are also the ones who I talk to about the newest stories on NY Times...
@@aisuiro.cellist that's my point, they read headlines or may be a little more. To understand how the world works it's important to know history. Software ppl knowledge in history is not good. I cannot get along with those ppl.
@@nyb_ok Interesting. I'm still in high school right now so my words don't hold much weight. I guess it is because I'm in high school that my cs friends are so in tune with history. We still haven't finalized our career paths yet!
I studied in computer science and got a Bachelor degree and worked on this industry though that would be a long term career. Working in different corporates. While was still working in corporate, I found it so boring environment and you always need to learn and update your knowledges all time. Eventually I didn't enjoy that lifestyle anymore and projects they gave me are not motivated me enough. I just did what I had to do and moved on. Besides some co-workers are nice but not all. For me, it's NOT a long term career. I'm happy of doing my own things now and not rely to a boss.
Is it possible for someone like me, a loser that's been NEET for years, still living with parents, late twenties, no friends either, and failed attempts at therapy to get better, lots of suicidal idealization, to try and learn coding to make a career out of it? I tried a python course that I liked, in order to fill my time, that's just the first step i'm coming from.
Yes . Absolutely. Once you start coding, you need to exercise daily, build muscle which improves cognitive performance and eat healthy food to keep mental energy levels high. All the best.
Look for the programming language that is most in demand in country. Then build your skills on it and make some bigger projects that you can show the companies.
Hey, im just starting with Tech, do you think its easier to learn webdev first or iOS dev? Also which one is better for freelancing and job opportunities?
Hey mayuko, hope your well. I wanted to ask what you'd advise for someone who's trying to decide between going the software engineering field and the Data Scientist field?
From what ive seen online, employers tend to require college degrees more from data scientists. Even for developers some employers still want a degree, or that you be currently working on one. If you dont have the degree, they want years of experience.
Still people here in Pakistan, especially software developers are not paid well. I myself live hand to mouth and have to cut down on many quality of life stuffs to just feed myself. We don't have enough opportunities here.
@mayuko would like to know if you still feel the same way after the hype surrounding ChatGPT? Or are there some things that you think you'd say are different with regards to the long term aspect of a Software Engineering career (in light of ChatGPT and i guess, or w.r.t. AI at large)?
Colleges and universities have formal paths for getting your resume to recruiters. They are also good at putting you in touch with professors and other people who help you learn. If you're an independent learner who can find your own opportunities, it's less important. Personally, I found both of those things really useful and am glad I got a university degree.
I believe there is an error in your training page. Is written: “Web frameworks like React…” I believe that react is more of a lib. Ps: I hope I'm not being inconvenient by reporting this :)
I have been a software programmer since 1975. Right out of high school and into a community college. That's over 45 years. The PC revolution just started then. In 1974 my brother got a MITS Altair 8800. I retired at age 64 (2020). I have been thinking of getting another contract. I love creating programs. In my spare time, I write code. It's in my blood to develop programs. I've worked on microcontrollers all the way up the cloud computing. I'm still a kid playing with my toys (code and hardware). I love learning (playing with) the new technologies that keep coming out. Must be my Asperger syndrome I discovered in 2010.
I'm impressed
How did you learn to code
My husband & I have been working in tech since 2006, after finishing college. He got into programming while I’m involved with testing. In my case, I’ve had a good mix of working for a big tech company to small start-ups. It only became fun now with my current company because I’ve been growing a lot, not just with my testing knowledge, but my other professional skills. It feels exciting to grow and also explore what other things I can learn and contribute. My husband on the other hand, have been working with mostly big tech companies, working on the same technology and he’s also not the type who’d explore other skills. He feels burnt out and bored with his current work. Lol I guess overall, you need a company/culture that will encourage you to grow or not just focus on earning more, but focus more on trying new things and gaining more skills.
That’s also what I love about being a software engineer! You can combine a lot of your interests and be able to work in different areas/sectors like fashion, health, gaming, the environment, etc. And of course be learning a lot about building good software at the same time. Thank you and your guests for the great insights Mayuko! 💕
Since I was in 1st year college I watched your videos and it motivates me to keep my dreams alive, to become a software engineer. Now I'm graduating in BS Computer Science on August 18 and hopefully I become a Software Engineer soon!!
congratulations!!!
Thank you, Guys! 💙
Cap
Congratulation!!!
I love that you did this video. Many people tend to equate software engineering with software and technology companies. But after you enter the career, you realize that many types of companies need software engineers and people who think like software engineers. You learn to apply your skills to solve new problems instead of just building apps by tech companies.
