Today we explore what to do when you’re stuck at a career crossroads between being technically valuable and managerial or leadership valuable. How to consider the tradeoffs.
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I BROKE INTO THE INDUSTRY THROUGH A TECHNOLOGY TRACK, BUT I BROUGHT MORE TO THE TABLE
- Lots of people reach a crossroads when they decide to move from technically-focused to manager-focused.
- They often struggle because their identity of technical skills feels like it’s slipping away, and they aren’t sure of their identity.
- Being a manager can often be unsatisfying and some people want to go back to the technology path.
NOW I’M FINDING THAT I’M GOOD AT MANAGING, BUT I DON’T KNOW IF IT BRINGS ME JOY
- Gain an understanding of the career ladders for both a technical path and a managerial path (or other paths in between).
- Try and determine what it’ll take to get to several levels higher than you are today (extra schooling, extra certifications, developer technical skills, travel, etc.)
- Make a list of the things that are most important to you, and what you’re OK with not prioritizing as a negative. (Location, Salary, Opportunity, Title, Job Risk, etc.)
- Figure out what parts of the current path don’t motivate you. Can a mentor help? Can you offset that with enjoyment from other parts of the role?
- Sometimes you need to leave a specific job/company, but do that with the “next job” in mind (not the “move job”)
- Early in your career you’ll move jobs for opportunity/money/title, but unknown managers. Later in your career you’ll move to work with specific people. Find those people.
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