Last job killed my love of IT, management beat it out of me. Wonderful company, demotivated by my manager from the first week. Couldn’t be a nicer guy, smartest tech I’ve ever met, Peter Principled his was into management.
Never been paid that much, took about every Friday off on PTO, total WFH, can’t say what my benefits cost but it wasn’t $100/mo. in total. My last job was half the pay and benefits, was so much happier. I think of that every time I read a comment about why companies need to pay more to satisfy us. Everyone should have a look at this. Had ALL that at my penultimate job, NONE at the most recent.
I feel so weird, especially at this time of life with a solid resume, interviewing for PT work at Lowe’s. Thinking I’ll be happier than a pig in shit spending 4 hours a day, just walking around helping people, doing what ever bullshit I’m asked to do. Looking to see how it goes, see if there are ways to work myself up to FT, better schedule, supervisor, whatever.
Thought about “retiring” to work in a hardware store to keep busy and fit, but not for a decade+. Excepting my credit card bills, and what my wife sends home to the Philippines, she makes enough to cover everything. Won’t take much to take the edge off.
I love hardware and tools and plants, about everything they sell. Hoping to learn a lot as well. Helping people is really satisfying to me, and I’m excellent at handling customers. LOL, I’m best with the angry ones, sometimes get them apologizing. :)
Need a sanity check, am I losing it!? Been through the worst depression of my life the past few years, hoping this will break me back into a normal state of mind.
EDIT: Got the job! Holy shit, the assistant manager is just like me! Dropped out of tech to take a minimum wage job at Lowe’s 8 years ago, now he’s at $90K. We’ve even done much of the same work in the IT space. “I did DSL for Bellsouth when it was new!” “Yep, did my time as a cable internet guy.”
Seems to be a lot of space and opportunity to move up. I’m going to knock this out the fucking park!
BONUS: Clerk at the shady gas station overhead me telling my neighbor about quitting IT and getting hired today. Guy ask me what I did in IT, gave him a run down. “Yeah. I was a web dev for 20-years, couldn’t take staring at a screen any more.”
This thread is really making me doubt my career path. At 20, should I even bother going into tech/IT if I switch to a trade later on?
The vast, vast majority of people don’t quit their job or their employer, but their boss and coworkers.
Don’t underestimate how much healthy relationships at work matter when you spend so much of your time there. Yes, in tech jobs as well. So stick with IT if you like it, but don’t stick around in a bad environment. Especially if you plan to have a family in X years, because then it gets a lot harder and riskier to jump ship and change your situation.
Stick with IT! There’s nothing inherently bad about the space, lots of room to move around and do different things, make solid money. 20-years of anything will burn you out unless you’re not very bright.
Do what pays the bills while you figure out what sort of trade work you might enjoy, look for paid training/apprenticeship spots, low voltage automation controls is a tech field that interacts with the trade a lot, I’m a maintenance tech and interact with our controls guy all the time.
I dropped out of the IT game before I even started (dropped out of an IT qualification 20yrs ago), and can honestly say it was totally worth it.
Now I spend some happy evenings working on IT side projects related to my main career (entertainment) and it’s fun. I even make extra cash doing freelance programming but because it’s not my main hustle I get to choose to say no.
What I’m saying is while you are at the hardware doing what you enjoy, there is nothing stopping you from doing freelance IT work on the side, just look for the projects that inspire you. It’s not all or nothing decision…
IMAGINE SUCKING CORPO DICK THIS HARD
I’m a total loser, redefining my life to do what I want, taking a scary risk for a massive pay cut. Shoot me now.
I noticed when I do volunteer work I look forward to getting my hands dirty and the physical labor involved. I quip to my wife that I’m going to go be a mailman or learn a trade, etc., but I’m semi-serious. 20+ years of ups and downs and it feels like IT is valued in general less and less. Even if a company does everything “right” like the video describes… a lot of companies are still quite toxic to work for overall. It’s compounded by the fact that changing jobs in the field is painful now with multiple interviews required, etc. in a very crowded pool of talent.
Do it. It’s not like it has to be permanent if you end up not liking it.
This is my goal as well. Been in software for 27 years (holy shit) and want to retire by 55. Only open question for me is health insurance.
I’m near my 40s, and have been working as software dev since finishing my masters. Few years back I started to go in the direction of more management less dev in a previous company. Saw it wasn’t for me and went to work somewhere else working as a simpler dev role. A few years after and I’m starting to feel the need to change further even. I do love coding but the whole layer of tech debt and management and meetings is wearing me out and has made me lose my love for tech. I am just lost as to what I’d do instead. Cannot work on retail with my autistic ass and since WFH was allowed and accepted I am not planning to go back to an office anyway. Maybe woodworker or something would be enjoyable for me, but there’s other constraints that won’t allow me to change right now, lots of bills to pay and my wife is an entrepreneur so we can’t really risk losing my stable position right now, with two small kids. Once they grow and get out of the house we’d likely move more country side, get some chicken to care for (we love animals) or something like that and maybe I can get space to do some wood work or whatever come to mind then.