I am not a software engineer yet but well on my way to being one in the next 2 years as my time in the military comes to an end and I graduate with my B.S. in Computer Science. I would say that a lot of software engineers acquire such a great skill set that they learn the business and then work for themselves. You will make enough money as a software engineer to make some great investments. I would also say the money is good enough that you can retire in 12 years instead of 20 years if you play your cards right.
There's a balance when it comes to the career path you take in software engineering. Sure many go developer to junior to mid/senior and few make it higher to lead/staff/principle. Value you can return on a company investment is what drives any business. No matter how long you've been doing it the key is to always keep learning new things. The flip side of course for software engineering is stepping away from it into management or product roles that just expect you to have a background in it. It's such a huge field at this point.
As someone who has been doing this "professionally" since the mid 1990s (and coding since 1980) - it can definitely be a long term carrier - many of the devs that I've seen leave the field left because they made enough money that they can do whatever they want (and many still code for their own projects) - I still enjoy it and love learning new languages and stacks all the time - definitely blessed to be able to do something that is as much my hobby as my carrier
@manny There really isn't any magic path, to be honest - it's be smart with your money [save/invest wisely], and virtually any path in tech - whatever floats your boat - and diversify your sources of income so you are "weather proof" if a storm comes - there isn't any one path though - there are thousands of paths - you simply have to find the one that is right for you
sick editing at 8:10 haha. kind of a cool look into how you cue yourself to start talking.
As a 5 year software engineer at Amazon, if you're not a manager (individual contributor), your software engineer career is as long as your ability to continuously learn at a good pace, unfortunately this pace is moving at a faster pace.
Please elaborate
@@scrotiemcboogerballs2133 New technologies are coming out at a very fast rate and you'll have to learn them to keep up
This statement is so much misleading.
@@amans6504 no, it’s a fact. Managerial position is not really that replaceable, unless he is retired or make a big mistake. While tech talent are totally replaceable…
@@juliansihite1289 with management comes accountability, responsibilities, targets? Whereas engineers are supposed to be individual contributors.
I don't think it's easy to replace a senior enginee, most new grads are script kiddies, they don't know how to write low level code. Coding is an art, someone who have spend time a decade doing it, they can hack build anything and get rich in between invest that money and so on. Managerial positions only exists because the product is existing. Managers are anyway decreasing. The comparison isn't fair. All I know is most of the world is just full of passionless, mediocre people. Someone who love their craft will thrive.
NSBE on deck! Awesome video, Mayuko! In my almost 10 years experience (coming up on 9 years), I have learned you have to advocate and lead your career path. This can range from learning to the people/organizations you work with. It can be easy to stay to collect a check but the challenge is to continue to grow.
There are endless new things emerging (and continuous demand of solving remaining old untouched issues/problems left) in the world of software engineering so if you can really find fun in software engineering it's surely a great job to make a long term career. I've been working as software engineer (including related jobs not necessarily directly writing code though I've been keeping writing code anyway) since 1990 and I guess I'll be working more years as software engineer.
Daniel Tomko summarizes very well on the importance of having breaks and not compromising on having the best team members and the management. I 100% agree with him.
Dear Mayuko, yes it is! I've been working with software development for the last 40 years, and believe it or not, I still love it!
WOW!!!
What Daniel said at the end was really thoughtful & important to hear
I agree with the burn out. I’ve been a self-taught developer for 7 yrs but never actually worked in the industry. I’m also currently taking online computer science and halfway towards completion.
My father in law is a self taught pretty much ( was in the air force and went college classes randomly ) and now a coo of pharmaceutical company . He is 55 and he said he is the only c level executive who doesn’t have degree . I guess so the answer is yes since he’s been doing his job for over 20+ years 😅
Going on 6 years now and I currently work at a healthcare company developing their new web and mobile app. The healthcare space has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to technical solutions and this company is all in on innovating in the space which is both interesting and exciting for the long term of my time here. I get to work full remote and my hours are super flexible.
That being said, for anyone who is currently looking to get into software engineering or some tech related field, this is still definitely the time to do so. It's not easy and it's hard, but it's rewarding and yes... it generally pays very well. ;) Especially if you're someone who get's board easy, this job is never boring.
Hi, I’m a healthcare professional but I’m thinking of learning programming. In your experience is employability good even without a bachelor’s degree in computer science?
