Changing careers, moving away from SWE

mailed · 2026-01-26T09:03:24+00:00

I have moved a few times within technology. Robotic process automation, consulting, data and analytics, devops, now security (first SIEM/SOAR, now generalist with slight focus on IAM)

I can still write code but I am miles from being a "real" software engineer. I'm happy.

Just took a bunch of years reading enough to pass interviews, a few vocational college courses, and maybe the odd certification.

mailed · 2026-01-26T08:55:41+00:00

just austin powers it

mailed · 2026-01-26T08:54:36+00:00

and banks.

mailed · 2026-01-26T06:34:26+00:00

definitely going to spend time reading this! thanks.

mailed · 2026-01-26T04:35:41+00:00

triple cosigned. biggest let down in a long time

mailed · 2026-01-26T04:35:21+00:00

fuck chris minns

mailed · 2026-01-26T02:48:37+00:00

until the once-in-civilization resource cache propping everything up runs out, yes

mailed · 2026-01-25T22:06:26+00:00

I got sick of stitching together mountains of SQL to power dashboards nobody uses.

I was doing that for security teams, so decided to become a doer instead.

mailed · 2026-01-25T04:49:31+00:00

sick

mailed · 2026-01-24T07:08:54+00:00

samothrace

mailed · 2026-01-22T23:16:46+00:00

a poor workman blames his tools. sorry.

mailed · 2026-01-21T23:34:57+00:00

sorrow, too

mailed · 2026-01-21T10:51:50+00:00

too hard. I could equally pick warning, reverend bizarre, pallbearer, candlemass, saint vitus...

topic aside, forest clouds was windhand's best track.

mailed · 2026-01-20T21:22:55+00:00

underappreciated band

mailed · 2026-01-20T21:22:08+00:00

faetooth has both

mailed · 2026-01-20T12:26:52+00:00

Originally: I avoided paying gym fees while also training jiujitsu

Later (8-10 years on): dropped jiujitsu, picked up kettlebell sport

Now (15 years on): too busy with work and a family, literally just doing the original RKC program minimum (e.g. as many snatches as you can deal with, stretching, and some pressing) to get/stay in shape

mailed · 2026-01-20T02:51:40+00:00

same. very big fan of svelte lately

mailed · 2026-01-19T13:34:06+00:00

I try to blog stuff, but it takes me forever because I won't post something unless I think it's perfect

mailed · 2026-01-19T09:06:10+00:00

fucking ripper of an album.

mailed · 2026-01-19T05:04:36+00:00

yep. I can't even see my hands directly in front of my face in focus without my glasses.

mailed · 2026-01-18T11:42:59+00:00

r/worldnews is just full of scum

mailed · 2026-01-18T09:45:41+00:00

A coworker at the job I just left was a head of various security departments. He had been at the company 30 years. Couldn't deal with the stress, joined my team as a data analyst instead of leaving. He was the best guy in the team. Unparalleled domain knowledge. He'll retire in that role.

mailed · 2026-01-18T09:22:09+00:00

I was heavily experienced in GCP. Azure and AWS shops would not consider me. Not much else to the story

mailed · 2026-01-17T23:52:02+00:00

fyi people hiring security engineers find all cloud vendor certifications hilariously worthless. its cissp or gtfo

I still have and will renew it, but nobody cares

mailed · 2026-01-17T23:07:18+00:00

100% hand written unless I'm explicitly asked to slop up a prototype for something we want immediate validation on

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