I got in to this space because it was fascinating. It still is. I worry a lot of people got in to software because they couldn't decide what else to do while in high school? If that's you, find the overlap between what you like to do, what you are good at and what pays enough for you to live.
Nice. Added to https://github.com/globalcitizen/taoup
Eh, that's not really a tangible marketable skill though, or if it is, it can be very hard to identify or convince someone to hire you based on; usually it's quite the opposite. If you're a programmer of some sort normally, and find yourself out of work, it might be quite difficult to get hired for anything else if the local economy isn't absolutely stellar. If anything, you might have a shot at re-training from scratch, getting a categorically different credential, or starting a business, but often an employer would look at your resume and think "This person will jump ship as soon as they can" or "what is any of this supposed to mean to me, I need someone who's good with customers".
It depends on your region as well though. Losing a job in Canada as a software person last month, last year, 2 years ago, would potentially be crippling for a _long_ time, but now it's worse, and it's worse for everyone else too, and you'd be right to be nervous about the future. Bet against easy transferability, and do your best to actually have a compelling case for an alternative when/if the necessity comes around.
Also relying on being fascinated to pay the bills works until it really doesn't, and if a person never needs to contend with that, they should consider themselves lucky. If at any point the work starts getting dull, and duller, and dullest, you've got quite an existential crisis on your hands, and it's important to develop a healthier relationship with the thing that pays the bills before you face homelessness.
We're all afraid of the future. That's normal for most people. I have rarely in my career ever bothered with certifications, yet I'm collecting them like a hobby this year.
I don't mean to read in to your comment, but I offer an ear if you want to reach out. There is an email on my HN profile.
> I don't mean to read in to your comment, but I offer an ear if you want to reach out. There is an email on my HN profile.
I appreciate the invitation. I know it sounds like I'm in a dark place, but thankfully things eventually worked out... for now, I just came out with some perspective. It has been a repeating cycle of literally 6 months to a year employed and then a year off for the last decade, and you get some time to think if you let yourself take it.