Have you ever sacrificed bleeding-edge [insert language/framework here] for a job with less stress?

Question

I may have a situation in the future to take a less stressful job, which pays great and has excellent benefits, while working with old technology. Not Cobol old, but a generation back from where I am today.

This is a double-edged sword for me.

I have never felt comfortable in dev shops. It doesn't appeal to me for some reason. I enjoy programming but I like to interface with business users. I don't wish to interact with geeks 24/7. I like to be a big fish in a small pond.

On the flip side - I do love new technology. So, while not a deal breaker, it's going to hurt a bit to move a generation back from where I am currently. However, there is possibility of software rewrites down the line, so all hope is not lost. And who knows, maybe I can be a catalyst for change in such a small company?

Anyone else out there like me? If so, how has it worked out for you?

Good move?

Bad move?

Answer 1

Did you ever consider becoming a Project Manager?

Answer 2

You have to weigh up being in the position of coding or not coding. I am a coder and have been in a position where I am managing coders although not having influence on the code. This was worse for me personally, therfore prefer to be hands on but in at a more senior/architectural level. If you go with that you will be involved with programmers but also have contact with project managers and clients.

Answer 3

Well, my experience is on the other end, mostly. I'm the guy who get's called in to modernize unsupportable legacy crap.

Still, I've done my share of high end work, and I prefer the lower stress environment. If you're not wracked out of your mind by pace and deadlines, you have a broader possible range of activities in your free time. You can develop open source code, and still participate in sexy new stuff, and you can bring that in to your more stodgy work environment and be a nice catalyst for change there.

The thing that always checks me is resources. Will I have nice fancy hardware to work with or not? You can develop in whatever language you want...As long as you're not wedded to an expensive proprietary IDE, you can develop anywhere. But if your hardware is substandard, and your budget is lean, it'll crimp your enjoyment.

Answer 4

Be careful you don't trade a bit of stress for complete boredom. If you're the big fish, who is there to push you and help you advance your own skills and get better? I enjoy being the big fish too, but I traded it up to work alongside another programmer for my current gig.

We're both of a similar callibre but have come from completely different backgrounds; we have different approaches, viewpoints, perspectives and even think differently. We've both had moments of frustration with each other because we'd rather just do it our own way, but I wouldn't trade having worked with him this past year or two. Even though we're both at similar levels, I'd say I'm a better programmer now than I would have had I stayed as the big fish in my small pond.

If/When this gig comes to an end I don't think I could trade up the huge potential of working with others for being that big fish again. Sure having the power to make all the decisions and tell other people how it should be done and have them agree because you're the guy that tells them how things are is nice, but what then? How are you benefitting from that, really?

I look at it like this: It's like playing sports - you don't get better by competing against inferior opponents (or no opponents at all). You get better by playing against better, smarter, more versatile, more determined adversaries and constantly competing to win.

If you're not pushed to have better ideas, be a better programmer, learn more, deliver better quality code in shorter time than your neighbour then what keeps your skills sharp? Constant self discipline is hard work but competing with those around you can actually be a lot of fun.

I'd rather have stress than complete boredom any day.

Answer 5

If you like to code and this new place is going to make you learn something useful, go for it.

As long as these shifts keep adding value to the knowledge we believe is important to us, a move is a good idea.

However, beware of such promises, since you said you like new technology:

software rewrites down the line, so all hope is not lost

I've been in places where "rewriting code with better designs and best practices" was a promise, but I ended up maintaining a lot of crap code and didn't have time to stop and rewrite/really improve since the companies were small and the software were running in just a few clients, and if a single client would cease it's contract with the company, I would be unemployed. So you just have to make the software work.

Believe me, in this scenario, if you don't hack, you don't survive. For sure you can try to improve the codebase in the longrun, but when you have LOT's of coupled legacy code with old technologies, improving it without breaking something is really hard.

Challenges are a good thing. Running a big marathon is a challenge, running a big marathon without shoes and water, well, it's not like a challenge but a penitence.

Be careful about penitence traps that are labeled as "challenges".