[non-entity]

Eh, part of it is just that "the things I love about writing software" just aren't very important or in demand in a business setting. There certainly are positions I think I would enjoy, but they are fewer in number most of the positions prefer people with graduate degrees (I know not to put too much trust in job listings, but some domains do tend to be more strict on that sort of requirements, whether it be a culture thing or otherwise) and I never went to school at all.

> If that is not the case, are you constrained in some way from upgrading your credentials to the ones you need?

Money, and to a lesser extent time. I can't be considered a resident of the state I reside in "for tuition purposes" at least for a couple years, so there's no in-state tuition for me. On top of that I make enough money not to qualify for any aid, but not enough to fork out nearly six figures in a reasonable time. I could maybe pull out private loans, but for just an undergrad degree, it honestly doesn't feel worth it.

> I have also observed that smaller companies are more focused on who can do the job rather than their credentials. Sometimes moving to a company that needs your skills more than they care to look good on paper might be worth looking into.

Yeah, I'm not fully given up quite yet, hell several years back, I didn't think I would ever get a software development positions period, but I managed to get in.