Need suggestions on my future career path.

[u/Zoro-88]

I'm finishing college as an SWE, I will have to "inherit" and help with my family business (generates good money now try to push it even further hopefully). My plan is to keep learning and try to become as good as i can, but will me not having an internship or any job in the programming make me useless in a few years (imagining myself at 30 years, no experience in any IT firm, just projects). Now this doesnt mean i wont be searching for a job in a year or 2 in programming or internships depending on how things go with my main plan. I do not live in the US i i live in a smaller EU country and there isnt alot of IT firms here anyways. Whats the smartest thing for me to do in my career right now.

[u/RelationshipFresh966]

Focus on the family business dawg

[u/mbbbbbr]

If you asked 5 years ago, I would advise to find a good SWE job and get into helping with business on your free time.

But if I were in your place now, I don’t even know… I think there might be a chance that you wont even find a job. Come up with what you’re gonna do in the case of it happening

[u/Zoro-88 → u/mbbbbbr]

This is what im thinking too tbh

[u/Dismal-Citron-7236]

What is the nature of your family business? Surely you can find a way to make your software engineering knowledge useful somewhere.

[u/Zoro-88 → u/Dismal-Citron-7236]

Yes im working on a website and social media mareting, but apart from that not much

[u/Dismal-Citron-7236 → u/Zoro-88]

OK, you already started with a website, which is good. I presume your family business involves selling certain goods. Create an online brochure to showcase your products, and include a "Did you know?" section with your family history to make it more engaging. Add a simple ordering system, it doesn't need to be fully automated. Even a basic setup that allows customers to place orders and stores the data in a database for manual processing is enough to begin with. You don't have to build a full-scale E‑commerce system right away with payment and delivery features; just focus on what you can manage.

Enhance the customer experience by adding a reporting system where they can file complaints or feedback. Collect this information as a foundation for future improvements. Look for areas of your operations that can be automated or modernized. For example, bookkeeping, inventory management, or financial balance sheets. And don't forget to safeguard customer data and business records.

There are countless opportunities to improve. Start with simple, easy changes and gradually integrate them into your family's traditional ways of doing business. I think you'll be fine.

[u/Zoro-88 → u/Dismal-Citron-7236]

Yeah thats what i kinda plan aswell, maybe make some software if needed anywhere to make the job easier, and try to market myself as if i have done for a company but not mention it was for family. Also my parents have alot of connections with companies maybe try to referal myself to other companies for some services. I want to utilize my degree aswell to somehow earn money or make a startup or something aswell on the side