I'm interested in what day jobs hackers on here have? I'd like to see what the mix of people working IT related jobs with side projects vs non IT related jobs with side projects. IT being the usual admin, developer and designer type positions.
And its always interesting in general to see what other people do for a living.
Startup.<p>Before this one, I had another one for seven years (at some point it stopped being a startup and became a very modestly successful lifestyle business, which wasn't really what I was aiming for, so I shut it down). And when I get bored with this one, I'll start another.<p>I've frequently done contract work, on the side, to make ends meet. Even some quite long projects with great small companies--including another startup. But I've always known I would own my own business...since I was a kid. And I've always planned and acted accordingly.
There was a poll recently on this:<p><a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=223846" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=223846</a><p>I'm, well, we run a startup. :-)
I'm a networking systems engineer but my heart is in software development. I've developed small programs to assist my day to day tasks, take part in open source projects, have written a blog or two to discuss technology as I see it and my book reading list is endless. In a year or two I see myself transitioning into the software side of the company after acquiring my degree and having some of those side projects to showcase what I can do. I guess I could say that I am currently and primarily a systems hacker by day-job, and software hacker by hobby with the goal of making it a profession.<p>Asking a question is great on HN, but you should preface it with your answer to your own question... not a hard and fast rule obviously, but for questions like this it would certainly be nice to hear about what you do too. :)
Startupper and drawer of unemployment. Corporate parents shut the startup they bought down, consolidating their location, resulting in a lil' severance + 6-month paid vacation windfall for me.
Web/Software development business owner for the last 6 years. Previously all Microsoft dev. Currently a company of one (me) doing RoR.<p>Trying to get past analyzing my startup ideas to just doing them.
Working out my exit-transition as a programmer/manager at a 300 person consulting shop. I have pretty heavy experience of Oracle and SQL Server based back-ends, batch processing etc., which long-term will make money, but it's not the way the world is going.<p>Planning to work iPhone software and web-apps. Including perhaps a boutique jobs boards, with the slogan "I personally apply for every job posted!", much like the people who start dating sites to "attract a mate".
I just stopped working on my latest startup in the past two years (unfortunately for me, Microsoft announced they were going to do something very similar and it was enough to scare off my few investors).<p>I ended up signing on full time with my favorite consulting client as a practicing software architect for them. I get to solve problems with big data and drive the direction for all of their IT ops. It's fun, and I figure it'll do until the next big idea hits me.
Software Engineer at an early-stage startup in the Bay area. I was hired to do Python, but they want me to eventually learn C (which I am really looking forward to).
Platform and developer network consultant to large companies and other start-ups, but I often end up giving advice on a wide variety of topics - development methodologies tru to blogging PR.<p>I'm probably a prime example of PG's "go all in" strategy rather than doing my project on "the side" as I'm essentially doing the same work for other people so that they can get ahead of me. :(
I have a full time gig as web developer, plus a blog that gets around 30-40k uniques per day. I'm also working on a charity-focused bodycare line and I have a screenplay under development. My current web project launches in September.
Undergraduate student and associate software engineer at an embedded systems startup (that just got bought recently). I also do some side work with some peers at my school.
Contract java monkey. Currently doing VoD. Would rather be working on erlang/python/openlaszlo web fun for my kids. Educational software is uniformly poor in this country.
Software developer for large (5 - 7 billion USD) non-tech manufacturing company. Currently investigating the local startup / small company scene for an upgrade, though.
Market Research Analyst by the day and Hacker by the night and weekends ;)<p>Does having a completely different kind of job help your hacking enthusiasm? I am still figuring that out.
Dev at a large company for the next week, then I'm off to see the wizard. It's going to be a hard transition, trading very cool projects for independence.
Developer for a small financial software startup in Boston.<p>BTW... We are hiring and are having a real hard time finding good developers. Shoot me your resume if interested.
Management Consultant. Specifically an Agile Coach. I teach organizations and their teams who have gotten lost in paperwork and procedures how to get in touch with that little start-up inside all of us -- without taking down production by being a cowboy.<p>But it's Sunday and I'm busy coding on my startup. Doesn't that count as a day job?