@@flossqueen As a self-taught dev, I found that getting a job in the beginning can be tough but once you get at least 1-2 years of experience, getting jobs after that seems to get easier. At least that's my experience. Not having a bachelors degree never seemed to bar me too hard from getting work.
I've decided I'm in software engineering because I like being competent at using and building technology, but I don't want to stay forever. Hoping to transition back to physics/math later in life!
Like a math/physics professor?
Mayuko, you made me motivated to start this career, and now I am preparing for studying in USA
Omg same. I am planning to study computer science in the US next year. Good luck!!
@@fruiteapai1398 That's great! see you there and good luck too : )
Hahah this video made me count the years. I graduated in 2004. Sheesh 18 years?!? That went quick. I will say that I’ve been more of a software engineering ‘manager’ for the last few years than I have been an actual developer. I agree with the guy in the video that graduated in 95, Sometimes being away from the code feels wrong… especially when you used to code. And your value is higher if you can actually produce software and build the services that are going to production. If you get up to management staff you may be giving up the thing that you love that got you into this field in the first place! Beware of the corporate ladder… it may be leaning up against the wrong wall.
Best comment I've seen here
@@haaaaaaaaaah4197 🤜🏽 🤛🏽
@@iamjasonthompson Didn't get that, what do you mean by wrong wall? Is management isn't good thing?
@@reviews9216 yeah.. sometimes it’s not. Management is the only thing to do as you move up but you may not like it if you love to code. Instead of managing tech you’re managing people. Some love it, others don’t you just have to be sure of what you want.
This isn't mentioned in many places, but in terms of long term career prospects, one of the biggest hurdles for ICs is getting beyond staff engineer. Each company is different and figuring out the criteria is often a challenge in and of itself. But it seems like you inevitably need to gain visibility without seeming like you're trying to gain visibility... If you stay for too many years below staff or even at staff, the job turns into a ticket ritual without much autonomy and you will feel it.
Well explained. Just became a software engineer and as a fresher the only thing I could see is my career growth. But your points are very informative for all such folks out there. Thank you for making this video. 🥰🥰
With all due respect Mayuko the survey says "50% of respondents have been coding for ten years or less". Not only that does not fall into the category of 'most people' but also it doesn't not suggest anything unexpected is going on. For the last decade tech industry has been getting a lot of heat and extended quickly (smartphones came along), so the new space had to be filled with less experienced people and new CS grads (which has been growing in number consistently as well). 50% of 10+ years of experience sounds pretty amazing to me. And of course it's gonna be different from lawyers or doctors.
Not that software engineers prefer and do work for 30 years but this distribution just makes sense.
the thing is that i cant see myself sitting at a desk coding in my 50s lol but i guess people transition to mentoring and managing projects when they become senior programmers
Randomly came across your videos from looking for ultrawide monitors. I like the topics you cover young lady. Subbed. Giggity giggity
Thanks!
Tech is for sure here to stay. We're fine.
Software Engineering or a career in Tech is a long term career. The only question is do you want to code for the rest of your career? I see two paths to take, one is to become a Manager and two is to become a Software Architect.
rather the question i would ask is would you want to keep learning new stacks and technologies and can keep up w the pace they are being churned out?
For me personally, I don’t want to work at a screen for that long of a time. I’ve been working for consulting agencies going on 4 years, and I don’t ever see a shortage of work. I mean a contract may run out, but there’s always going to be something new. I think if you want to be in the industry for a long time, there’s always going to be work. Companies are always going to have technical problems that they need help with. No need to worry.
My goal is to drop down to PT work once I feel comfortable charging a high rate, then work on opening a coffee truck :)
Thank you so much Mayuko.
I think most engineers get burnt out and move into management. Coding all day is exhausting, everyone is replaceable
My question is if it's a good idea to be a programmer for 20 years or to save / invest at the beginning then you will be able to do whatever you want even to build your own startup.
Working as a programmer should be used as leverage to build own projects on the side, like a social media presence or a start-up. Working in a big tech company makes you especially replaceable, thus you'd be wise to invest in skills that enable you to build your own thing.
Awesome video. It's always a pleasure listening to feedback from experienced Software Engineers
I love this type of genuine content about SE, thank you Mayuko
I've been programming since the age of 13, and had my first paying job at 16, its been 20 years... Most people at my point just get burnt out. My boss use to program and while he is trying to get back into it, he struggles because it takes a lot of mental anguish. The best way I can explain it is, he wants to be productive and when he doesn't hit that productive strive, he doesn't want to work on the project. Another way to look at this is as so... You've climbed Mount Everest 10 years ago, now you're asked to climb it again and that passion for doing it the first time isn't there. For me I'll climb that mountain as many times as my body will let me, but for many ... many others they will not do this. I've worked with people that I know will not last long in this industry because of the way they work. I've worked on some of the most mind numbing code bases, that have even made other people literally quite where I've worked. For most its like some race to get to that one place, but what happens when you're there? How long can you last?
