OP, please do not listen to this advice. I understand it represents what might be considered the "realistic" perspective but it is not. No one is saying that it is easy.
But to pursue another career? That's ridiculous, given your apparent skill-set -- it's ludicrous.
Clearly, the parent here is wrong because there are plenty of people that have felony convictions and work in tech. So, this advice, on the face, is really horrible.
A felony is a serious matter. You may have excluded yourself from many jobs, possibly all the companies the parent has worked for; keep in mind the companies the parent has worked for must be a small subset of all the companies you could work for.
Even being completely honest and open, I think you can find a job. You may or may not have to go outside of comfort zone (moving or what have you) or, perhaps, do some work in non-security related areas of programming (or maybe not, I just mean to say if you broaden your search you increase your chances).
A felony is not good but if you tell your story, I think there are smaller companies that would take a chance on you; perhaps you'd even find potential employers, because of the nature of our industry, that will not think as negatively of your conviction as if you had been convicted of some other kind of crime.
There's a lot of fish in the sea, you don't need every one to hire you, you don't even need one of the companies the parent has worked for to hire you, you just need one of the many more that are out there to give you a chance.
Be honest, tell your story as eloquently as you can. Someone will give you a chance. I believe there are some on HN that would.
But to pursue another career? That's ridiculous, given your apparent skill-set -- it's ludicrous.
Clearly, the parent here is wrong because there are plenty of people that have felony convictions and work in tech. So, this advice, on the face, is really horrible.
A felony is a serious matter. You may have excluded yourself from many jobs, possibly all the companies the parent has worked for; keep in mind the companies the parent has worked for must be a small subset of all the companies you could work for.
Even being completely honest and open, I think you can find a job. You may or may not have to go outside of comfort zone (moving or what have you) or, perhaps, do some work in non-security related areas of programming (or maybe not, I just mean to say if you broaden your search you increase your chances).
A felony is not good but if you tell your story, I think there are smaller companies that would take a chance on you; perhaps you'd even find potential employers, because of the nature of our industry, that will not think as negatively of your conviction as if you had been convicted of some other kind of crime.
There's a lot of fish in the sea, you don't need every one to hire you, you don't even need one of the companies the parent has worked for to hire you, you just need one of the many more that are out there to give you a chance.
Be honest, tell your story as eloquently as you can. Someone will give you a chance. I believe there are some on HN that would.