42 year old programmer has been in business for 10 years, what is the career planning of programmers

There are still a few days left in 2023 to end (Lunar New Year), this year, time flies so fast!

Today's topic is a bit big, in fact, there is a lot of things to say in my heart, but I don't know how to start when the topic is ready.

The reason why I wanted to talk about this topic is because something has happened during this time, which is intertwined and makes me feel the urge to say something to young programmers.

The cause of the incident came from my little brother, who was 91 years old, and it was not too small. Non-computer science major, after graduating from university, I found several jobs, but I was unhappy and unstable, and I couldn't see the future. Later, I went to find a training class, and I was very attentive and learned PHP back-end development seriously.

At that time, in the era of the rise of the web, PHP was not too popular, at least in Hefei, which was hot for many years (lasted until 18 years ago). Including the piggy CMS that was popular all over the Internet many years ago, as well as the PHP Chinese network, were born in Hefei. Small companies everywhere rely on PHP to survive, with low cost, fast work, and easy to take orders. Isn't there a joke in PHP circles: PHP is born for orders.

Later, when he was almost finished, he went to a company and worked for more than two years, and then jumped to his current company, where he worked for several years (4 years?). 5 years? It's not clear), it's just doing backend development all the time. Because he is not very sociable and boring, he has been on the front line of development, and he has slowly become the old man of the company.

In fact, there were several times in the middle of the boss to consider letting him rise a liter, in a small company, to rise is to lead the team in the technical mouth, he is unwilling, he feels that he can't do it. Later, the boss asked him to try to turn around the project, that is, to try to dock the project with Party A, but he didn't want to do it and refused.

Because he is honest and a good worker, the boss didn't say anything, so he gave up and left it to him.

In the first half of last year (22 years) at the beginning of summer, I once said to me, Brother Duan, I'm working on python now, it's very interesting, Cudo, it's easy to climb things, and it's better than PHP.

I said, how did you convert python? He said that PHP has been used for so many years, and you see the ** on the market, except for j**a, it seems that there is no way to live in other languages, and he wants to try something new.

Try something new, and you can't convert it to python, right? It won't be because of the current fire on the Internet, you just toss this, right? Those who are engaged in technology like to toss, but they are also most afraid of a hammer in the east and a mallet in the west. Transformation is a big deal, and you have to be cautious. I reminded.

He said, no, it's just that the company has now taken over a job, and wants to make a crawler tool for customers, and there are many python libraries, so he will play python by the way.

Oh, I see. Then you just toss and toss. I didn't say anything more, but I always felt as if he had something to say, and he didn't fully say it to me, and I was too busy to ask.

In the first month, he came to me again and said to me, Brother Duan, I've been quite confused lately.

I said, what's wrong? He said: I guess I'm going to "sell fried noodles". "Selling fried noodles" is a self-ridicule in our circle, that is, it can't go on.

I was startled and hurriedly asked, what's wrong? What's wrong?

He hesitated for a long time, saying that the company does not have many orders now, and has been trying to find a way to transform. I said I know. Their company has always been outsourcing, and the first few years of life were very nourishing, but after three years of the epidemic, the business has become more and more stretched. Later, if you want to transform, the outsourcing company will transform, or you will rely on a large company and do the best of the company's business, that is, a channel provider. Many companies are reluctant to take this road, because in the end, it is a business company, and you have no advantage over others.

There is another option, which is to seriously polish a product, through this product to cut into the market, not only to maintain the characteristics of their own software company, but also feel that they have a "core product", the company has the hope of doing a good job, and I feel that I don't have to struggle for orders in the future, as long as I find a way to figure out how to promote my "software products".

This is the path that most software companies prefer. There are too many stories to tell in this regard, including the bloody struggles and difficult survival of small and micro companies, as well as the rebirth of individual teams and the "lane change and overtaking". I'll talk about this later.

Let's go back to their company.

Their boss is a smart guy, younger than me, and a good friend of mine. At that time, I wanted to learn from me and transform into SaaS, but I scolded me. Because the SaaS thing is too tricky, China until now, no, at this moment, there is no real industry standardization SaaS software! (If you have different views, welcome to communicate in the comment area) A thousand people have a thousand cognitions of SaaS, we are not the United States, and the national conditions are different.

He saw that I had been doing very well in the SaaS field, and he wanted to change this track. I asked him, it's okay to do SaaS, which industry do you want to do? Which field? He said I hadn't figured it out yet.

I said, that's why I don't recommend you turn!