Hello. I am 16 years old, I will be 17 soon. I am very interested in the world of information technology. But I didn't do programming intensively before. Once 2 years ago I was very interested, I even made a bot that predicted the bot. But my family did not support my decisions and since then I have given up programming. And now I want to go to university to study computer science, but now I notice the competition around me. Almost all of my peers have started programming since childhood, have achievements in competitive programming and apply to top universities in the world. And I am a person who does not really succeed in anything (both in programming and in academic knowledge), I feel that I am starting to give back. I live in Kazakhstan, which is also not a very good place to live. And I don't know what to do now. Even part of this text I typed in the translator. I don't even know if I will be able to succeed in the field of IT.
@@bayastantursaliev7142 Keep at it. I freelanced while I washed dishes. I was programming for $2-$3 an hour for online work and would slowly let go of cheaper clients. Once they knew my value they were willing to pay more, much more. That let me build the portfolio that let me land my first job programming for a company, rather than freelancing. Working at a company doesn't have to be a goal, but if you love this field, you can work in many other ways.
@@joseph-montanez which platform did you use to get freelancing work ?
@@ritam378 Scriptlancer... it's been a minute >.
I have worked as a data engineer / architect for 18 years in various kinds of roles !
I consider software engineering to be a long-term career. I've been a software engineer for over fourteen years.
I have been in Silicon Valley programming for 35 years - last 20 years as a consultant (hired gun). My first program was writing Fortran program on mainframe. Now I'm doing Angular, Java, spring, ServiceNow, and whatever else is required. Definitely, you can program for years, but it gets harder. It gets harder because there are always 23 year old hot shot Stanford Grad with more energy, more knowledge, more everything, every single year - that are eager to please and make it big. And that's who they want to hire. You try to stay relevant but it's very difficult. Especially the front end stuff where things are constantly evolving. However, you can do what I did. Stay relevant and don't look for permanent employment. Market yourself out to the highest bidder and work 6 to 10 months a year.
In short, program for 10 to 15 years with a real company as an employee. maybe take a shot at a startup. Make your money and get out. One good thing about programming in Silicon Valley is that it pays extremely well. I'm more than comfortable and had not had to work for about 17 years or so.
So I wouldn't kid myself about working as a programmer for 20 to 40 years for the same company or as an employee for a company. That's not going to happen. You might move to management, product manager, or other position, but odds are, you're not coding for 20 to 40 years unless you make yourself a consultant. There's always an exception to the rule, but this is the most likely scenario (if you want to continue coding).
5:20 - 5:50
What Daniel said is assuring. With AI singularity I thought demand for coders will lessen, but he's saying it will look different.
it's simple. People start their own companies and become tired of working for people. I have 10 years experience and I did that. I'll have to admit I do not code much anymore and I miss it a little but not as much as I like working for my own company.
Next year it'll be 20 years I'm working in the same company as a software engineer :) Technologies evolved a lot since, but we also evolve :) I'm still using mainly C/C++, Java, Objectve-C and PHP, but the frameworks/libraries I'm using today didn't exist 20 years ago.
This was a great great informative video! Thank you!!
@Mayuko - there's an *editing mistake* at 8:11. It just jumps to the next cut. And then at 8:15, we see you snap and pause and reading off the script to the next point. Just wanted to point that out, in case, because I know you already work so hard to edit these vids!
Your videos are really fab. I am considering learning to code mainly bc I LOOOOOVE all this. I worked IT in college just basic troubleshooting for faculty and students and I develop web pages in HTML, can use Photoshop, final cut, premiere pro and I'm Adobe certified. I also speak 5 languages and have seven yrs of teaching English, ESL and test prep. What I'm not sure about is can I get a work from home job if I learn to code. I love traveling, and I love being at home, so I don't want to spend 40hrs a week in the company of four walls and cafeteria food.
Fantastic video. I've been doing UI development for the last two years and I love what I do, but I can't see myself doing it forever. I don't have ambitions of becoming a product owner or staff engineer and I think it would be more fun to become an airline pilot.
airline pilot is a really stressful job because often times you have 300+ human lifes in your control
I really liked this topic Mayuko. Great video!!!
