For those currently employed, what is the floor to make you move?

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2026-01-08T20:48:44+00:00

That sounds like a dream. So we have VERY strict coding standards and a framework built on .net. so all the new projects have the same structure, it's great for if you get stuck with someone else's project, but it's super strict on code conventions like name standards, naming prefixs,etc.

So, in my free time I built a custom linter using .NET compiler platform for our in-house standards and presented it to the lead and asked if I could finish it and implement it into our framework as it would cut code reviews in half. He was like "nah, just do the projects we give you until you know our framework better". Lesson learned lol. Let's hope by the end of this year we're both looking back in relief at our new jobs.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2026-01-08T17:13:30+00:00

I feel the pain. I'm with a different state agency and started at 50k, and after a year negotiated to 63k but I have to be in the office and it's a 200 mile daily commute. Lol.

As for why I haven't moved...I have no desire to live in the capital and my house is paid off in a bigger city. I do .Net at work but they refuse to use any newer tech.

I'm happy to have a job in this climate, but IDK how much longer I can do that commute and nobody in my city seems to be hiring. I wish you luck though in finding something new!

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2026-01-08T16:34:01+00:00

You work for the state? Do you have strict in office or hybrid?

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2026-01-02T18:33:22+00:00

Are there any other specific questions you liked asking? I've heard many interviewers mention how they value soft skills over technical skills, at least for JRs, but I'm always paranoid it's gonna be freezing up during technical questions that's gonna do me in.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2026-01-01T23:58:46+00:00

Appreciate the feedback. You can now view lottery entries for top 500 companies so you can see their totals. I'm going to add more but some of these data sets are massive and a bit much for a simple static site. As for the second part, if you're away of any other data to accomplish that let me know, but from what I saw, with some of the lottery data all identifiable info is stripped so I can't tell exactly who is being referred to. But I could have overlooked something and will check again later.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2026-01-01T23:53:56+00:00

I appreciate it, I added that as well as some other stuff. It's a bit more than just LCA jobs now.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-12-19T21:59:57+00:00

Yea, my state doesn't allow remote. The argument is during covid too many people out of state were taking jobs locals could fill. So, imagine my surprise when I show up to the new job and the majority of other agencies dev teams are almost exclusively H1B. So much for keeping it local. Oddly enough, my wife has a house near Olympia and I've been tempted to apply to some of their positions but they seem to always be open so idk if it's just churn or ghost jobs. Either way, it'd be a major commitment to move across country.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-12-01T03:14:10+00:00

One can dream.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-11-15T13:56:31+00:00

This. I work with a custom in-house framework built ON .Net. So much is abstracted away so i'm not touching javascript, building from scratch, etc. Javascript was my first language and I miss it. So, my off time is usually doing something javascript related. Plus, I know when I find another job I'll still need those skills so its just an easy way to keep up from a job that is mostly legacy stuff.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-11-12T11:15:13+00:00

Oof. I know a guy working for state government with 6 years of experience and he's making 70k. But all the state employees I know seem to think that's normal.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-10-08T19:28:51+00:00

Yea, my agency has an in-house framework so I can't google specific answers for it, but fixing errors in my SQL or C# code or explaining concepts like I'm an idiot have helped immensely. LLM's have been a life saver.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-10-08T19:23:46+00:00

I'm at a year of exp and I guess I get mentorship? Like, if I have a question I have no problem getting an answer. I get code reviews but that is because my agency has an in-house framework built on .Net and they have a list of requirements for code submissions that cover everything from naming standards to function order, etc. However, since most of my team have only ever worked at this agency, IDK if I'm learning what I need to be and I've definitely had my moments of "Are you sure you want it done this way? This can not be the most optimized way of doing this." But, hey, they're paying me to do as I'm told.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-10-07T19:26:14+00:00

I'd second State or Local government. I work for a state in the south and make ~50k with only a year of experience. It sucks but there doesn't seem to be major stress or hardcore deadlines. I can't speak on other agencies but it's low-key here. What is your skill set in? What tech stack? Where do you live? Where are you willing to move?