So overall, no, you are not losing it, or maybe we are all losing it together. Same with depression, it’s such a tough shit to leave behind. I’m still fighting with it but doing better lately, the job doesn’t help at all…
Also a tech worker considering a major pivot. I have a fascination with electrical work so I’m wondering if taking on an apprenticeship might give me a chance to dip my toes in.
83k?? I’ve been in IT for 2 years and I’m about making that much. Would more money help? Maybe job hop to a company that fits your vibe better?
More money just makes it harder to leave. It’s like testing your pain tolerance.
If you told people tomorrow that they could live without worrying about losing their place to live with a reasonable amount of food. Assuming they could buy the necessities of life with a few niceties… most people would stop caring about money and worrying so much.
What society is doing to people, turning them into monthly bill calculators is ridiculous and stress/fear inducing. These are imaginary bullshit systems we’re forcing people to become experts on.
A big chunk of it is to ensure that the top of ladder stays the top, so they distract distract distract.If I could survive comfortably and support my family while helping people fix and improve their living spaces at Lowe’s, that sounds like a wonderful way to live…
Find a place that doesn’t feel like torture with a management team who isn’t shitty. My first job in IT was for DXC, a massive MSP with 100k+ employees. I was applying for new jobs 3 months in because I saw it was unsustainable for me. Just before my 1 year I got an offer. I now work for a smaller ~250 person company with a management style that doesn’t make me anxious or stressed. I also do woodworking as a hobby and built myself a desk, coffee bar and bench. I firmly believe that the right job can let you have your cake and eat it too. It’s just a struggle and a job in itself to find the good cake in the first place.
Wayyyy ahead of you pal. Got into tech when I was a wee little lad, my dad would bring home computers from the work dumpster, hand me a screw driver and let me go at it.
When I was 11 I built a computer with my dad, and continued learning about tech and computers. I worked after school in middle school to help out the librarian, who had the job of looking after the laptops and computer carts.
Went into highschool and got into a Comptia± honors class, as the only freshman and the only person to get As in that class.
Fresh after highschool and 6 months into a computer job, I quit at the age of 19. Instead I went to pursue woodworking.
I had a great boss, and I was great at my job, but I was in computer repair. A dying industry and I was getting paid minimum wage, despite a lot of skill (microsoldering, logic board rework, macbook repair, liquid damage repair, etc).
Skill and knowledge that I studied for a decade, and I was being paid minimum wage. There were probably better opportunities but I wasn’t interested anymore. The environment was just far too corporate, so I decided to start building my own business, woodworking, selling tools, and help teach.
Ive gone to tool events, tuned up a lot of tools, and given presentations and its 10x more fulfilling. Havent made a lot from the “business” but I’m happy.
Nah, not crazy. In my view anyway. In 2020 I left nursing in CA making close to $100k and paid zero for actually amazing insurance… to work part time at a bakery for roughly $23/hr in Norway. I was 39.
Sometimes we just have enough and we don’t need to keep chasing the dollars in favor of a simpler, cozier life.
How did you move to Norway? Afaik you can’t just show up to stay permanently.
Norway has much nicer benefits and lower cost if living than California
Are you a citizen in Norway? Asking because that sounds nice
In the words of another man who left IT for manual labor:
Left IT to become a machinist… Best decision of my life (38).
Huh, I did the opposite. We all have different needs but I admit I recently chose to go down salary by $20k because of stress.
Best decision of your life, so far.
You are correct :)
You have no idea how much more sane that made me feel.
At my last two jobs people will always leave to become farmers or carpenters.
You’re living the dream… and I’m right behind you.
Just hit 58 and I’m still working in tech (not IT any more, but adjacent). In March I’m going to tell them that I’ll be working fewer hours. Not asking, telling.
It’s their choice whether I work zero hours or some number that’s less than the 80 I’m currently putting in. I’ll either have 3-day weekends or 7-day weekends.
My story is literally the opposite. Working at places like Lowes and the shitty coworkers and management was my drive to finish school and get a better job.
Every job can suck because of people who suck. Retail is definitely NOT better. I ain’t saying it’s worse, but it ain’t better.
Controversial but when it actually IS essentially just “for spending money” part time work, is retail that bad? You have the psychological benefits of seeing new people, having consistent relationships, helping others, physical activity, a routine, and anything else that working may bring to your social calendar. Oh and waaaay less responsibility and pressure.
Cause it is essentially working for mental health reasons instead of financial. It is a lot easier to walk away then as soon as mental health is compromised!
If you’re financially stable enough to actually throw hands with that one customer (who will show up in your life eventually), then yeah, I can understand that.
I think the people hating on retail haven’t developed people skills because they’re young or simply can’t. I can flip an angry customer around in a few minutes, have them eating out of my hand.
The secret sauce? Treat like as what they are, a human being coming to you for help, not pain-in-the-ass customer #43 for the day. Even the ones that start out angry quickly catch on that you’re on their side and doing your damnedest to help. If you’re fake, they can smell it.
