The editor inadvertently came across a self-analysis by an engineer approaching middle age, and couldn’t help but feel that every industry has its own bitter journey. Below is a shared reflection for enthusiasts.
Currently, I work at a venture capital company using JAVA for mobile app backend development, with a pre-tax salary of 12K. This salary in Shenzhen, at my age, is at the bottom tier. A 37-year-old man in Shenzhen should ideally have a net worth of at least 5 million, be a boss of a company, or a technical expert leading a team with a monthly income exceeding 30K, owning a car and house, and living a happy family life. However, I have not met the standards of a Shenzhen man. I married a wife whom my mother dislikes, and my mother is constantly upset, which forced me to move out and no longer live with her. The house is not even mine; it was bought by my sister in 2004 when prices were only 4000 per square meter. I now find myself at a loss, but for the sake of my wife, to be a man rather than a dog, I will continue to work hard. However, I feel that at 37, still writing code, especially working overtime with those born in the 90s, is quite hard to adapt to; it’s exhausting. A month ago, I was still pulling all-nighters, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold on; it’s just too tiring. Changing careers seems daunting; I previously lost everything in business, and the psychological shadow from that experience remains. It seems that being a programmer is not suitable for doing business.
Currently, electronic engineers are valued equally with barcode technology talents and R&D engineers. The job market is facing a shortage of talent, and this situation will likely persist for a while, with vacancies waiting for suitable candidates.
“Engineers are scientists; engineers are artists; engineers are also thinkers.” A great engineer once expressed such sentiments.
Indeed, engineers use natural sciences to create engineering solutions. Engineering is both material and intellectual. Many timeless projects, great inventions, and ingenious technical solutions are often seen as beautiful, but as engineers, we should perceive the soul of the design.
Therefore, we should deeply understand that “engineers are also artists and thinkers.” Engineering design itself is an art and a crystallization of an engineer’s thoughts. A precise mechanical device, an efficient and robust program, a complex and flawless circuit—all reflect the thoughts and souls of outstanding engineers. Sometimes, you might even feel that their lives have been integrated into the design.
The most important factor in becoming an outstanding engineer is “to love one’s profession.”
Indeed, life is never easy, and the following sharing is something we often encounter in our daily lives.
“Xiao Ming, I’ve been coding for so many years, and I’m a bit tired of it. I’m considering starting my own venture. A friend is working with a toy manufacturer. I suggested he combine the Internet of Things with electronic toys to develop some smart toys. He asked me to write a proposal, and if it’s feasible, he will seek funding. He is familiar with Company M, which is very interested. He invited me to join him in this project…”
Old Gong is 33 this year, has been programming for 10 years, and has accumulated enough knowledge. Although he can write code well, he hasn’t moved up to management. Now with a three-year-old child and a mortgage of several thousand per month, the pressure is indeed very high. If he can use this as an opportunity to start his own business, that would be the best outcome.
He analyzed, “Combining the Internet of Things with toys can allow for automatic content updates. The target customers are children under five, which seems very promising. Parents are very willing to spend money on their children. If the investor is willing to invest, it would be a preliminary success.”
I was very pleased to see Old Gong have the opportunity to embark on a new career. I spent half an hour browsing his proposal, offered a few suggestions, and wished him success.
As we were about to end our conversation, Old Gong suddenly asked me, “Xiao Ming, you have been in this for twenty years, what are your thoughts?” “There aren’t any good opportunities. If you get it up and running, you can invite me to join, and we can make money together.” “Sure…”
After seeing Old Gong off, I didn’t leave immediately; I couldn’t help but reflect on his question. Old Gong had the illusion that he had been in the industry for 10 years, while I had only been coding for 5 years. When I worked with Old Gong, I had just started writing code; I was 36 then, and Old Gong seemed to be only 28.
I had done many things before; when my daughter was born, I partnered with friends in business for four years, and that year I just closed the shop. My parents could not help take care of the child due to health reasons, and my wife was the only girl among six siblings in her family, doted upon and not used to doing housework, so I stayed home to take care of the child for two years.
After my daughter started kindergarten, I had more free time. I began to think: should I do something? Although my wife is easy to support, my daughter’s expenses are quite high. Kindergarten tuition, snacks, toys, and clothes all require money. Most importantly, my daughter often needs to go to the children’s hospital due to asthma. After coming out of the hospital, comparing prices with those in the supermarket makes everything seem cheap. I must consider how to support this mother and daughter.
