Doctors and lawyers have years of expensive schooling and certification to contend with. 'categoryIdList':catIdList, height: 100%; "tagNames": IDG.GPT.targets["tagNames"], Now, don’t get me wrong. sincePublished = sincePublished.split(" ")[0]; 'articleTitle': 'The 8 most stressful jobs in tech', catIdList.split(',') : []), 'podcastSponsored': 'false', The most stressful tech and IT job on the list was for Web developer, which might be associated with its rapid growth. page: { On this blog, we’ve taken on some questions that seem as though they’d be too general to answer. "advertising": {} if ( metaKeywordsTag && (metaKeywordsTag.hasAttribute('content')) ) { The BLS cites the average salary for this role as $77,550 per year. country: null, If you're interested in contributing an article, please feel free to, check out this recent survey from US News, Lessons From a Veteran: Turning a Hobby Into a Fulfilling Career, Should Programmers Blog? 'ancestorGoldenCategories': 'careers', 'goldenTaxonomyIdPrimary': '585', How could it not? 'blogName':'', Here’s my take, based not just on reading surveys on the subject, but on years of being a software developer and being surrounded by software developers. I chose this career in 1996 only because it could change my life for the better quickly as an immigrant. We’re looking to cover our costs and perhaps earn enough money for the occasional cup of coffee. This is a commonly asked question. But it’s fun nonetheless, and enjoying your work is an immense contributing factor to a happy life. dlIndustry = tokens['industry']; There are too many people who are doing things for $200 that should cost $1000. 'tags': 'research', The most stressful tech and IT job on the list was for Web developer, which might be associated with its rapid growth. 'categoryIdAll': (catIdList.length > 0 ? 'articleDisplayId':'11', "env": IDG.GPT.targets["env"], "pagetype": adLayer["itemType"], 'goldenTaxonomyIdAll': '585, 586, 650, 622, 621', 'displayType':'slideshow', A software engineer applies mathematical analysis and the principles of computer science in order to design and develop computer software. new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], adblocker: (adBlockStatus == "true"), //detected further up the page Data has exploded in the last few years, which has left businesses scrambling to hire data professionals, only to face a lack of qualified candidates. The BLS predicts that this role will grow 12 percent by 2024 and cites the average salary as $50,380. In my 16 year career as a software developer i have met some devs. Alright, so here’s the short quick answer. And now, in that same vein, I’ll answer the question, “are software engineers happy?”. return ""; } { I’m listing these not to somehow undermine my own point, but rather to give you a complete picture. Beyond this, the resulting stress becomes destructive Arbitrary deadlines, death marches followed by “blame festivals" 'property': 'cio', "adscheduleid": "LxK3nuOJ", 'isBlog':'false', Too often the testing phase is rushed and the software goes out with an unacceptable level of defects. 'author':'Sarah K. White', My Advice After Interviewing 100+ Software Engineers. Tech related: Computer hardware engineer, computer and information systems managers, application software developer, and others. Alright, you need to stay on top of what you do to keep your job, but that's the same for most technical fields. primaryCategories: stringFromDataLayer('ancestorGoldenCategories').length > 0 ? ... As much as possible, the interview should cover areas that accurately predict whether a candidate will be a successful software engineer at your organization. }); On the one hand, the expectation of future fortune will certainly make you happy. width: 20px; $.ajax({ }) audience: stringFromDataLayer('audience'), [categorySlug].forEach(function(val) { Learn about Amazon.com culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. 'prodCategories':prodCategories.slice('|', -1), if ( edition === "us" || (edition === "in" && beforeEndDate === true) || ( edition === "uk" && (brandAbbreviation === "ctw" || brandAbbreviation === "nww" || brandAbbreviation === "ifw") ) ) { Computer Programmers are held to similar expectations as Software Engineers, but they write, test and code the applications and software developed by the engineers. Software engineering is a branch of computer science which includes the development and building of computer systems software and applications software. for (let i = 0; i < [30,60,90].length; i++) { 'userId':idg_uuid, But that hasn't stopped it from being one of the more stressful jobs in tech. //console.log("GDPR: floating video player - consented"); } "categoryIds": IDG.GPT.targets["categoryIds"], As software engineers, our jobs tend to be very stressful. dlJobPosition : null), If software is something you genuinely enjoy, then working as a software engineer is the least stressful thing you can do. } But if we dive a little deeper, software engineers are happy because they have an (overly) bullish take on their own lot in life, both now and later. "requestTimeout": 60000, }. } position: relative; border: none; }, if (! "companySize" : "543ea0bd-604a-4011-99e7-806fc8979b5e", And, while there’s actually a cap past which additional income has no bearing on happiness, making more than enough to live comfortably will, at the very least, stave off unhappiness. 