Word of caution.
I’ve gone down this route and discovered the phrase “you’re overqualified”, which is bandied around when you describe your previous experience.
Don’t let this dissuade you, just keep it in mind.
Good luck with the job interview!
That’s my only worry. Not sure how to downplay that or express that this really sounds like what I want (I think), even at the massive pay cut.
just lie to them?
“Overqualified” just means they’re afraid you know your rights and can’t be exploited like someone fresh out of school.
But if they’re already entertaining the idea of hiring someone in their 50’s I doubt you’ll hear it very often if at all.
No, it means you might run off at any moment when a higher paying job presents itself.
I got the job! Going to hang in there, see where it leads. I was astounded at the mobility, up and lateral, that I can probably score.
as an ex-IT currently working at Lowes, they don’t really give a shit about your qualifications, and probably won’t even ask. passing the drug test and background check is about the only qualifications that matter to them.
But Dunkin, man. Dunkin always finds out.
Quality of Life, Life Balance, something like that?
Quality of Life working from retail?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahabahahahahahaha
No no no sorry …hahahahahahahahahahahah HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Some people actually enjoy that kind of work. I did it for a few years and I loved every minute of it. I enjoyed helping people and talking and organizing shelves/racks whatnot. If it paid better I’d probably still be doing it.
Where’d you work though? This guy is going to work for Walmart equivalent of home improvement stores. After working at Walmart myself as a first job, I quickly grew to detest the place and quit twice before actually leaving (they talked me into staying the first time with a transfer and raise). It’s a soul sucking environment without the high pay and benefits that OP is walking away from. I hope it works out but the phrase “the grass is greener on the other side” exists for a reason.
A place called Tuesday Morning. Kind of a old lady type place. They sold a bit of everything from clothes to knick knacks and home deco, but for like old people lol. Def no Lowe’s but I enjoyed it. Maybe OP should look for somewhere like Ace hardware instead?
Ace would be recommended. They hire people who want to help, Lowes hires people who have to pretend to want to help.
I used to have a white-collar job and now work in retail. You know what I love? 1) If there’s a problem, it’s my manager’s problem. I am entry level by choice, and have as little responsibility as possible. 2) Work stays at work. The second I clock out, I stop giving a damn about that place. 3) On the rare occasion I get a call from work, I always screen it. If some jackass didn’t show up, and I don’t feel like going in, I simply don’t call back.
I like my job. I like the people I work with. I’m pleasant and helpful to our customers. Maintaining boundaries helps keep it that way.
Dude, if you’re happy and can survive, you made the right move.
Working in IT has me questioning my entire existence. In many ways, I envy you.
As someone who just got his A+ certification and is looking for his first job in IT, why do/did you feel this way?
I am doing a career switch from marketing/SEO which was…! Manipulating everything for people to sell shit and my job is beholden to whatever the FUCK Google wants to do today? No thanks!
If you enjoy tech, keep going for it. There’s nothing inherently shitty about the work, at any level, and it pays. As with any career, we sometimes burn out.
Thank you! I think it’s a career right up my alley and I’m excited to land my first gig - hopefully in the next couple of months.
It depends A LOT what kind of IT career you do. If you are a sysadmin with a shitty manager/company you’ll hate it. If you do helpdesk you’ll hate the whole human race.
But you can become devops, SRE, cloud engineer, architect, so you get all the fun at tinkering without the bullshit (most of the time, no job is perfect).
Well, I’ll have to start out in help desk but I’ve done CS as a temp job before and it was kind of fun. I don’t want to do help desk forever though, and I understand just how DUMB some people can be. Like, wow… 🤣
I dunno, I’m excited to get started in it and I don’t know what I want to specialize in yet.
I worked in email marketing for JP Morgan for a few years. Most miserable job I ever had. All work from home and super short hours but I couldn’t live with all the information manipulation that was going on. It’s ridiculous how much personal info people give up online without even realizing it and that was 10 years ago. I can only imagine how bad it is now.
Yeah, I’m sure on the email side it’s ridiculous!
My experience is that ITs role is to manage organizational liability, not helping people. Perhaps i am naive, but i wanted a job in tech so that i could help support other people in doing amazing work. You do get to do that, but it needs to be constantly framed from that point of organizational liability in order to effect any change. Different orgs have different risk appetites and cultures that make that change easier or harder.
tbh i would still start a carrer in tech, i do not want to dissuade you from such. For me i was better able to navigate the day to day bullshit after i learned what they are actually paying me for vs the dream i had in my head.
Thank you for that info. I’ll keep it in mind. I’ve worked for various corporations for over 20 years, so I know they all are about self preservation.
Well at least now you can work in a hands-on environment and hopefully use your marketing skills to manipulate your management chain into doing what’s right for you or the company.
That’s what I’m excited to do is hands-on stuff. I’ve built my own PC and have sort of torn my wife’s Mac apart when troubleshooting a heating issue. Doing things with the CLI or remoting in will be cool too!
