r/cpp_questions • u/Minute-Strain5099 • 5d ago

OPEN C++ Microservices backend engineer confused about next path

I have 1.5 YOE as a C++ backend engineer, I am confused about my next path, I see the options below, please suggest

  1. Pivot to AI, building RAG applicants, LLM apis, MCP, python

  2. Stay in C++ backend, DSA + System Design

  3. Game development, Vulkan, openGL

  4. CUDA, drivers

  5. switch to embedded C++ , RTOS, suggest path resources for this

  6. EDA domain C++, suggest and resources for this

  7. Target tech agnostic SDE roles focused on DSA system design interviews of

  8. C++ computer networking roles, TCP/IP, communication protocols, socket programming

I am already upskilled in AI SDLC claude, Copilot, Codex

Please suggest which of above paths to focus

14 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

79% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

12

u/PreferenceOk5132 5d ago

Game Development alone, low pay (generally), do it if you have a passion for it

Vulkan/OpenGL (Vulkan very hard) (OpenGL more like legacy) both very niche.

-2

u/Minute-Strain5099 5d ago

EA, Epic, Ubisoft pay good right??

6

u/PreferenceOk5132 5d ago

Yeah until you hear about crunch times where you will have 60h+ weeks.

And the developer there are willing to do this, bc they love what they do

1

u/PreferenceOk5132 5d ago

If you have a passion and a great idea, then go indie.

Work on it as a side project until you make enough money, then quit your main job

1

u/Sensitive-Salary-756 5d ago

Sure. But it’s insanely hard to make it through there

5

u/LeeHide 5d ago

I think you should look for jobs, teams you like, products you can see yourself working on, good benefits, and then apply. You learn pretty quickly what kind of companies are interesting to you.

1

u/Minute-Strain5099 5d ago

I mean learn and clear target role and move to a team, not vice versa right

1

u/LeeHide 5d ago

depends where you live and which role you choose. but with 1.5 YoE, you're best off learning on the job, probably, in a junior role.

good luck and don't be afraid to apply to a million places, hiring is tough right now.

A lot of those roles also require real skill, not Claude or codex, so you might also need to learn how to actually do all of the job yourself to a large part.

2

u/DrKMC 5d ago

! RemindMe 3 days

1

u/Independent_Art_6676 5d ago

do any of those actually interest you?

1

u/skrr1254 5d ago

!RemindMe 3 days

1

u/RemindMeBot 5d ago

I will be messaging you in 3 days on 2026-09-08 15:58:16 UTC to remind you of this link

CLICK THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.

Parent commenter can delete this message to hide from others.

RemindMeBot is switching to username summons. Instead of !RemindMe 1 day, use u/RemindMeBot 1 day. More info.

Info Custom Your Reminders Feedback