this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] thevoidzero@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I love programming because it feels like magic.

Couldn't choose it as a major because everyone wanted it while I was going to college. It was too competitive.

I still learned it, have fun making things. Helping others by making tools. Thought I could get a job in programming because "degree doesn't matter".

Now the degree matters a lot because they have plenty with the degree, I think it didn't matter in the beginning because there weren't enough people. Now with AI, the people with degree aren't finding jobs. So no way anyone hiring me.

But because I love programming I still use it on my job. Making tools for clients and internal productivity. Basically working like a software engineer without a software engineer salary because I love it.

So profit??? To the company?

[–] Blurntout@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

Programming as magic you should read blood over bright haven

[–] atx_aquarian@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Making valuable things in a professional setting is resume material for climbing to the position you want. If you have some mobility to seek other jobs (at the same or a different company), be sure you're looking for a role in a team where you can contribute with what you know while learning things from the others.

[–] hOrni@lemmy.world 58 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (4 children)

The version I stick by is "Find a job you enjoy doing, and you'll start hating it".

[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 18 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I followed my passion and on the days it's too much I pause and think " Is there anything else I'd rather be doing" and the answer is ultimately no and I feel a bit better knowing that this is the best option

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 days ago

I'm really not sure...

I got a burnout and I made my hobby to my job
Now I'm not interested anymore to do fun things in my free time, because my hobby is my job and I'm fed up with it
But I miss long nights in front of the computer, just quickly hacking together what interests me in the moment

And...I just really miss it and am quite miserable because of it

[–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

Realistically, I still mostly love my job, but every job has parts of it that people hate.

Pro athletes usually love their own sport, but have grueling travel schedules and mandatory media appearances they don't like. Some of them seem to like the sport itself just fine, but hate their colleagues or the organization they work in.

Doctors may love saving lives but hate the recordkeeping piece. Or the hours. Or they might actually hate their own patients as people, from the frustrations of trying to help people who won't help themselves.

Once we understand that every job has different parts we can love and hate, the key is to find a job where the bad parts are worth putting up with so that the good parts make up for it.

[–] ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

I ended up hating my job solely because of how disrespectfully people treat people in my line of work

[–] Signtist@bookwyr.me 2 points 3 days ago

Yup. I eventually found a job doing something that I don't give a shit about, and turns out that's the key to being happy at work, at least for me.

[–] ZMoney@lemmy.world 37 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Forget majors, get a PhD. You'll be even less hireable because companies won't want to pay you more.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 0 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

or a master in science, which is even smaller job field. even worst trying to get into academia, alot of people shoot for those jobs, but its so competitive. my last semester the PI of my lab required course had to review a couple dozen PHD(30+) candidates for a slot int he department for a job, likely not even a full professorship.

[–] Jankatarch@lemmy.world 28 points 3 days ago

Oh it's hiring alright. If your dad knows people.

[–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago

The overwhelming majority of bachelor degree holders don't work in a field related to their major. Something like 30% of university graduates are working in a field related to their major.

That's fine, and it's always been normal. A university education isn't purely a vocational school, and generalized education is still very useful for navigating the world, including careers.

Most job fields just don't have a corresponding major. So much of the economic world is just administrative work, and the skill sets to be able to manage that are both universal across all job fields (using email and calendar software, word processing, the entire spectrum of skillsets for spreadsheets, maybe even basic scripting or programming, generally navigating through UIs of unfamiliar software or websites) or highly specific to one field and not necessarily learned in school (how to use a proprietary software product, or a particular piece of equipment invented long after you graduated from school, etc.).

Most jobs involve the intersection of two or more fields, and very few people will have majored in coursework related to both, and tend to have learned one or more of the intersecting fields well after they graduated, on the job or otherwise. Software sales. Aircraft leasing broker. Solar panel financing. Data journalism. One interesting area is that there are a surprisingly number of people who make the jump from oil and gas distillation/refining to becoming the master distiller for a major spirits producer.

There are really only a few dozen majors, but probably a few thousand career paths from there.

[–] bowsertattoo@piefed.social 30 points 3 days ago

also true of majors your hate tho

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Anthropology made me the school bus driver I am today.

[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Anthropology made me the archaeologist I am today lol

Four field approach FTW!

[–] Godric@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

I'm reminded of this girl I met in college, who was a print journalism major. She knew it was a dying field, but she loved it and was dead-set on riding it into the ground.

Damn, thinning about it, her determination and humor as contributor to the student newspaper was hot!

[–] Dryad@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago

Or you’ll need at least 15 years of experience for the unpaid, entry level, 6-month-contract position.

[–] arsCynic@piefed.social 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I choose major wealth redistribution by taxing the ultrarich out of existence.

PS I had a liquid-shooting-out-of-nose-chuckle moment. Thanks.

[–] Gaslov@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] wanderingmagus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

New York City and California are trying, at least. We'll see how it goes in a few months.

[–] SystemDisc@feddit.org 4 points 3 days ago
[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago

Biochemistry drove me into the Navy.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

pretty much bio-research, if you arnt lucky with 1-2 years before graduation you are out of luck.(seats in labs are very limited in universities), many PI got burned by volunteers flaking on the duties, so they resist even mentioning lab work to potential students. also labs predominately prefer 1 demographic over another. and entry levels wont entertain you for a job, because its became a catch 22.

or some people love 1 major but cant seem to grasp the pre-req classes, as in passing them. i knew one that kept trying, but thier advisor told her to just give up because you arnt doing so well.

[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 1 points 2 days ago

But i wanted to be an engineer since a little kid, does it still apply?

[–] Ariselas@piefed.ca 5 points 3 days ago

not true, ask any barista

[–] Rooster326@programming.dev 4 points 3 days ago

Heard the same things about passion, and because someone else is always willing to do it for free...

[–] Echolynx@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago

Maybe I'm one of the lucky few it worked out alright for I guess.