As a backend SWE with strong C++ and Python skills, where do you see more growth potential, building products (customer facing), or building the infrastructure (strategic internal projects)? Specifically as a Security Software Engineer, I’m uncertain whether I should aim to join the YouTube/ Chrome/ Android or build DevSecOps with company wide impact, think ClusterFuzz). Or cloud? What are the differences? Where is the most growth potential (skill) and where is the money? #swe #security #infrastructure #product
I appreciate the answer(s) seems like infra is the clear winner. Isn’t product where the money is though? Since the business value of the subject you’re working on is more obvious?
Like I mentioned, growth potential (and thus money) is in frontend, followed by product, followed by infra.
Oh, I don’t think of money when I read growth potential
If you can do infra, do infra. There is better room for an engineer's skill and judgement there. You can move to product anytime you want if you decide to. Infra takes time to develop meaningful experience and intuition and there aren't too many people around. Moving from product to infra is hard after having spent a fair amount of time in product.
If you know how to build a car, you will automatically know how to drive it. But if you only know how to drive it, doesn't mean you know how to build it. That said, the world needs more car drivers than car builders. The real question is are you a technologist at heart or an applier of technology to business problems.
You'll make money either way. But max growth potential is in frontend/ui, but also a heavy chance of disruption, followed by product, followed by infra. Skillset requirements, pride and autonomy are in the inverse order.