'youtubeId':'' } A quick look at Glassdoor, at the time of this writing, has the average U.S. software engineer salary now eclipsing $100,000 per year. return dataLayer[0][property]; 'jobPosition': dlJobPosition, } dlJobPosition = "removed"; } const stripOutIllegal = s => s.replace(/[~'"=!+#;^()<>&[]]/g,''); var customAdRoll = [ if (window.canRunAds === undefined) { 'goldenTaxArray': (goldenTaxList.length > 0 ? The last thing that I’ll mention here has a slightly different flavor to it. cache: true, // default is false Switzerland is one of the best countries to work in as a Software Engineer. type: "get", These tend to include relaxed dress codes, flexible work hours, remote work allowances, and various other offerings designed to make life more convenient and a work-life balance a priority. //console.log("Error retrieving data: " + data.responseJSON.error); dlIndustry = dlIndustry || null; height: 20px; }); A 32-year-old software engineer went through a 'super stressful' interview process at Amazon — but turned down the $167,006 offer. "goldenIds": IDG.GPT.targets["goldenIds"], A lots of devs actually have hobbies. And I can’t dispute that notion. All of this perk culture adds up to not only material wealth but a lifestyle of flexibility and relative autonomy when compared to standard modes of employment that emphasize commutes, physical presence, and toil. Software engineer too. "fr": googletag.pubads().getTargeting('fr'), }); insiderSignedIn = insiderSignedIn.toString(); //per Infotrust this needs to be a string, not a boolean So what does it all mean on balance? 'prodNames':prodNames.slice('|', -1), "grm": googletag.pubads().getTargeting('grm'), 'primaryAncestorCategoryList': 'it skills,relationship building,careers,it leadership,it jobs', $("#jw-standalone-close-button").click(function() { window.ntvConfig.keyValues.contextual = stripOutIllegal(kwds.join(',')); 'prodManufacturers':prodManufacturers.slice('|', -1), A 32-year-old software engineer went through a 'super stressful' interview process at Amazon — but turned down the $167,006 offer. 'edition':edition, 'suppressMonetization': supMontMods.toString(), All of that, combined with fast growth -- the BLS predicts this job will grow 17 percent by 2024 -- makes for a stressful career in tech. 'isInsiderContent':'false', if (true==true) { j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'? 'platform':'Web', if ($(".gsc-result").length > 0) { if (typeof(responseData.attrs[hermesAttrs[key]].option_label) !== "undefined") { I’ll give you a short, quick answer. I have no idea about it after one semester. Surprisingly, this job is actually on the decline, with the BLS predicting an 8 percent decline in growth by 2024. } It can also perpetuate a negative and cynical attitude, leading to problems with depression, which can ultimately reduce your overall immunity. (Most of the jobs had a high degree of stability, while giving relative work flexibility.) They are. = " + consentOk); if (typeof countryCode !== 'undefined' && countryCode !== "") {//should be defined in locales-editions.jsp if brand has editions (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': var tokens = IDG.insiderReg.readCookieProperty(insiderToken); adBlockStatus = 'true'; '//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); "playlist": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/playlists/xAPwXviG?search=__CONTEXTUAL__", They found that 10 of the least stressful jobs were composed of healthcare, computer and math-related occupations, making Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards proud. You can start a side hustle or a full-time hustle with just about any background if you’re sufficiently determined. if (!consentOk) { } jwplayer("bottomRightPlayer").setup({ }

The hours of an engineer are less than a doctor or lawyer, on average.

. z-index: 1400000; height: 225px; tags: stringFromDataLayer('tags').split(","), data: {}, Stress is what you make it - at your job when you mess up you can be fired (depending on the severity of the error), at school you just get a bad grade.

