I’m a programmer, Im approaching 40, and I’m fairly decent at my job – I’ll keep doing what I’m doing for as long as they let me!

So what are your career options if you know how to code?

A Programmer could be ..

An Algorithm developer

Pros

• Interesting
• High barriers of entry, potential for startup competitive factor

Cons

• Do you have the skill, qualifications?
• What are working conditions n this mystery niche ?
• micro-focus

An Academic

Pros

• Low pressure
• Job security – or is this an illusion ?

Cons

• Low Pay
• Need a PhD

A Software Architect

Pros:

• strategic, rather than tactical
• Setting technology platform and high level vision
• You say how it should work, others have to figure out why its not working the way its supposed to !
• broad view – you are paid to learn (how do you con people into paying for you to learn ??)

Cons:

• Glorified developer – more often than not!
• competitive – everyone wants to do it !
• loose touch with underlying tech
• in tough times, first guy to get the axe !

A Software Engineer

Pros:

• interesting, always more to learn
• fun
• I can do it
• Fallback

Cons:

• Nothing new under the sun – been there, done that
• Dealing with poor requirements, deadlines, other peoples code, overtime
• C#, XAML, Web - Low barriers of entry –> à race to the bottom

A Team leader

Pros:

• Setting code standards and proposing technology choices

Cons:

• Glorified developer – more often than not!
• Inspecting other peoples code and debugging the problems they cannot fix
• Dealing with mugbies and prima donas
• Responsible for QA of others

A Project Manager

Pros

• No need for debugging other peoples code

Cons

• Low barrier of entry
• High pressure
• Responsible for QA of others
• Loosing touch with technology
• A lot of bullshit meetings
• Have to be an asshole

A Product Manager

Pros

• No need for debugging other peoples code
• Learning new skillset of sales and marketing

Cons

• Travel (I'm a family man)
• May need to know the bs details of an uninteresting product

things I want to work with:

• AI, algorithms, Numerical Computing, Mathematica, C++ AMP – unfortunately, the work here is few & far between.
• VS & TFS Extensibility, DSLs (Workflow , Lightswitch), Code Generation – one day, code will write code !
• Unity3D, WebGL – fun, fun, fun !
• Modern Web – Knockout, SignalR, MVC, Node.Js ??? (tentative – I'll wait until things stabilize as this area is undergoing a pre-Cambrian explosion)

Things I don’t want to work with:

(but will if I'm asked to !)

• C# – same old, same old – not learning anything new here
• Old code – blech !
• Environment with code & fix mentality , ad hoc requirements, excessive overtime
• Pc support, System administration – even after 20 years, people still ask you to do this sometimes !
• debugging – my skills are just not there yet
• Oracle
• Old tech: VB 6, XSLT, WinForms, Net 3.51 or less
• Old style Web dev
• Information Systems: ASP.NET webforms, Reporting services / crystal reports, SQL Server CRUD with manual data layer, XAML MVVM – variations of the same concept, ad nauseaum. Low barriers of entry –> race to the bottom. 
• Metro – an elegant API coupled to a horrendous UX – I'll wait for market penetration viability before investing further in this.

Conclusion

So if you are in a slump, take heart: Programming is a great career choice compared to every other job !