As I reflect on my journey in the IT world - two decades as a developer and a decade as a manager - I find myself at a fork in the road, pondering my next step. I want to share my thoughts with you and would love to hear your opinions on where my path should lead next.
1. Mentor for Aspiring IT Enthusiasts
First up, there's the idea of guiding folks just starting in IT. I remember the excitement and challenges of those early days and I think I could help steer newbies in the right direction, offering advice from the heart based on my own experiences.
Not only I wrote a book for anyone who considers learning to code, but I personally planted few amazing career seeds myself. People I hired as juniors are now development managers themselves.
2. Coach for Fellow Tech Professionals
Then there's the possibility of helping peers in the tech world who are looking to climb higher or who've hit a rough patch. Having been through many ups and downs myself, I feel I could offer a sympathetic ear and some hard-earned wisdom.
During amazing chats with my former partners and co-workers we found many typical struggles everyone goes through when rising through the ranks in technology. Who knows. Maybe we will sit and record the podcast about it.
3. The Legacy Code Conundrum
Or I could dive back into the technical side and help teams tangled up in legacy code. There's something satisfying about untangling these old, complex codes and breathing new life into them.
That is my tune. That is where I shine as a developer. Almost in every place I landed on old code that required love and care.
4. The Tech-Business Liaison
Finally, there's the role of bridging the gap between non-technical managers and tech teams. Having been on both sides, I feel I could help these two worlds understand and appreciate each other better.
Especially in startups it took so much pain, sweat and blood to build bridges between developers and people who don't speak Klingon. But those bridges could be just assembled from ready blocks as each company goes through the same struggles.
What's Your Take?
Each of these options aligns with different parts of my experience and passion. What's less clear is which one would be the most fulfilling and impactful.
- Making a Difference: Where can I make the most significant contribution? Is it in shaping the future by guiding new talent, or in solving the here-and-now challenges of the industry?
The answer is in you. Where would you find the biggest value for yourself and / or your business?
- What Excites Me: What gets my heart racing? Is it the thrill of solving complex technical puzzles, or the joy of helping people grow and succeed?
The thing is for me each of those cases is a system building case. Training a new engineer, nurishing communication in the business or removing dead matter from the codebase is all form of a system to build.
- The Demand Factor: Where's the need greatest? Is the industry crying out for mentors, problem-solvers, or communicators?
Again, your input is the key here.
I'm turning to you for your perspective. Based on what you know about me and the IT landscape, where do you think I should focus my energies? Your insights and suggestions mean a lot to me. The IT world is always changing, and I believe that by sharing our thoughts and experiences, we can all find our way to roles that fulfill us and make a difference. What do you think?
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