. $("#tso").css("z-index","auto"); Stefan is a software development engineer II at Amazon with 5+ years of experience in tech. Whoever wrote this article is not really qualified to judge, apparently. } var prodManufacturers = ''; 'daysSincePublished':"1860", dataLayer.push({ As I’ve said before, successful software engineers tend to love to build stuff. I think it’s good to close with this one because it demonstrates that the happiness of a software engineer has two levels of depth. If you want to minimize stress, think carefully about the work environment that’s best suited for you. Based on 8,478 responses, the job of Software Engineer has received a job satisfaction rating of 3.96 out of 5. googletag.cmd.push(function() { "channel": IDG.GPT.targets["channel"], 'primaryCatArray': (primaryCatList.length > 0 ? So whether you offer it to them as an employee or freelancer, contractor or consultant, small business owner or intern, they’ll take what they can get. People who are enjoying their jobs wont go to a career subreddit and talk about it. Plenty of programming you do at work is a slog compared to building some kind of robot or home automation setup at home. loggedIn: (stringFromDataLayer('insiderSignedIn') == 'true') So it's no surprise that Computer Service Technician is on the list of most stressful tech jobs. Are software engineers happy? 'environment':'production', ... “Leaving the house and going out is usually very stressful, ... A diagnosis too late. secondaryIds: [586,650,622,621,650,585,586,621,622] #bottomRightPlayer { The median salary for this job is $88,890 per year and the growth outlook is strong, with an 18 percent expected increase in jobs. The survey, which started in 2012, just released its 2015 report, and found that of 78% of the IT workers surveyed consider their job stressful. You end up working long hours with a constant fear of getting fired. 'gaTrackingId':'UA-300704-2', } "autostart": true, I have been thinking about leaving this career very often now. Of course not every survey out there puts it at number one. Of course, difficulty with a boss or tight deadlines could cause stress. goldenTaxList.split(',') : []), } Only you can know how you respond to and deal with stress, and if you can handle it, these jobs can lead to a long, rewarding and successful career. window.ntvConfig.keyValues = window.ntvConfig.keyValues || {}; 'oneRegPlacementID':oneRegPlacementID, I took one computer class when I was in college back in my country. if (getQueryVariable("huid") !== false && idg_uuid === '') { stringFromDataLayer('userId') : null), All jobs are going to have times where it is very stressful, maybe you have no idea what you are doing (Me all the time), or the work load is heavy, or you have an approaching deadline, or you have issues with co-workers/superiors. That’s up considerably from even as little as 5 years ago when I last regularly hired software engineers and kept closer track of their compensation. secondaryCategories: stringFromDataLayer('primaryAncestorCategoryList').length > 0 ? And science backs this up; numerous studies have suggested that stress at work can shorten your life span and cause negative health problems. dlJobFunction = tokens['jobFunction']; } Software engineering can often create stressful situations and protracted periods of long hours (lovingly called “death marches”) as you near a milestone date. categories: stringFromDataLayer('prodCategories').split("|"), publishedAt: "2016-02-08T04:55:10Z", 'purchaseIntent':'', If you enjoy working alone for long stretches of time, hold out for a job where you can work remotely. if ($("#drr-container").length > 0) { You can get going with a Best Buy laptop and a book on Javascript. } Constant preoccupation with job responsibilities often leads to erratic eating habits and not enough exercise, resulting in weight problems, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels.". var dlJobFunction = ''; It's typically a full time job that requires working closely with engineers to develop instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles and other documentation. #jw-standalone-close-button { 'source':'cio', "vw":googletag.pubads().getTargeting('vw'), But on the other hand (assuming you fall somewhere short), you’re teeing yourself up for future disappointment. $.ajax({ So i can answer this question. if (! } "tag": custAdTag, .brVideoContainer .outer-wrapper { } "playertype": "bottomRightPlayer", Then I’ll list some of the things that detract from a software engineer’s happiness before elaborating in more detail on happiness factors. var adBlockStatus = 'false'; The APA also cites a loss of mental energy in addition to the health problems that can stem from a negative working environment or a stressful job. manufacturers: stringFromDataLayer('prodManufacturers').split("|"), border: none; position: fixed; dlIndustry : null), customAdRoll.push({ So on the other side, what drives happiness? $.cookie('idg_uuid', idg_uuid, {path:'/', domain: ".cio.com", expires: 90/*,secure:true*/}); headers : { Engineers working there commonly enjoy free lunches, video games at the office, massages, sabbaticals, and even more exotic sorts of benefits. IT professionals often have to cope with stressful situations and high-stress jobs – … Managing IT, what I have done for the last 7 years or so, is definitely very high pressure. Basically, software engineering is difficult work and typically high stress. jobIndustry: (dlIndustry !