Why Most Programmers DON’T Last
Software Development Career Advice
A lot of tech career advice that promotes short-term thinking - be careful not to burn your bridges before you reach the finish line.
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8 Laws for a Long and Lasting Tech Career: Advice from 27 Years of Experience
The tech industry is fast-paced, constantly changing, and competitive. After 27 years working on over 40 different software projects, I’ve learned that if you want to have a long-lasting and healthy career as a programmer, it requires more than just coding skills. You have to adopt strategies that allow you to stay relevant, avoid burnout, and build a career that sustains you well into your later years.
In this article, I’ll share 8 key laws that have helped me maintain my career and health in this demanding industry. Whether you’re just starting out or already an experienced developer, these principles will help you navigate the tech world with longevity in mind.
1. Embrace Your Impostor Syndrome
Impostor syndrome is a common complaint in the tech industry. We often hear people say they feel like frauds or that they don’t know enough to be in their position. But here’s the thing: feeling like an impostor is normal. Every project I’ve joined in my 27 years has involved learning new frameworks, encountering unfamiliar business logic, and working with tools I hadn’t used before. This isn’t impostor syndrome—it’s just part of the job.
If you want a long career in tech, you need to get comfortable with not knowing everything. The feeling of not having all the answers is natural in such a rapidly evolving field. Instead of letting it hold you back, embrace it. Learn, adapt, and accept that uncertainty is a constant in this industry.
2. Make Technology Stupid Simple
One of the biggest mistakes programmers make is assuming that others understand the code as well as they do. If you want to have a long and successful career, a critical skill is the ability to simplify complex technical concepts so that anyone can understand them. This applies to explaining your code to colleagues, managers, or even clients.
Making things simple doesn’t mean dumbing them down—it means making them accessible. Your long-term success will depend on your ability to communicate complex technical issues in a way that non-technical stakeholders can follow. This builds trust and enhances your value on any project.
3. Buffer and Delay Commitments
Software estimates are notoriously unreliable, and this can easily lead to stress, missed deadlines, and a damaged reputation. To protect your career and health, you need to get comfortable buffering your estimates and delaying commitments.
For example, if you’re asked to estimate something in an unfamiliar framework, use a “research spike” technique. Tell your client or manager you need time to investigate the task before providing a reliable estimate. This not only sets realistic expectations but also protects you from being held accountable for unforeseen complexities. Always buffer your estimates—it might feel uncomfortable at first, but it ensures you can deliver on your promises.
4. Skip the Leveling Grind
Many tech companies dangle endless titles like “Software Engineer I, II, III,” and so on, making it seem like you’re progressing in your career. But don’t be fooled by the corporate ladder. Instead, focus on real skills that demonstrate your seniority. Promotions should come because you’re delivering work at a higher level, not because you’ve been at a company for a set amount of time.
If you’re job-hopping every two years to chase salary increases, you might be missing out on the opportunity to develop deeper business knowledge and relationships that lead to more sustainable career growth in the long term.
5. Pick Your Battles Wisely
In the early years of my career, I wasted too much energy fighting for every technical decision I believed in. I would argue over patterns, libraries, and frameworks, trying to convince my colleagues that my approach was the best.
But over time, I realized this approach is exhausting and unsustainable. If you want to last in tech, learn to pick your battles. Not every decision is worth a fight. Save your energy for the issues that really matter—those that affect the long-term success of the project. This will not only preserve your sanity but also help you build better relationships with your team.
6. Always Be Networking
Networking isn’t just something you do when you’re job hunting—it’s something you should be doing consistently throughout your career. Building relationships with other professionals in the tech industry keeps you connected, informed, and ready for opportunities when they arise.
Use LinkedIn, attend conferences, and engage with people in your industry, even when you’re not actively looking for a job. When the time comes to move on, you’ll have a strong network to rely on, which is invaluable for career longevity.
7. Know When You’re the Code Monkey
Sometimes you’ll find yourself in a role where you’re treated simply as a coder—someone there to sling code and nothing more. And that’s okay, as long as you recognize it. If you’re at a company where developers are not involved in strategic decisions, it can be draining to constantly push for a seat at the table.
Knowing when to accept your role and focus on doing great work is key to avoiding frustration. If you want to influence strategy, find a company that values developer input, or accept the reality of your position and avoid unnecessary stress.
8. Get Out While You Can
As you get further along in your career, especially after 20 or 30 years, you may find that the market values younger developers with the latest skills more than it values your decades of experience. This is a harsh reality of the tech industry.
To sustain a long career, you need to start transitioning out of the pure coding role as you age. Develop skills in leadership, consulting, or management that increase your value beyond just knowing how to code. The longer you stay in an individual contributor role without expanding your skill set, the harder it will be to maintain the same level of income and job security as you age.
Conclusion
A long and fulfilling career in tech requires more than just coding skills. It’s about making wise decisions, managing your energy, and adapting to the changing landscape of the industry. By following these eight laws, you can not only survive in the tech world – but thrive!
About the THRIVING TECHNOLOGIST show
On YouTube and all major podcast networks, Jayme shares teamwork and leadership strategies, guidelines for healthy company culture, and stories about real projects so you can have a sustainable career in the software industry.
Jayme Edwards
A family man and veteran of nearly 40 software projects, Jayme experienced many wins and losses over his career as an architect and consultant.
Now he's coaching software developers, managers, and business owners to overcome challenges in the IT industry - so they keep growing.