Ask HN: Escaping a Low-Paying Nepali IT Job and Ineffective Learning Cycle

4 shivajikobardan 1 5/10/2025, 6:20:30 AM
I'm drained by my unfulfilling, low-paying IT job in Nepal, which I keep to avoid financial uncertainty. My skills after 2+ years are limited to basic Linux command line. I study subjects like Java, DSA, and Computer Networks, but I forget what I learn, delete my notes, and restart, making little progress. My resume and interviewing skills are weak, and lying on my resume hasn't helped.

I see three paths forward:

Land a better-paying private IT job (challenging due to my resume and interview anxiety).

Pursue a merit-based government job (seems viable but competitive).

Move abroad (unappealing due to anti-immigration sentiments and personal fears like living in unfamiliar places).

How can I break this cycle of ineffective learning, build concrete skills, and move toward a better career? Seeking advice on staying motivated, retaining knowledge, and preparing for government or private IT jobs.

Comments (1)

TheMongoose · 3h ago
You need projects that you care about. Making something you actually want to have will help motivate you to push through the problems that you run in to, and help give you more exposure to the million little problems you encounter once you step out of tutorial hell.

Couple this with a promise to yourself. At least 1 hour per day of your best effort. On days you're feeling it you'll do more, and that's good. On days you're not feeling it you're gonna struggle bus through your best effort for an hour, and then you're gonna go do something else guilt free knowing that you made SOME progress and kept the promise to yourself.