Toujours intéressant de voir et entendre tes vidéos Mayuko !
We always going to need software engineers as long as computers are around in retail and industry
Guy with 25 years of experience has a lot of guitars. I suppose then that it's a good career path to follow also since you get to have some free time for your hobbies and what not.
This was so interesting, thanks for doing this video
Love you videos like always! Keep up the great content!
I’m a 20+ years software engineer. Is it a long term job, yes. But I do not want to retire as one and actively trying out other opportunities. (passive incomes)
The position "Software Engineer" can mean many different things. In reality if you are a "lead software developer", you don't code much if at all.
Mayuko, this one was a good one!
Live! Do a ton of other interesting things along with your career as a SE. Take breaks 🏖, family! 👨👩👦 swimming 🏊🏊lessons, learn how to sing 🎶🎙, be happy 🙂, buy the jordans 👟, save 💰, invest 💱, love 💖, smile, be open to new paths 💭, meet people 🧑🏻🤝🧑🏿... and you won't even know you've been in over a decade already 💯.
10 y coding and sometimes you just need some direction, i mean it's ok to feel a lack of motivation at one point... it is just a moment
I would say it is just based on the project I am working on (as project manager) that started over 4 years ago and will end in about 2028 xD no joke! #automotive
software engineering sounds cool rn as a 21 yr old but I feel like I'd have a midlife crisis at 40 and wish I became a doctor instead .
Not doctor. That’s hard work.
I’d wish to be a Instagram Influencer.
Ye but I think as more of the economy becomes automated/digital, there will be long term software engineers going 20+ years. Think just 10 years ago how different the internet was, about 15-20 years it was completely different and nowhere near as widespread.
Mayuko ur efforts are amazing, thank u !
my argument for 20+yrs experience: the rise of software engineer industry wont even be more than 50 years when first PC is invented (clumsy coding system in 1961 in NASA (ref. Hidden figures movie), first windows in 1981. since then there are a lot of different coding language rise and falls (c, BASIC, QBASIC, VB, C++,C#, DoS etc). At sometime people just wont be able to catch up and phase out.
mayuko SO PRETTY OMG
welcome back mayuko!!
I've been a professional computer programmer since 1998, but I've spent the last year unemployed and desperately looking for work.
Normally I work in Banking with VBA, Excel, Access, MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, and that's really easy technology to work with.
I've also re-skilled with learning Java, C++, Objective-C, C#/.net, JavaScript, Python. I've used them is a few of my startup businesses and some personal projects.
In the years I've been a professional computer programmer I've had about 13 different jobs plus I've done 3 startup businesses.
There is a complication that I'm living in Germany and my German skills are awful, I've been trying to learn German for a few years but I'm still awful.
But I just keep hearing people saying that there are so many jobs in software engineering and there is a massive shortage of software engineers. Well in the last year of being unemployed I've spend all day everyday just sending off my CV, all over Germany, mostly Berlin because I love Berlin.
Anyway it's not always that easy to find a job in software engineering.
Germany is a much different beast than here in the US - they tend to be more formal and the education requirements tend to be different, from what I've seen - it's hard to judge the greater market, if that's the only market you are targeting - i'd look broader into remote work and/or freelancing - best of luck with it
what about a remote job?
@@alejandror.2630 can't find one of those either.
If you grow like Tesla/SpaceX maybe? Currently all the way to starlink satellite development! If you're stuck doing same thing you're going to jump to management/entrepreneurship
Could u pls create a video on : "How to go about changing your current tech skill within software development in which you have lots of experience to move to some new tech/prog lang ?". Is it practically possible ? Would highly appreciate it !
You have good videos, keep it up.
Hi. In my current job (which is a mid size startup business) I work as a senior mobile dev. I can easily see what this business lacks and I want to work in another role beyond a dev. So how can I go for a product manager or similar role while also write code daily?
You won’t be able to physically. Those roles you mention are very meeting intensive. A lot of discussion, a lot of brainstorming and research. You simply won’t have the time even if you wanted to. I’ve seen their meeting schedule most of the time they are fully booked for weeks ahead. The closest thing you can be is an Team Lead on a smaller project/company. You’ll be making difficult decisions, discussing features and priorities with the product owner/manager and delegating to your team and yourself. You’ll have to write code or help others. But that job seems quite demanding from the outside. I’m a mid, and my team lead seems to be keeping an insane pace, I can’t imagine doing that until I know the code base and product by heart and also the tech stack very well.
