In my ten years as a software engineer, I’ve discovered a bizarre trend that smooth projects often get less recognition than chaotic ones. It may be due to a perception that it must have been an easy project if it was so smooth. On the other hand, projects with multiple day follows, dramatic reverts, etc get a ton more visibility. Have others seen this on their organization?

What are some of the trends in reference to programming language usage in the industry now? I'm currently an IT Service Desk analyst with a degree in Computer Science, and I want to get back into software development/coding. What program languages would you recommend brushing up on or any general tips you have for breaking into that space again?

Is anyone else nervous about getting pushed out of tech as you age? I love software engineering and can’t imagine doing anything else, but I worry the industry won't love me back in ten or fifteen years. Is this a realistic fear, or is it just standard mid-career anxiety?

My manager keeps pressuring me to go for a promotion, but the payoff is terrible. I was passed over last year, so now I feel good about my decision to resist. It's basically endless paperwork and corporate politics for a tiny bump in salary. I'd much rather continue writing code remotely, do my job, and stay under the radar. Is it okay to resist the push to move up?

My current full-time job is a total dead end and I'm miserable, but it's stable. A recruiter reached out about a contract-to-hire position that's exactly what I want to be doing, but I'm wondering if it's just going to be a glorified temp job. Would it be crazy to leave a permanent position for this?