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I should have loved electrical engineering

(blog.tdhttt.com)
157 points tdhttt | 4 comments | 01 Sep 25 09:12 UTC | HN request time: 0.002s | source
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crinkly ◴[04 Sep 25 10:20 UTC] No.45125606[source]▶
If you want to learn how to solve problems with hammers, engineering is what you want to do. If you want to know how the hammer works, do mathematics or physics. If you want to get paid, do software.

This is why I did an EE degree, didn't get paid much, went into software and used that to pay for a mathematics degree.

replies(1): >>45125665 #
kennyloginz ◴[04 Sep 25 10:31 UTC] No.45125665[source]▶
This is outdated advice. If you want to get paid, get a hammer.
replies(5): >>45125709 #>>45125723 #>>45125835 #>>45126089 #>>45127113 #
1. crinkly ◴[04 Sep 25 10:38 UTC] No.45125709[source]▶
I disagree with this entirely as I rather like a desk job and hammers make my hands hurt after a bit :)

If you want to get paid in software don't do something utterly commoditised and popular or you're just a fungible meat flavoured work unit. Get really damn good at something with some longevity in a stable niche.

replies(3): >>45125719 #>>45126323 #>>45126598 #
2. justinclift ◴[04 Sep 25 12:04 UTC] No.45126323[source]▶
*cough* COBOL ? :)
replies(1): >>45126346 #
3. crinkly ◴[04 Sep 25 12:09 UTC] No.45126346[source]▶
These days C is enough pain :)
4. acdha ◴[04 Sep 25 12:42 UTC] No.45126598[source]▶
Not just a niche but something requiring domain experience. If your resume says “will React for food”, you are competing with a million other people. If your resume also says you understand a particular industry, user community, etc. you stand out of the generic community.