Ask HN: How important is it that you feel challenged at work?

[kzisme]

I’m curious if others feel challenged with the current work they are doing for either work or on their own time.

If you aren’t challenged - is it important that you are challenged while working through something, or do you prefer to be unchallenged (I’m assuming this would be something you have done previous - think CRUD apps I guess).

If you are challenged at work - has it helped you grow/learn as a developer/engineer?

How important is it to be challenged to grow as a developer/engineer?

[Boothroid]

It's about balance. Some companies will pretend they care about your career but at the same time string you along with the least valuable work in terms of building your skills, or alternately dump unachievable tasks with vertical learning curves and no proper training. Sadly I'm facing the latter right now. Either of them is a sign of cynical or clueless management, and both are in the end toxic for your career IMHO. I'm currently building my skills like mad in order to give myself an exit.

[kzisme → Boothroid]

> string you along with the least valuable work in terms of building your skills

I know the feeling.

What are you currently doing to build your skills? :)

[Boothroid → kzisme]

Some places form ideas about their chosen few who then get the good work. It just seems to keep happening in the permie jobs I take. I really want to go contracting so I can get out in 5-10 years time!

I'm ploughing through a doorstop book on C#/.NET and using Anki to cement knowledge. After that I figure I'll have a better idea of what I might want to learn in more depth.

[itamarst]

If you aren't challenged, if what you're doing is easy... then you're not learning. Learning is always at least a little uncomfortable. (https://codewithoutrules.com/2017/04/17/learning-without-a-m...)

Personally I find not being challenged very unpleasant. But that might be personality quirk.

A more significant problem is not learning for a few years and suddenly finding yourself in a dead-end, where your technology skills aren't relevant any more. And it's a waste too, since your job is really great place to learn new skills (https://codewithoutrules.com/2017/06/01/practice-on-the-job/).

So: very important. Worth changing roles to be challenged, or even finding a new job if need be.