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   BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Monday, 01-Jun-2026 21:46:37 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

   Leaving the Tech World Professionally
   https://binarydigit.net/leaving-the-tech-world-professionally/
   #Posts #Tech

   • Embed this notice
     Garrett :spinning_pinwheel: (heygarrett@social.lol)'s status on Monday, 01-Jun-2026 22:05:18 JST Garrett :spinning_pinwheel:

     in reply to

     @binarydigit I'm having similar feelings. I'm considering a switch to freelance work, focused on working with local businesses and orgs. But I'm not quite ready for it yet.

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     Jim Mock (jmock@social.lol)'s status on Monday, 01-Jun-2026 22:45:47 JST Jim Mock

     in reply to

     @binarydigit This, 100%. I want out so bad, but it’s what I’ve done since the mid-90s. I dunno what else I wanna do, but I know it isn’t this anymore. I look at the local community college’s course list at least once a week hoping something will spark interest. The other problem is that it’s mildly terrifying to think about starting over in my early 50s 😩

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     Alexandra :prami: (alexandra@social.lol)'s status on Monday, 01-Jun-2026 22:58:31 JST Alexandra :prami:

     in reply to

     @binarydigit I feel for you, truly. Back in my day it was so much easier to retrain and move into new jobs and areas (if you were savvy enough).

     These days with so many people competing for jobs and, as you said, AI insinuated into everything, I wonder if there's any clear path away from the tech takeover.

     But there are other avenues, I just hope you find one that will fit you like a glove.

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     Sylvia (sylvia@social.lol)'s status on Monday, 01-Jun-2026 22:58:42 JST Sylvia

     in reply to

     @binarydigit I’m so glad that my health forced me out of tech back in the early 2000s, because the way AI seems to have taken over already is terrifying, especially with how greed from bosses makes IT people’s work almost impossible.

     I can so well imagine how you feel when you think about leaving a job you love(d)! I for one would love to see you dive deep into creativity and see what’s there for you to explore.

     It would be fun to explore working in other fields too. I can see you as a teacher for example for some reason 😀

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     Phillip :usa_distress: (phillip@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 01:51:29 JST Phillip :usa_distress:

     in reply to

     @binarydigit I’ve had similar thoughts myself, though from a security-standpoint too. It’s a common trope in infosec because people don’t take you seriously until they get pwned. And with AI on top of it, it feels like a nightmare.

     The saving grace for me is that the people at my current job generally listen to me and take me seriously on these things. I don’t have AI usage mandates - in fact, it’s cautioned against due to working in critical infrastructure - and it’s a small enough company that I can institute changes I deem necessary without much red tape.

     The landscape at large is scary right now. I don’t know what I would do either if I left tech, but other people seem to find a way. I’m sure you’ll find something you like outside of tech, or maybe a unicorn job that fosters that love that got you into the field in the first place.

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     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:27:00 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • B

     @blainsmith Thank you for sharing! I know I'll figure something out, but sadly I think it'll come down to when I get desperate to push me to do it. My brain is dumb 😂 Good luck on your journey with it!

   • Embed this notice
     B (blainsmith@fosstodon.org)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:27:01 JST B

     in reply to

     @binarydigit Thanks for posting stuff like this. You're definitely not alone. I, too, love tech a lot and will never fully leave it, but I am trying to really plan my exit from corporate tech. Until then I have to suffer and endure to provide for my family. In the meantime, I try to design and build things with others to diversify income.

   • Embed this notice
     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:27:17 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • Garrett :spinning_pinwheel:

     @heygarrett That sounds like a solid plan tbh!

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     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:28:18 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • Aubrey

     @starshaped I'm so sorry to heart about the struggles of finding full time work - that feels surreal :( We'll be in this together with other's that have posted and shared the same!

   • Embed this notice
     Aubrey (starshaped@labyrinth.social)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:28:19 JST Aubrey

     in reply to

     @binarydigit Thanks for writing this. AI has definitely ruined how I feel about tech and I still have no idea if I'll be able to find full time work because I don't want to use AI and that seems to be the requirement now (and the code it generates is hot garbage).

     I'm definitely here for you and want to figure this out for me as well.

   • Embed this notice
     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:33:12 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • Sylvia
     • Jim Mock

     @sylvia @jmock I'm in my mid 40s if that makes you feel better! It's never too late to start something new :D And that's a good idea, I need to look at some learning courses locally

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     Sylvia (sylvia@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:33:14 JST Sylvia

     in reply to

     • Jim Mock

     @jmock @binarydigit There was a story in a paper once where a woman finished law school at 80. Ever since reading that I felt that age was no obstacle 😀 explore! Find people online that do jobs you are vaguely interested in in college.

     Tech will only get worse… don’t let it drag you down with it.

   • Embed this notice
     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:35:13 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • Sylvia

     @sylvia Thank you Sylvia! I was a product specialist and IT support combined at once time, and was decent at teaching people things, and still teach people about tech all the time - that was part of my burnout in 2017. I'm still recovering if I'm honest! Thank you for saying you'd like for me to dive deep into creativity - my soul wants me to do it, so I need to do it more! <3

   • Embed this notice
     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:52:29 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • Phillip :usa_distress:

     @phillip Thank you for the encouragement! Glad you're not forced to use it. I feel like I've read that it causes more harm than good 😅

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     Phillip :usa_distress: (phillip@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 03:56:57 JST Phillip :usa_distress:

     in reply to

     @binarydigit Of course! The people I know whose companies encourage them to use it are miserable. I use it from time to time, but never for anything mission-critical or sensitive - things like quick troubleshooting - and only when I feel that it makes sense.

     The house of cards might be starting to fall with Github Copilot’s new usage-based pricing landing today, so hopefully the insanity calms down soon.

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     BinaryDigit 🎮 (binarydigit@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 04:00:43 JST BinaryDigit 🎮

     in reply to

     • Phillip :usa_distress:

     @phillip HEHEH :neocat_evil_3c: let's hope

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     Phillip :usa_distress: (phillip@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 04:02:12 JST Phillip :usa_distress:

     in reply to

     @binarydigit

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     Garrett :spinning_pinwheel: (heygarrett@social.lol)'s status on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2026 04:22:35 JST Garrett :spinning_pinwheel:

     in reply to

     @binarydigit Here's hoping 🤞😅