== "" ? "offset": [30,60,90][i], This awkward and stressful thing between emerging a hero after completing the 12 labors of … 'brandpost': 'false', Computer systems software is composed of programs that include computing utilities and operations systems. Love it. "custParams": customParams CareerCast polled readers to find the most stressful jobs in the tech industry.\n', loggedIn: (stringFromDataLayer('insiderSignedIn') == 'true') } You’ve no doubt heard that programmers tend to make good money. "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded", //console.log("*****GDPR: floating video: is there consent? url: "https://cdn.permutive.com/f5b3be27-f789-4ef1-8867-37c67da5b361-web.js", One is the surface level, where we recognize that software development objectively correlates with a lot of the things that make people happy in life. permutive.addon('web', { The idea here is that software developers not only have enough in life to be happy, but they also expect more to come later. "permutive": googletag.pubads().getTargeting('permutive'), When you enjoy the work and avoid toxic situations, here are the ways that you tend to enjoy your life as a software engineer. Passionate and Driven – Most of those who succeeded and are succeeding in being software engineers, are those who enjoy the thrill of solving complex algorithms or problems. "custParams": customParams Software engineers are in such high demand that employers have to lure them to work with more than just salary. "zone": IDG.GPT.targets["zone"], window.permutive.track('User', { } }); Well, it means that being a software engineer is a pretty good deal. Ex-Google Tech Lead talks you through stress & pressure at work, and how he copes. } if (prodNames !== '' || prodManufacturers !== '' || prodCategories !== '' || prodVendors !== '') { } else { margin: 0 auto; This site participates in the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate marketing programs. var userData = {}; Silicon Valley made a number of such perks famous. tax: { "offset": 30, I chose this career in 1996 only because it could change my life for the better quickly as an immigrant. } "dlm": googletag.pubads().getTargeting('dlm'), "country" : "ea76d652-29bd-4a6c-ae50-a5d08ea28c5e", authors: stringFromDataLayer('author').split(","), "client": "googima", I'm living proof. //product js vars defined in document-head left: 0px; A 32-year-old software engineer went through a 'super stressful' interview process at Amazon — but turned down the $167,006 offer. Bad life/work balance. I took one computer class when I was in college back in my country. }); position: relative; I hate it. Network and Computer Systems Administrator jobs aren't growing as fast as other tech jobs, with the BLS predicting just an 8 percent increase by 2024. } $(function() { z-index: 10000; type: stringFromDataLayer('articleType'), The combination of autonomy, pay, flexibility, and job satisfaction leads to software engineers being quite happy compared to people in other professions. I subscribed your blog. [ Related story: Tech and IT workplace hiring trends for 2016 ]. }, .brVideoContainer { This is very helpful to relief from work stress. If you click on an affiliate link and wind up purchasing something at the site, they send us a small commission as a way of thanking us and encouraging us to send them more business. Subscribe to access expert insight on business technology - in an ad-free environment. PHOTOS: How Austin built jobs for … CIO resumes: 9 best practices and 8 strong examples, 10 steps to avoid digital transformation failure, 6 hot infrastructure and operations trends — and 5 going cold, What CIOs can expect from IBM’s managed infrastructure spinoff, For new board members, onboarding is a crash course in company culture, New IBM sales strategy catches CIOs’ attention, Network and Computer Systems Administrator, tech industry, where high demand meets a lack of talent, Tech and IT workplace hiring trends for 2016, CNN Money states that the potential 10-year growth for this role. jwplayer("bottomRightPlayer").setup({ Until your first day. // index pages - enterprise There are people who get into it knowing that it makes for a good career, but they actually don’t like the work. That's especially true for the tech industry, where high demand meets a lack of talent, which results in understaffed IT departments and a lack of support in up and coming areas like big data, security, mobile