Ask HN: Will working on my own hurt my career?

25 points by kjackson 14 years ago | 22 comments

I'm an experienced programmer (10+ years) that loves programming and technology. However, I'm pretty burnt out at my own job, and I'm learning nothing new. It's not a bad job or bad company, but I don't think it's the right fit for me anymore. What's even worse is that I'm left with no time to learn new technology because of the hours, commute, etc. I've spent some time on weekends and after work learning on my own (iPhone programming, MongoDB) but I really want to do a deep dive and a fresh start.

I'm thinking of taking 6-9 months off, and developing and releasing 3-4 iPhone apps (I already have them planned out) including the corresponding backend, and in the process learning Python, GAE, Java, web programming concepts, NoSQL databases (like Cassandra), etc. Also, I plan on contributing to open source projects in terms of bug fixing, etc.

Will this hurt my career? Or will it look respectable, as long as I have actually released products, etc?

retroafroman 14 years ago |

Assuming that you're worried this "time off" won't look to good to future potential employers, I think you've got the wrong attitude. People will have different opinions on it, but my advice would be to create a business entity for these projects, then just list and talk about your employment/operation of a business like any other work experience. Don't frame it to potential employers or others as "taking time off"; you're not taking time off to screw around, you're going to be working. It's productive business time, tell it like it is. You don't have to call it a start up, but after the fact, if you'd like to get back into the BigCo world, say you spent a few years running your own development shop for the experience.

Along with setting up a business, make a website and run a blog with it. Highlight the products you release, and give anyone who searches your past a clear idea that you were being productive and successfully managing a small business. Keeping it looking respectable is all about how you frame it and portray it.

kjackson 14 years ago | |

Thanks, this is great advice! I will absolutely do this, not because I want to deceive people, but because I do want to turn this into a real business. If I structure this as a real business, then it puts my head in the right place as well.

patio11 14 years ago |

We are privileged to work in, quite possibly, the best industry in the world to have a short blank space in one's resume. No place where you would want to work will ding you for "I wanted a new challenge so I took a sabbatical after leaving my old job and spent some time experimenting with new technologies. Want to talk about what I learned?"

bitsweet 14 years ago | |

I agree that for most companies, it should only make you a more attractive candidate. On the other hand I have found that learning new tech void of solving a real-world problem can only get you so far. My suggestion is to focus on a real problem and use new technologies to solve it to gain the exposure your looking for.

Once you've learned what you want to learn, contact me, we are always looking to hire people that truly love programming.

kjackson 14 years ago | | |

Thanks, for the reply!

Working on real problems is definitely my intent. I have background in developing shrinkwrap enterprise applications, which I believe is a dead industry going forward. I need to get experience in the way business is done these days, which is web-scale backends dropped right on the internet, and iphone/web front ends. My current job won't get me that experience, so I figured that now is the best time to strike it on my own, and build the entire infrastructure on my own and/or with my other programming friends. I'm treating this as a real project, not just a hobby, and my milestones involve releasing working, quality products, so I agree that solving a real world problem will get me the best experience.

Thanks again for your reply!

bigsassy 14 years ago |

I'm just wrapping up what you're about to start.

I'm also an experienced programmer (7+ years). I left to do my own thing for 9 months, and the venture ended without success. But what I built was interesting, and I made sure to give talks at local meetups to put my face out there during those 9 months.

When I needed to find consulting work, I cold called (emailed) someone at a major US newspaper (a big one) asking if they needed work, explaining what I'd been up to. They were impressed and hired me shortly after. And when I quotes a rate which more than doubled my previous pay (which was nothing to sneeze at) they accepted.

So go for it, but take my advice and get your face out there while you do it. Speak at meetups, write blog posts, and get noticed.

It will shock you how much it can help your career.

kjackson 14 years ago | |

Awesome! Thanks, this is just the kind of things I was hoping to hear!

keeptrying 14 years ago | |

What did u build?

ForrestN 14 years ago |

I agree with the others, one of the nice things about tech is that you can more easily afford to do this kind of thing than in other fields. One thing I would say, though, by way of advice: definitely try to complete projects as opposed to starting lots of them. I'm sure this goes without saying, but it would be a lot more compelling if you can say "I took some time off and made these cool things" rather than "I took some time off and started all these cool things", if that makes sense.

jwcacces 14 years ago |

If you have to ask, the you're not ready.

Quitting your job and striking out alone has to be the kind of decision that comes from passion. Yes, you have to be ready technically and financially. You'll need a plan for food, shelter, the internet, and the support from your friends and family.

But all that's got to play second fiddle, a distant background, to that burning need to create. The desire to meld a future in your own hands, that consuming passion that blots out all the worries of consequences and obliterates apprehension with just the pure possibility of what could be made.

