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I am a recovering software developer that had a terribly failed startup. We raised venture capital, had angel investors, and just totally blew it. I'm 29 at this point, was 27 then. I had to let go of a team of developers, maybe 3 of them, they had family, it was heartbreaking. I still talk to most of them. I went through a really dark period. Few months later, we still hadn't raised any money to keep things going and I find out my wife and I are expecting. I basically say, 'Fuck it', I need a real job. So I apply anywhere that would even possibly want me, and I end up interviewing at a Mechanical Contractor as a Project Assistant. Just pushing paper for Plumbing and HVAC jobs. Two years later, I'm running my own jobs, and working directly with union pipefitters and sheetmetal guys. Here's my advice. Join the union in their apprentice program. You'll be paid well to start with - you definitely, definitely won't starve. You might not be making $150 per hour, but you might make $30 per hour all week long, plus the opportunity for overtime. It'll take a few years, but you'll end up becoming a Journeyman, and that means more like $40-$50 per hour, all week long, with overtime potential, incredible benefits, and more. Working for an established mechanical contractor will help you get more steady paychecks and if you're good, you'll end up becoming a foreman running larger jobs. The foreman that managed the last project I was on - it was a $2M job - made $65 per hour, plus opportunities for overtime and doubletime. It's dirty work. You'll be so tired you won't have time for coding like you used to. |