I’m lucky that I can say yes. That said, I still wouldnt do it for free. What about you, how do you feel about your job/career/field in general?
Open source developer.
I’d say it’s relatively unimportant in the greater scheme of things; nobody dies and the world would keep going even if I stopped.
But I’m mostly proud to do it and I enjoy working in the non-profit sector, especially since I don’t have an asshole boss or corporate interests to worry about.
On the flip side, I make less money than I would in the corporate space. But I suppose I value the freedom more than the money
The world needs more open-source software. Keep your head up king.
How did you get into this? I’ve been thinking about finding a different job but haven’t put real effort into it (yet). I’m currently a “senior” developer according to my boss, and I’m bored and annoyed by the commercial culture. Something open source sounds great if I also get paid but I highly doubt that that “senior” standard translates well.
I got into it by just committing to some projects in my free time. I built a relationship with the project, traveled to a few international sprints, and then eventually started working part time and gradually increased my involvement. I’m not sure how widely reproducible it is, to be honest, but it all starts with just getting into open source development and, like basically anything else, making personal connections in that scene. It’s highly dependent on the funding of the project, and unfortunately fundraising is the hard part of open source software development…
Plus, if you’re a senior developer, especially in the US, then you’ll probably be looking at decrease in pay to something around Euro developer rates. It’s hard to know if the long term prospects of this career are good, but I’m happy enough for now and I have a lot of agency. And it does feel good to know that you’re writing FOSS code for everyone to use. I would treat it like a passion-driven vocation of sorts.
I have a great job, I’m reaching the end of a successful career and I’m very happy with the choices I’ve made in my professional life.
But my job is NOT important and I’m not proud of it. I’m only proud of having the honesty to do what I’m paid to do well. Beyond that, my job is a means to an end: supporting my loved ones. They are what’s important. Nobody goes to their grave reflecting on what they did for a living.
No, I don’t. The company I work for, likes to make it seem like it is important. But, we’re a generation away to a point where all and every stores will be so autonomously ran, that we’re all just disposable at that expense.
My job is important within the company, but that’s about it.
I’m not proud to do it though, just mostly amazed I got this far at all. Impostor syndrome runs strong with me and even after all these years there’s still a nagging worry that they’ll find out that I’ve been faking my competence.I’m a self-employed home improvement contractor. I fix and install stuff in people’s homes. Yeah, I’m proud of what I do and think it’s important - and most of my customers seem genuinely grateful for my work too.
No and no. But I try to do well to my coworkers despite this. I hate it. And could love it if we weren’t in a corporatopoly.
Yes and yes. I’m a health inspector.
Would absolutely not do it for free. There’s a lot more that I do than just inspecting restaurants and beauty premises:
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inspection accommodations (hotels, motels, rooming houses, student forms, hostels, camps)
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respond to environmental complaints (dumping, pollution of storm water, failing septics, installation of septics)
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residential complaints (the worst!! People don’t want to talk to each other and problem solve like adults so they threaten each other by dragging me in to sort their shit out for them. If they don’t get the result they want, it’s my fault 🙄)
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emergency response (we suddenly had importance when covid came around, but the nation still wouldn’t acknowledge us as important because we’re not in the “response” side like nurses and doctors. We’re prevention, and nobody cares about us; bushfires, floods, air quality)
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mosquito detection (for diseases they carry and treat the areas that we find have carrier mozzies for diseases like Japanese encephalitis, Ross River, etc.)
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pest control, hoarding, land use, subdivisions, swimming pools, drinking water quality, disposal of dead carcasses, cemeteries, exhumation, outbreaks like gastro, too many things to list. We’re pretty much involved in everything that affects human health.
But we’re underpaid, underappreciated, perpetually short staffed and quickly burning out, and mostly unknown to those who don’t run businesses that require council registration by law.
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My job is super important. I am proud. I work in security for medical records.
However, most people shit all over me for it. It sucks. It’s ‘not a real job’. I regularly get lectured by people about my job when I meet them. A lot of my first dates end pretty quickly after my job comes up.
I will never understand why. I make a great salary and great benefits too. But people seem to assume I must be some dumbass loser weirdo.
The only thing I can think is it pays poorly? Does it? Not asking for specifics
150K. People tell me it is not enough to be happy or secure, esp women on dates. They say I have ‘no future’ or ‘you are not successful in life’.
I feel pretty happy and secure and successful.
USD? Thats around what I’ve made for the last decade (power plant engineering). Its absolutely enough to be happy and secure. If a woman tells you that on a date shes the wrong one brother. Making that much btw, I wouldn’t bring it up on the first date, if asked, I’d just say “I do alright”
Yes, USD. There are no people I meet anymore who think it’s a good salary. They think it’s poverty.
I was at a party two nights ago and people asked me what I did, and they immediately excused themselves once they found out my job.
The median US full time salary is 62k, you’re earning 2 and a half times that. Anyone who tells you that’s poverty is either full of shit or deliberately trying to bring you down.
My job at the minute isnt important but im super proud of it. Im basically an ATM but a human version. I get to help the blind, deaf, super-technophobe-old, mentally enfeebled etc. Im literally no better than an ATM, but because im helping people who struggle im feeling that job satisfaction.
My previous job in a meat processing factory was relatively important, if I fucked up lots of food never made the shop shelves or made a lot of people poorly. My job satisfaction was in the negative though I hated it so much.
Your current job sounds pretty important to me though! Accessibility is important.
