Why Do So Many Choose Operations? Real Insights from Industry Veterans

1. Answer from Zhihu user “Kidy”

I have seven years of operations experience across insurance, banking, and internet companies, eventually becoming an operations leader. Last month I received offers from major Beijing and Chengdu firms. Most problems I solve are ones developers cannot, so there is no real "snob" hierarchy. Salaries are comparable to developers on average. Hiring for operations is harder than for backend roles, indicating a larger market demand for senior ops talent.

With the rise of cloud computing, containers, CI/CD, and intelligent operations, the role now goes beyond simple deployment. Keeping up with new technologies ensures operations remain on par with development.

2. Answer from Zhihu user “XiaoBai”

In some companies, operations have extensive permissions and manage everything from servers to networking, power, and safety. A single ops person may oversee hundreds of machines, maintain scripts, and retain passwords mentally, making handover take months. Such expertise is highly valued abroad.

3. Answer from Zhihu user “RSUFBN”

Operations is a technical profession that must handle production issues, design deployment plans, and resolve incidents quickly. It requires a global technical perspective, not just routine tasks. Upgrades must consider impact, and data loss can cause severe economic damage, as shown by real incidents of accidental database deletions.

4. Answer from Zhihu user “老胡聊Java”

From a Java developer’s viewpoint, combining development and operations is a solid career path. Operations tasks include log monitoring on Linux, deploying components like Redis or Nacos, setting up monitoring tools (e.g., New Relic, Zabbix), handling high‑traffic incidents, and working with DevOps pipelines, Kubernetes, and service mesh.

Architects often overlap with ops, needing to design release processes, data migration, and high‑concurrency solutions. Many developers lack this experience, limiting their growth toward architecture roles.

5. Answer from Zhihu user “李舜生”

It’s puzzling why a role with the highest permissions—able to access everything—can be seen as lacking future prospects.

6. Answer from Zhihu user “Sven”

The notion that operations is a dead‑end is questionable. In the past year, many over‑30 professionals struggled to find jobs, reflecting both industry and personal factors.

7. Answer from Zhihu user “互联网老辛”

Technical value isn’t about the position but the person; without skill, no role matters.