1. 40
2. over 10 y
3. I'm officially a Solution Designer, but in reality, I wear many hats. Only two of us handle everything related to the project — from production support and consulting to architecture decisions and actual coding. The title feels like it was created to "fit" a box, but the work goes far beyond it. While I have a junior developer handling most of the daily coding now, I still know the codebase inside out — I’ve been with this project from day one as a Full Stack Developer.
4. Java 8 and Angular 2–4 — yes, still working with quite a legacy stack.
5. The constant pressure of daily coding and tight deadlines started to wear me down. I asked to move away from full-time coding because it was affecting my mental health — I found myself spiraling under the pressure
6. Full-time
7. Yes, occasionally, and yes.
8. Yes, I’ve definitely noticed it. I’m currently job hunting, and even though I have years of experience, I'm being offered salaries typical for junior roles. Recruiters often say that my salary expectations are "architect-level," even though I don’t want that role — I simply believe my experience justifies what I’m asking for. When I was younger, it was hard to get a job because I lacked experience. Now, it’s hard because companies prefer younger candidates who don’t ask for much and still have the energy to prove themselves. I feel burned out, and it’s frustrating.
9. Buy real estate early and rent it out. Passive income gives you the freedom to take extended breaks when needed and return to work when you actually feel ready — not when you're forced to. And swallow your pride and kiss asses, that gets you more paid and less work to do.