I have been doing SaaS for so many years, and only now do I understand that SaaS is fake, and which industry and field is real! It should be that you have been deeply involved in which industry and which field for many years, and you are very familiar with and understood, and then feel that many business scenarios can be gradually standardized, even if you can't do "big" standardization, you can also standardize local and small business scenarios, only in this way can you slowly do the so-called SaaS transformation.

You do outsourcing for so long, in order to survive, any project is accepted, there is no specific industry accumulation at all, although we were also doing ** development, but basically only for customers in the field of pan-home software customization, said that pan-home is not accurate, in fact, building materials and furniture are doing less, 80% of what is done is the decoration industry customer list, and do not talk much, precipitation has seven or eight years of not fake, so later we launched "xxxx" (sorry, for personal privacy, it is inconvenient to publish the name, Otherwise, you'll know me when you search it) will be an instant hit.

My boss brother said unconvinced, but you have only been engaged in this human resources SaaS platform for more than 2 years, should you still tell me that you have any industry accumulation, right? You've only been exposed to the human resources field in the past two years, haven't you? Didn't you just jump right in and do it?

Alas, my little brother! You only see the surface, not the reason behind it, and I'm not afraid that you know, my partner has been rooted in the field of human resources for more than 30 years, is a well-known labor law expert in the province, or a practicing lawyer specializing in labor law cases, or an arbitrator in Hefei XX District, he himself has several human resources companies, in terms of policy, people can go up to heaven, and I won't tell you about the deep connections in the human resources system. His value is to be able to provide particularly accurate business scenarios, and I am responsible for the technical aspect, and I will choose the experience he has accumulated to be distinctive, innovative, and low-cost and easy to implement for implementation. For example, as you can see, the xx elf we just launched (has not been officially promoted, no spoilers for the time being), is the first small and micro platform in China to provide free credible resumes, creativity is basically his credit, I am responsible for the idea of all aspects of the technical evaluation, including the possibility of technology, the possibility of commercialization, etc., as well as the technical architecture, selection, development, etc. Got it now, right?

My boss brother said depressedly, I always knew that he had several human resources companies in his hands, but I didn't expect there to be so many ways.

Yes, it's not that I don't tell you, if I hadn't done it for so long, I know too well that the water here is deep and shallow, I wouldn't have told you everything I did, otherwise I wouldn't have persuaded you. There are many other ways to go, but it takes time to figure it out.

Later, they did find a path that is very suitable for the development of the company, although the advance is a little uncomfortable, but stable, long-term, the company can continue to survive, at least the team will not disperse. (The technical boss opens a company, which is the most emotional, the word of a family).

Back to my little brother who is going to "sell fried rice", their company has been transforming for almost half a year, and it is still relatively stable, so I wonder why he said this, how can he get to the point of selling fried rice.

He said that because the company is now mainly doing the work of xx large enterprises, the entire technology stack is gradually adjusting and slowly attaching itself to the business line of the large enterprise. As a result, the company has not had many phpers now, but 2 have been cut and 1 has been removed, leaving him alone. I said, are you afraid of being laid off? He said no, the boss has already said that at least one PHP person should be kept. He's stable.

I said, then what are you confused about?

He said that although there is nothing wrong with the work now, what about the future? I'm in my 30s, can't I think about what to do in the future? Now the company's backend is all j**a, just a PHP one, I don't feel interesting. He said, it's really not good, I'll also transfer j**a, if it goes on like this for a long time, it's definitely not a way, it's better to turn late than early.

I said, do you want to turn?

He said, it's not a question of whether I want to or not, it's the reality that is here. Brother Duan, you are my big brother, I am confused, I can only ask you. There is a circle of friends around, and no one can say it clearly.

I said, did you talk to xx (his boss)?

He said, I haven't even figured out what to talk to him about.

I said, "Okay, since you ask me, brother, how many years older than you, I'll tell you what I think."

First, don't think about changing language, that's nonsense. Unless the company has requirements, and you are willing to accept it, and it is a long-term strategy, that is, don't do it for half a year, the company has no J**A project, and it is turned back, in this case, you have to consider it carefully. This is not the same thing as learning a new technology, a new language, and "playing" in your spare time. Engaged in technology, which spare time is not "playing new things"? However, you are now switching to J**A, which is not the case, it is a matter of career transformation, understand?

Besides, if you switch to JVAA, do you have an advantage? Isn't it nonsense? When you become a J**A expert in three years, the daylily is also cold, and the first priority of technology is to live, not to engage in technology itself. Besides, with your learning ability, you are a skilled player in three years, and you are vulnerable to being with J**A colleagues of the same age.