I ultimately chose microcontroller programming because I had done some related work while doing business with classmates. At that time, this job seemed the most feasible. I also asked Brother Tao to recommend some job opportunities for me.
“Xiao Ming, the age limit for programmers at Huawei is 35. If you can’t get promoted after 35, you must leave. Programming is a youth job; after 30, it basically ends. If you were in traditional Chinese medicine, you would be at your prime, and by 70, even more impressive. I suggest you consider doing something else…”
I believed Brother Tao’s words. At that time, he was at Xi’an DT, a company comparable to Huawei. He knew this best. I considered it for a long time, and currently, there are no better opportunities. The nursery fees and medical expenses for my daughter cannot be saved each month. According to Brother Tao’s theory, I couldn’t last long, so I decided to take it one day at a time.
I contacted a company myself and became colleagues with Old Gong; he worked on upper computer software while I was responsible for hardware products. We worked together for over a year before leaving that company. Old Gong probably didn’t realize that I was not skilled at that job at the time. In a blink of an eye, five years passed. Brother Tao retired from DT due to being over forty and opened a café. Now, the labor costs are high, and as soon as there are a few more customers, he must step in personally.
“Xiao Ming, what are you thinking? You haven’t blinked for half a day,” Brother Tao asked me.
“Five years ago, you advised me not to write code, but I went ahead anyway. Now I should consider my future,” I replied.
“After you wrote code for a year, I also thought about this. Looking back now, I didn’t consider the problem from your perspective at that time. I was looking long-term, and at that time, Chinese programmers were still young. I thought your career cycle wouldn’t be long, so I opposed it. But you were facing a family livelihood issue, so you were considering immediate matters.
You ultimately made a decision based on your actual situation. That is what I admire about you, being practical rather than idealistic, thus resolving your immediate worries. If the problem is not fundamentally resolved, it will always exist. Old Gong, at 33, is already considering giving himself a chance to break through. You are now forty; there’s a storefront for rent next door, and I know the owner very well. Why not open a restaurant? Your noodle-making skills are exceptional…”
After serving my wife and child for over a decade, my cooking skills have reached a level comparable to my mother’s. My Qishan noodle skills have received praise from my wife and daughter.
“Great! I’ll drink coffee at your shop, and I’ll cover the meals,” I said.
“That sounds good! Although my parents are from the south, I love noodles the most, especially Qishan noodles. Your skills are far better than anything on the entire walking street, and you will definitely earn more than what you make in your job,” he replied.
“Thank you! Come over to my place for a meal someday,” I said.
As soon as I arrived at the office in the morning, a colleague from the workshop called to inquire about the resistance value of a resistor in a product. The computer had not yet started, so I couldn’t check the document. Just then, I had a product at hand, and after looking for a long time, I found that I couldn’t see the printed markings on the 0805 resistor clearly. This had never been a problem before! I had to find a magnifying glass to take a look. Is my vision deteriorating?
This is not a government agency or a state-owned enterprise; if you can’t work, the boss won’t keep you for even a minute. At that time, I chose this job for my family’s livelihood. This job indeed brought me income and paid off my mortgage. A few days ago, I replaced my refrigerator, which I had used for over ten years. This marks a significant milestone in making my home more livable.
Although my physical condition is not as good as before, I can still solve some problems relying on my accumulated knowledge. Additionally, I have time to learn new things, so the immediate worries are not too pronounced, and the situation is relatively stable. In this relatively stable situation, I must face the long-term concerns. The country’s pension may not be enough for me, so it’s best to prepare early.
In the afternoon, I mentioned my vision problems to my wife, and she said:“Don’t worry; I’ll set up a small school and tutor high school math. You can be responsible for cleaning, watching the door, and since you can keep accounts, you can work part-time as an accountant. You can cook, so you could also handle the meals. Your math foundation is solid, so you could substitute as a teacher or help with grading assignments…”
“Stop! How much can you pay me for all that?” I retorted.
“How about three meals a day?” my wife joked.
“You better find someone else; how could I possibly take on so many jobs?” I said, a bit annoyed.
Li Taibai said, “A fortune can be squandered and regained,” but I don’t believe that. However, I believe that “everyone has their own use.” After resigning, Li Hui started a studio, writing code, drinking tea, painting, and planning projects for various companies. It’s much freer than working in a company. Recently, he launched his own product and asked me to help him write application documentation. This kind of life suits me quite well, so I might give it a try!
I chose this job due to immediate worries, and now I can prepare for long-term concerns.
This article is reproduced from 【Electronic Enthusiasts Network】
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