I don’t think it is long term if gpt-5 will be available
been 15 year i think. the corruption of idea is massive. new gen and old gen quite diff. Re-invent the wheel syndrome is all day.
No, in my opinion it's not good to have it as a long term career. I can't keep learning forever. I can't keep looking at the screen forever. I got into management even though I can get into development.
Main reason is health. It effects health - backpain, neck pain, and your body is effected in several ways if you work with computers for a long time.
I decided to get into management. I don't have the pressure of learning new technologies, updating skills, etc.
I have the freedom to read what I want to read. Software ppl have no knowledge of what's happening around the world, they are so boring coz they don't read anything outside their field. I didn't want that life.
After covid I don’t think doctor is an easy job neither…
hmmm, Idk who you are talking to then, bc all of the people I know who are interested in becoming software engineers are also the ones who I talk to about the newest stories on NY Times...
@@aisuiro.cellist that's my point, they read headlines or may be a little more. To understand how the world works it's important to know history. Software ppl knowledge in history is not good. I cannot get along with those ppl.
@@nyb_ok Interesting. I'm still in high school right now so my words don't hold much weight. I guess it is because I'm in high school that my cs friends are so in tune with history. We still haven't finalized our career paths yet!
Omg this video is so inspiring
I don't imagine myself building software at 45+ years old.
I studied in computer science and got a Bachelor degree and worked on this industry though that would be a long term career. Working in different corporates. While was still working in corporate, I found it so boring environment and you always need to learn and update your knowledges all time. Eventually I didn't enjoy that lifestyle anymore and projects they gave me are not motivated me enough. I just did what I had to do and moved on. Besides some co-workers are nice but not all. For me, it's NOT a long term career. I'm happy of doing my own things now and not rely to a boss.
Is it possible for someone like me, a loser that's been NEET for years, still living with parents, late twenties, no friends either, and failed attempts at therapy to get better, lots of suicidal idealization, to try and learn coding to make a career out of it? I tried a python course that I liked, in order to fill my time, that's just the first step i'm coming from.
Yes . Absolutely. Once you start coding, you need to exercise daily, build muscle which improves cognitive performance and eat healthy food to keep mental energy levels high. All the best.
Look for the programming language that is most in demand in country. Then build your skills on it and make some bigger projects that you can show the companies.
Hey, im just starting with Tech, do you think its easier to learn webdev first or iOS dev? Also which one is better for freelancing and job opportunities?
Hey mayuko, hope your well.
I wanted to ask what you'd advise for someone who's trying to decide between going the software engineering field and the Data Scientist field?
why not try both and see what you enjoying doing before making a decision : )
From what ive seen online, employers tend to require college degrees more from data scientists. Even for developers some employers still want a degree, or that you be currently working on one. If you dont have the degree, they want years of experience.
I will join university and purse computer science very soon
I wish I could have met you sooner
Still people here in Pakistan, especially software developers are not paid well. I myself live hand to mouth and have to cut down on many quality of life stuffs to just feed myself. We don't have enough opportunities here.
It of course is but the real question is if Game Development a long term career.
hi, just checking up on you
@mayuko would like to know if you still feel the same way after the hype surrounding ChatGPT? Or are there some things that you think you'd say are different with regards to the long term aspect of a Software Engineering career (in light of ChatGPT and i guess, or w.r.t. AI at large)?
Is a college diploma relevant for getting a job in tech?
Colleges and universities have formal paths for getting your resume to recruiters. They are also good at putting you in touch with professors and other people who help you learn. If you're an independent learner who can find your own opportunities, it's less important. Personally, I found both of those things really useful and am glad I got a university degree.
I heard that it was a career detrimental to health ...
How about software tester? Will it be a long time career too?
What is this question? Is this career a career? I've got a question for you: Is this click bait video click bait?
wow this is a wonderful video... thumbs up ! subbed and liked .... a fellow creator
!,,.,..,
I believe there is an error in your training page.
Is written: “Web frameworks like React…”
I believe that react is more of a lib.
Ps: I hope I'm not being inconvenient by reporting this :)
If health allows why not!
nice video
Great long term goal if you plan to eliminate your own map
You look good
now software engineer do youtube / tik tok / apple fan boy stuff more than coding.
LMAO I just noticed something interesting.........Daniel Tomko looks like Kevin Powell.......Kevin is also another techish youtuber
8:10 is it really cut?
Man, I really just need to get my first job. Le sigh.
How many Bitcoin do you have Mayuko?
You started at 5 ? ;)
love your vedio