Everyday is a boring struggle in work lately, same old shit everyday boring boring boring! The thought of spending the next 20 years of my working life stuck at this desk fills me with dread.

I’ll be 40 next year and would love to do something different. I did try plumbing a few years ago but the recession kicked off so went back to my old job as an IT dev. Since then I’ve moved up the ladder a bit to senior dev but I think that it’s even more crap now and wish I’d stayed as a normal dev.

I’m pretty good with my hands and building stuff. Been trying to think of an outdoorsy type job (landscaping?), or construction (timber frame assembler?), or maybe even start an ebay biz/shop.

Anybody else feel the same way or has done a mid-life career change?

As usual in these threads… I stepped off the gravy train 10 years ago to try something different. A combination of economic and personal factors meant I eventually pulled the plug and am now trying to get back into paid employment but there aren’t many openings about that I even stand a chance of applying for. So think about your decision carefully.

Edit – to clarify, I hoped that changing career would sort out a lot of issues similar to those you mention but it turned out that those feelings weren’t really coming from the job so I was fixing the wrong thing. Eventually my life went pop in a big enough way for me to understand what was really going on and I could have fixed that in other ways.

I’m 28, half way through my computer science PhD and looking at developer jobs available and seeing what I might be able to go for when I finish. I panic some days that I should have done something more hands on (I’ve started several threads here saying I’m going to pack it in/worried about my future etc). I am a bit of a “Grass is greener” kind of person though and I know if I hadn’t gone to uni to do my degree/PhD I would have looked back on the decision and regretted it.

I think everyone has doubts about their career choice at some point, some more often than others. If you are a good developer (And must be to be a senior dev), then can’t you look for a more exciting role in the same industry? If you are bored at work then I think it’s your employers fault – they should be pushing you towards projects that interest you (Thus making you fitter, happier, more productive).

There are exciting jobs out there, and as a developer you have a powerful position as there are jobs for you in pretty much every industry (I was looking at jobs developing agricultural irrigation systems, remote sensing algorithms, games development, trading… the list goes on etc).

I can’t really help as I haven’t felt the despair of the industry (Yet), but this is my inexperienced and perhaps rose tinted view of the situation.

Hmmm. Am I right in thinking that as a senior dev you are paid pretty/very well? I wouldn’t rush to throw that away if I was you, lots of people out there doing properly 5h1t jobs for very little money. Also, outdoorsy type jobs sound great, but they’re often poorly paid and great right up to the point that the weather turns and/or you do your back in!

In my experience lots of good dev guys go freelance and command good money as well as enjoying the benefits of flexibility. Have you considered this? That way you can pick and choose what jobs you do and in your increased freetime maybe try some of the other options that you have been thinking about..

If you want hands on, go for a small company, much more opportunity to try different things, often through necessity.

I’d second what funkrodent has said.
Lots of freelance opportunities out there. That would give you more variety without necessarily destroying your earning power.

The pay is ok for this area, south wales.

I don’t know, maybe some people are more suited to sitting at a desk all day but I don’t think it’s doing my health any good.

Small company, doesn’t that usually mean lack of dev procedures and chaotic release schedules!

Freelance could be an option but that usually involves travel and don’t fancy being away from the family.

God I sound like a right moany git!

Career. PAH! What career…