developers and more. But eventually, the better you get with your tools, you'll find you have some superpowers over your sighted peers. So the idea here isn’t to peg every software engineer on the planet, nor to speak in absolutes. In employment survey after employment survey, software engineer scores high marks. IT professionals often have to cope with stressful situations and high-stress jobs – while the stress levels are further influenced by the general working environment. However, that does not make software development “low pressure.” Software development can be VERY high pressure, and is in most cases. stringFromDataLayer('ancestorGoldenCategories').split(",").concat(stringFromDataLayer('primaryCategory')) : [stringFromDataLayer('primaryCategory')] , purchaseIntent: stringFromDataLayer('purchaseIntent') Industrial machine repair Factory jobs; Archivist (fun fact: I … '&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= Next on the list is the role of a technical writer, which the BLS predicts will grow 10 percent by 2024. Love it. }); Applications software consists of user-focused programs that include web browsers, database programs, etc. let brandAbbreviation = ""; display: inline; url: "https://lqxgcyk808.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/prod_h2/api/v1/profiles/" + idg_uuid, These things are not only related to software engineering. $(".main-col > div:nth-of-type(6)").after($(".brVideoContainer")); } Read more about working at Dolat Capital Market. } And all of this comes, of course, on top of nice standard perks that well-compensated employees typically enjoy. var sincePublished = '1860 days'; ads: { 'audience':'enterprise', const metaKeywordsTag = document.querySelector("meta[name='keywords']"); Interestingly, in contrast to this list, the number 1 least stressful job of 2016 across all industries -- not just tech -- was Information Security Analyst, where the stress score was just 3.8. if (window.dataLayer && dataLayer[0] && typeof dataLayer[0][property] == "number") { This breadth of experience has allowed him to speak to all industry personas and to write several books and countless blog posts on dozens of sites. "advertising": { Today, I wanted to focus on making sure you, as a software engineer, were doing the right thing for you. 'de_normalized_company_name':$.cookie('de_normalized_company_name'), Too often the testing phase is rushed and the software goes out with an unacceptable level of defects. if (segs) { // search results 'contentStrategy': '', Software development can be VERY high pressure, and is in most cases. Having to work with different tax forms, sending it to the right people, coming up with different numbers to put on those tax forms, tax deferred this, capital gains that, deductible expense here, some other bullshit there. So you see the conundrum. This is a community site, but hosting and content aren’t free. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), "Along with its emotional toll, prolonged job-related stress can drastically affect your physical health. bottom: 5px; @media only screen and (min-width: 930px) { 'insiderSignedIn':insiderSignedIn, Its hard to explain but working in software is like doing taxes to me. }); LEAST STRESSFUL. dlJobPosition = dlJobPosition || null; The average salary for a web developer is $63,490 per year and the typical entry-level worker has at least an Associate's degree. 'datePublished':'2016-02-08', I hate it. }, var goldenTaxList = '585,586,650,622,621'; id: stringFromDataLayer('articleId'), 'articleLocale': 'global', 'primaryCategory': 'careers', vendors: stringFromDataLayer('prodVendors').split("|") Rather, it’s about taking a look at the most common case for those of us in the field. window.idgus.cmp.gpt.then(function (consentOk) { description: 'Everyone\'s job can be stressful at times, but some jobs are more stressful than others. } 'adBlockStatus': adBlockStatus jobPosition: (dlJobPosition !== "" ? // custom search results $(".brVideoContainer").remove(); $("article .bodee #drr-container p:nth-of-type(4)").after($(".brVideoContainer")); "mute": true, const kwds = metaKeywordsTag.content.split(',').filter(kw => kw.length <= 40); This position indeed deals with tight deadlines and turnarounds. edition = countryCode.toLowerCase(); overflow: hidden; }); But CNN Money states that the potential 10-year growth for this role is 18.7 percent with a median salary of $124,000 per year. 'daysSinceUpdated':'1860', I subscribed your blog. The last four items represented unambiguous benefits, but this one… not so much. border: none; Struggles Of A Deaf Software Engineer In Lagos. display: inline-block; "schedule": customAdRoll (tokens['jobPosition']===undefined)) { var primaryCatList = 'careers,it jobs,it leadership,relationship building,it skills'; //dlJobPosition = tokens['jobPosition']; const segs = localStorage.getItem('_pnativo'); width: 100%; var videoPlayerMarkup=''; adBlockStatus = 'false';