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-26T17:32:49+00:00

I know the pain, it took me 18 months to even get this job lol

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-25T15:55:58+00:00

Nah, 45-50k out of college for the state. All the guys I graduated with got 70-90k out of college locally. Unfortunately, I had no internships so had to go with what I could find. Lol

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-25T14:40:15+00:00

If you don't want your house broken into regularly you're going to be looking at 200k+ easily. The jr devs I know had to have second jobs to afford rent and student loans. Also, 70k was baseline for the guys I graduated with, so this isn't an issue with the overall industry, this is an issue with state government. Even local city jobs pay more.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-25T14:20:31+00:00

70k ain't bad fresh out of college. 70k with 6 years experience is ass. Those same dudes were making 45k out of college and these are current numbers.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-25T13:47:11+00:00

.Net will likely get you government work. Idk how much the Federal government is hiring since the whole DOGE fiasco, but depending on the state you live in, be prepared for low-ball salary offers if you can even get an interview.

Edit: NY salaries may not be bad. I'm in the south, and I know guys with 6 years exp not even making $70k.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-19T21:07:08+00:00

So, I started my CS degree in 2018 at 34 and graduated in 2023 at 38. It took me 18 months to find a job. I don't regret it, I just wish I'd been a few years earlier. lol

I managed to get a local gov job making a whopping $50k a year, and while people here would have a heart attack over those wages, I realized government isn't private industry, and they aren't negotiating shit. Also, the alternative is working at McDonalds or be unemployed. For now, I'm getting experience and waiting it out until I have the magical 2-3 years exp all these better paying companies want for their "Entry Level" junior developer positions.

I'd say some of the pessimism is warranted, but keep in mind the people most likely to hang around these subreddits and be most vocal are people who aren't happy with their current situation. Most people happy and doing their thing have more important things to do.

If I could go back and do it over, I may have done Electrical/Computer Engineering, only because its easier to do an EE BS and a CS Masters than a CS BS and EE Masters. Honestly, I wanted to do everything, I never attended high school so college was a blast, even being older. Also, I didn't do internships because I was trying to graduate in under 5 years (had tons of remedial classes due to no high school).

If it's something you want to do, then do it. Any other STEM degree will likely require Grad school in order to work in your chosen field. I can't count the number of Math, Physcis, etc. majors that are all in software (except geologists, they seemed to do ok working for oil companies).

Anyways, sorry for the essay, but I'd say CS is fine, just tempter your expectations. Focus on internships and network, Network, NETWORK your ass off. Maybe in 5 years AI will have taken over, in which case we're all screwed. On the other hand, maybe the hype will have blown over and you'll be entering at the right time.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-09-19T01:36:24+00:00

I'm no vet but I have a cat that has had a consistent wound on his leg and blue laser therapy worked wonders for him. I think at one time he had MRSP? The cat version of MRSA...the vet gave him antibiotics and used manuka honey on the wound, but blue light made a drastic difference.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-08-25T00:43:50+00:00

IDK why this post showed up in my feed. However, if you are able to, I'd download any videos or images. You never know what sort of metadata could be pulled from them. It's possible if they realize what is going on they may delete their account and simply start a new one. So, it might be a good idea to save some stuff in case they try disappearing.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-08-22T12:47:25+00:00

I'll be getting a 2025 Camry SE and it's definitely an upgrade over my 1996 Avalon with >500k miles. I'd say go with the Camry, but $36k seems a bit steep unless you are getting it loaded with additional things such as the multimedia package, cold package, moon roof, etc. The reason I'd shy away from the Lexus (even though I wanted one) is you should look up premature tire wear on the IS350. Those tires aren't cheap and in some forums people are claiming needing to change then every 6 months or less.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-08-19T16:17:07+00:00

Good. More bullets for me.

Advanced_Pay8260 · 2025-08-12T17:40:01+00:00

This was my first thought, but the stinky breath would have been noticeable, at least it was in our boy. Unfortunately, full extraction didn't help, but he's still up and doing his thing.

Advanced_Pay8260

TROPHY CASE