So, now that you're starting to think about your career plan, it's not too late, my advice is not to find a way around the language, it doesn't matter what the language is. (This sentence is not a universal rule, different ages, different situations, different treatment, for the moment only for him.)

You either settle for the status quo and have nothing wrong with it, and you can keep doing it, and I talked to your boss about this topic as well. The company still needs individual phper, and may even recruit phper later. Even if you don't recruit, you're also very stable.

If you want to develop, want to go up, and break through in the direction of technology, it is unlikely, and the company's overall technology stack must be j**a, and you don't have a chance. It is also impossible to transfer in parallel, product posts, test posts, front-end posts, you can't do it, for the old back-end who has worked for several years, you need to be cautious about transferring these posts, and it is not a casual transfer, unless it is a newcomer.

Now if you are really determined to change and break through, the best way is to lean on the project and slowly connect with Party A.

When he heard this, he was stunned. No, my boss talked to me before, but I didn't do it.

That was before, and I'm talking about the present, where things evolve dynamically and iteratively forward. This advice of mine is best for you. But I can't do it, my personality is not suitable, and I haven't even been to deal with customers. Usually the front and back end docking, and the product connection, the boss said that I can't do it.

You're too young, huh. The company's internal docking tests the ability to cooperate and coordinate. I let you lean on the project, not because you are a good fit, but because it is the best solution between you and the company.

Your company is now docking with xx company, such a large volume, several business lines have been opened at once, if I guessed correctly, is Lao Wang also responsible for several lines? (The line is a figurative docking item).

He said yes, how capable he (referring to the boss) is.

Now it's not a question of whether the boss is strong or not, it's a question of the people below. If you follow him, share some of the burden for him. He must have been pleased. First, because of the old employees, they are very relieved to know the roots, and you understand the technology, and the customer docking practice again, the promotion of the project is twice the result with half the effort. Not only shared the boss's energy, but the company added a compound veteran (which boss doesn't like employees with one specialty and multiple abilities?!). And you've shown that you're willing to change, you're determined to continue growing, and most importantly, you're definitely going to earn and you've found new motivation to work.

He said confidently that I know myself too well, and it is very likely that I will make a mess of the project docking. I don't drink, I don't socialize, and I haven't done it.

This is a misconception of many programmers, and I understand it.

I patiently told him, first, there is no mess up, not only your boss took you in the early stage, you can't get out of the mess, but you are a small project under a big project, and you don't just let you go out to run business, what are you messing up? (Give him confidence).

Secondly, who told you that you must be able to socialize when talking to people? Your brother and I have never drunk for so many years, don't like to invite people to dinner, don't like to socialize, don't you live well?

Only those who come from a sales background, their thinking is like this, we do technology to do sales, can't we have our own style?

People who are programmers are practical, simple, dedicated to customers, they are born with technology, and their control of the project will be safer, which is our advantage, that is, they are generally not good at communication, but this is not a fundamental problem.

He said, "Then I'll try it, and I'll talk to the head."

I said, but brother, let me remind you that the first three months are the most uncomfortable, uncomfortable, you must persevere, it will be better after half a year, and you will feel very used to it if you stick to the new year.

Later, sure enough, in the first few months, he often complained to me, docking customers during the day, and sometimes doing ** at night, tired to death, I didn't know what to do all day long, I often said the wrong thing, and was bitten by the boss every day.

Then, months passed, and I was not contacted again.

One of them had a casual conversation, and I didn't mention work, I asked him how he was, and he said that he was doing normally, and it was also a new exercise for me. I was relieved to hear him say this, and it seemed that I had found a feeling.

The reason why I said this today is because I suddenly said to me two days ago, Brother Duan, I will make you two bottles of Xijiu to taste.

I was stunned. I said, don't you don't drink? I don't drink either, besides, why do you still have two bottles of wine? You know all about drinking???

He smiled and said, if you don't drink it, you will give it away, it is the end of the year, and I have been busy liaising with the leaders of several projects during this time, just two more bottles of wine, **

I see, this kid looks like he's on the road, and he's doing it in full swing.

I'll just send him a word of encouragement (and encouragement to all young programmers):

Technology is always for the business, don't look at yourself too highly, programmers after the age of 30 must be willing to bend down, integrate into the business, and make their hands "dirty" to have a way out.

Duan Yu, January 2024, written in Hefei. List of high-quality authors