Leaving Software Engineering

[fibeee]

Just hoping to get home advice really. I have been working as a software engineer for the last 10 years. I had a rough 2024 with redundancy and then taking on a job that was a terrible fit and incredibly stressful. I ended up going off on sick and handed in my notice with no job lined up. With the job market in tech being so awful right now I am hoping to pivot to something else. I am doing temp admin work right now which I am enjoying.

Would like to hear other stories of career transitions. I am feeling really lost at the minute and am not sure what direction to go in.

Are you looking to get out of the industry altogether or do you think you could transition into technical testing, BA, project management?
(Happy BA here)

Do you have decent soft skills?

I've really struggled to find half decent TPMs you could use that as a bridging step out to oeither program management or project managment

Ps its fucking hard. I still have a job but weve been through multiple layoff rounds now peoples nerves are shot, everyones despondent... we are on the 900th reorg, no one know whats going on and they want results now now. 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Where do you live? The tech job market isn't that bad. If you enjoy admin currently, what is it about that - the work itself, the lack of pressure perhaps? What did you used to enjoy about your job?

Thanks everyone I really appreciate your replies. Will try my best to answer everyone’s questions.

I am feeling very torn about this decision. I have worked hard to get where I am but my confidence as a developer completely is shot.

I do have good soft skills as I switched into tech from years of working in customer service/admin.

What I enjoy about my admin job (charity sector) is feeling like I am contributing to something worthwhile, receiving proper training, working with friendly colleagues who tell me they appreciate my contributions, being able to switch off in the evenings

@DidILeaveTheGasOn i live in the U.K.

The market has become very saturated with SEs looking for work. This is due to lots of cutbacks and layoffs everywhere. It can be very hard to set yourself apart from the herd.

5 years ago I heard from several recruiters a week about jobs. Now they are ghosting me.

@jackiesgirl can I ask how you moved into your BA role? What do you enjoy about it

Have you thought about the civil service? They have software jobs but also lots of other roles if you are looking to pivot? It might appeal if you are enjoying the public service aspect of your charity role.

Have a look around on the Civil Service Jobs website if you are interested.

@LivingLaVidaBabyShower i think you’ve summed up how everyone in the sector is feeling right now :(

My soft skills are good as my experience is varied (see above)

What skills do you think make a good TPM?

Company name doesn’t start with the letter that comes directly after B in the alphabet does it?

I have a degree in software engineering but hated my role as a developer. I work in cyber security now and absolutely love it. I switched by studying a masters and coming in at a relatively junior role (but I’d had years at home as a sahp so was happy with that.

there are loads of courses online, if your technical skills are good you could look at forensics (mine aren’t).

I think good SEs are still getting jobs but with way more competition. It very much depends on your skill set but if you’re from a numeric background (say: degree in comp science, maths or physics) and generally a strong developer, then I’d stick with it but look at polishing up your skills: cloud certification, data camps etc.

The interview process is rigorous and often set practical online tests so it’s easy to judge skills..

In my opinion, I’ve seen more redundancies in non-dev roles within tech especially project management, product people, business analysts. I would definitely not cross train to these areas unless you really aren’t suited to SE

@NewHouseNewMe completely agree that PMs, Product Management and BAs seem to be getting the chop. Has happened where I am. I’d also add QA as well to that list.

the Dev teams where I am have largely been ok and I’m hoping the Consultant side of things doesn’t get the same treatment as Product Specialists.

@LoveSandbanks can I give you a PM?

I moved into my BA role and therefore the SE industry from a business SME role 10 years ago, so I am more of a product/business requirements BA, however we are seeing a big shift towards businesses wanting more technical BAs who can do more of the high level technical design as well, “business” BAs are not as in demand any more. I work with a few BAs who have moved from engineering or more technical roles. You would just need to apply for a role and highlight times when you did relevant things eg helped with requirements, solution design, providing feedback between business and devs etc

Sure

@fibeee I did this. I was in technology in financial services. Brexit and the Trussterfuck have decimated it. Now with higher costs for employers brought about by NI increases, I have given up on a 'proper job'.

I couldn't get anything at my level, as there were no jobs, and I couldn't drop a level as I was then apparently 'too senior'.

I've ended up doing something completely different, although I miss the corporate income, I don't miss the stress or dealing with arseholes.

No but I can think of 10 tech companies I could be describing tbh

it’s just a cesspit of misery at the minute

TPMs in my org need to interface between clients / non tech internal stakeholders etc and engineers.

people who can actually be allowed / trusted to speak to an external client or internal sales (who let’s be real might as well be client) or XFN are like gold dust…

most tech staff can’t or won’t look at bigger pictures outside their workstream and finesse messaging. They are also often too direct / one dimensional in their approach.

mentality is very much is this an interesting problem to solve not “how can I service this client so they are happy/ how can the business win”

Thanks everyone for their inputs. You’ve given me plenty to mull over.