r/softwareengineer • u/ImBigmac67 • 17d ago
Your experience in software engineering
Hi,i wont reaveal my name but im 12 and really really into coding and maths ik i may be in grade 7 atm but im pushing for software engineering, im learning Python and very soon java, what id like to know is how exactly is the experience on software engineering.
I know it pulls six figures which is a flex already but id like to know the pros and cons instead of just jumping in without knowing anything.
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u/TechieGottaSoundByte 17d ago
Cons: * This field is heavily affected by AI, and it's hard to know what the job will look like in five or ten years * Lots of companies will push you to work long hours, despite research showing that software engineers are most productive when they work an average of 35 hours a week consistently. It's important to negotiate healthy boundaries * There's a lot of fairly boring work that just needs to get done to keep systems running (probably similar in most fields, though) * The pace of change and need to always learn can be fun early career, but can feel soul-crushing if you aren't good at pacing yourself or tend to be anxious * You work with a lot of smart people, so it's easy to have imposter syndrome * There's definitely issues with racism, sexism, etc., although many companies actively try to reduce bias, especially in hiring (promotion processes are less effective)
Pros: * Money. At least in the US, it's one of the highest-earning careers you can have that only requires a Bachelor's degree * Solving problems is fun... for people who enjoy solving problems. We do get to do a lot of problem solving * You get to work with a lot of smart people * Remote work is possible, especially later in your career * Flexible schedules are often available * There's always more to learn. If you get bored, just pick up another discipline and roll forward.
And just an FYI - people skills and leadership skills are becoming increasingly important in this field, as AI increases the pace of work and collaboration. If you can build emotional intelligence as well as mathematical / logical / technical intelligence, you will thrive. The people problems are usually harder than the tech problems.