Don't get me wrong, have a plan. But if you're not driven mad by the incessant need to let the fruits of your mind explode out of your fingertips, if thoughts of your future, your career, what ifs, and what nots are still around, rotting at the foundation of your desires, then you're just not ready.

You will need that passion to survive on your own. It will be difficult. You'll have tough times, worries from your family, and worries from yourself. The self doubt can at times be a terrible burden, but the demon in your mind demands to be satisfied, and it will have it's way. You must hand yourself over to it and it will drag you to success. But only if you can give yourself fully.

In short, you don't take time off to do something because it will be a good move for your next paying job. You take time off to give yourself over to your passions. You've only held a paying job this long so you can become that junkie and still live.

(It's how I get by)

Oh, and if you fail, the experience will only make you stronger.

polyfractal 14 years ago | |

I think this is entirely the wrong attitude. He isn't trying to build a million dollar startup and live on ramen for six years.

There are two types of "quitting your job". The first type quits because he wants to build a startup, or be self-employed in some capacity. The second type quits because the job is stifling and not allowing new growth. It sounds like the OP is type 2 - he wants to learn new skills.

Maybe he'll realize he loves self-employment; maybe he will pick up a new salaried job after this exercise is over. Either way, I think your approach of "Just be passionate man! Who cares about your career!" is shortsighted and dangerous. If you let yourself be consumed by mindless passions, you'll end up hopping from job to job, sucking down the cash before quitting again to throw it away on some new idea.

In short, I think the OP's plan is logical and highly likely to succeed. He will gain new skills and be able to use them for himself or for another employer. Ignore this high octane, venture backed, live on ramen nonsense - it doesn't really apply to your situation.

kjackson 14 years ago | |

Thanks. I'm passionate, although maybe not where fruits are exploding out of my mind :) But I do believe I have enough passion to sustain me, so thanks for pointing that as being a need.

medius 14 years ago |

I actually changed industries (I was a semicondutor design engineer) for learning new stuff in software. I was really worried if people will see this sudden change and gap in my employment as a bad sign. But now I don't really care what they might think. If I am learning new things and building something, how can that ever be taken as a bad thing?

ednc 14 years ago |

I agree with the previous response. As long as you create a company around the work (Even if it is just a good name and not a real entity, it still sounds better than "self-employed").

Get some apps (or GitHub contributions) out there during this time and you'll be fine.

If I saw something like this on a candidates resume, I'd be impressed (and jealous), and would probably spend most of the interview talking about these projects and your motivation behind them. My only concern would be that you'd leave in 6 months to go play with some new shiny technology our company was not currently using. So you'd need to frame your answers to satisfy that concern.

HTHs!

kjackson 14 years ago | |

Thanks! My previous work history is stable, but I definitely am not someone who would jump around, but thanks for that insight, it will be something that I keep in mind.

katherinehague 14 years ago |

To echo what others are saying, I don't think this will hurt your career, if anything it should help and should give you the opportunity to meet new people, start working on projects you are more passionate about, and gain new skills. All making you much more 'employable' I would say.

But more importantly I think I'd ask myself, if not now, when? I have a feeling its never going to get easier to go out on a limb, so the question is more will you be happy looking back if you didn't give it a shot? Live a little.

spaghetti 14 years ago |

I did something very similar. Quit job that wasn't a good investment of my time, created an iPhone app, ran out of savings, worked at another job that was a decent investment of time, quit that job and created more iPhone apps, and finally took an awesome job.

As long as you have products to show for that 6-9 month period then you're good to go imo.

rdouble 14 years ago |

I've done this more than once, and each time got hired back at more interesting jobs at a better rate. I'm not convinced it's the greatest way to manage a career or a social life, but in my experience there was no other way to find the time to learn new things.

joss82 14 years ago |

You might acquire some first class experience, while having a lot more fun (and stress) than at your regular job.

As a bonus, you may even built some passive cash flow that will help you stay financially secure.

Careers are overrated anyway.

Hisoka 14 years ago |

Doing stuff by yourself whether it's a startup, consulting, side projects are is very lonely. There's a lot of insecurity you will face, and the sad thing is there will be very little people to commiserate with, unlike the corporate world. Almost noone will understand the uncertainty you will face day-to-day. Noone will fathom the heavy decisions you will need to make. Noone will be there to give you the answers(although you can find mentors). If you will tell people what you're going through, they'll just nod your head and then try to change the subject to their boss, or American Idol. It's a very very lonely road.

d_r 14 years ago | |

Something definitely has to be said about having the right environment. If you're around people who are also doing hacking, this will help you immensely, even if they're not working on the same projects as you.