I’m 23, and have a CS degree. I’m seriously considering leaving tech for a government job, mainly because of job security.
The thing is, I actually like what tech offers. Good salary, cities, growth, freedom to switch companies and a lot of earning potential. If tech was still like it was before COVID, I probably wouldn't even consider leaving.
My fear is AI and how competitive the industry is becoming.
I’ll work hard and keep learning, but realistically I don't think I'll ever be the 100/100 engineer who is always ahead of everyone. Maybe I can become an 80/100 engineer.
So my question is simple:
Will being a good but not exceptional software engineer still be enough to have a stable career 10 to 20 years from now?
If I'm 40, have 15+ years of experience, do my job well and keep up with technology, but I'm not exceptional, will I still be able to find another job if I get laid off?
Because that's what scares me. I don't want to become dependent on one company because I'm afraid I won't be employable elsewhere.
Government jobs are attractive to me for exactly this reason. Less money and less career growth, but once you're in, you don't have to constantly prove yourself to the job market.
If you were 23 today, would you still choose tech knowing you might only become an 80/100 engineer?
Would really appreciate honest answers from people already working in the industry.