

Ask HN for a career advice - four_months

Here's where I'm at:<p><pre><code>  * 1993: Graduated with a degree in Mech Eng (middle east). Worked in plant maintenance management &#38; coordination (around 5 years).
  * 1998: M.Sc. Mech Eng (London, UK)
  * 2000: Developed a passion for software.
  * 2003: M.Sc. Info Sys (Boston, MA). Worked in mid-east as software developer leveraging my plant maintenance experience.
  * 2007: Moved to Canada. Worked in developing web-apps for end-user, B2B, enterprise.
</code></pre>
I'm currently contracting for The Man (read: lucrative but soul sucking), and will soon be outsourced (primarily to save office space). I've tried launching a product but failed post-implementation (partner quit).<p>I'm at a career cross-roads. I'm starting a service company, but being drained out of motivation and ideas. I have a family of four and minimal social support.<p>&#60;personal_observations&#62;
I'm getting old. The IT industry is pitiful (bad clientele, outsourcing, non-involvement, ...). It's not as easy as other professions to make money (although not too difficult either). Indicators are not in favor of the industry (bubble, economy, ...). My choice of technology isn't aligned with The Norm (further difficulties in landing a 'job'). I'm not being part of something BIG.
&#60;/&#62;<p>I've been advised to move back to Engineering, and try finding a job. I've thought of 'merging' the two careers, but totally lack ideas.<p>I've always appreciated the insights of HN community and would like to hear what you have to say.<p>[sorry for lots of 'I's]
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TuaAmin13
As far as "merging" your jobs, this jumps out at me: +plant maintenance
management & coordination (around 5 years). +software developer leveraging my
plant maintenance experience.

I'm sure you've seen in 5+ years something in plant management that could
probably be automated or had a pretty GUI put on top for pretty graphs. Is
there anything you can think of that you could look in to developing that you
could whitebox and sell to plants for management? Perhaps it was something
during your software development experience that you thought would have been
cool to pursue but The Man decided to take a different direction?

If you feel you've been out of the loop I'm sure you must have some contacts
that would be more than happy to talk to you about their problems.

Initial barriers I see: I know some industries run certain vendor equipment so
integrating or even convincing them to buy would be a bit difficult.

My other thought would be to go back to Engineering and use your software
experience to make your life easier by automating your daily tasks so you can
spend more energy doing something else (working for advancement, not working
long weeks, or whatever other goals you have).

~~~
four_months
Thank you for taking the time and your thoughts.

Investing in a product is an interesting idea, but: 1) I'm out of the loop as
you mentioned. 2) Bad taste from my little adventure. 3) Lack of motivation
and 4) Lack the sales channels especially for enterprises.

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y-l
Yeah I would like to hear advice too. I am based in a developing country and
my choice of technologies is absolutely not helping me do anything (I learned
ruby on rails and I want to start a service company as well).

