Some Thoughts After I Stepped Into 2024
Turns out I didn’t finish the Advant of Code. I only managed to pass the first week. As a non-native English person, it’s still too hard for me to do a leetcode style quiz while writing a corresponding blog for that. Although those posts are still lying in my draft. But I guess things that have already passed are past.
At the end of last year, and the beginning of this year, I do feel a bit of uncertain…
Since the incident (I don’t subscribe to Bloomberg, but I think it’s a credible resource to put in here) that happened in Singapore HQ, almost all developments are halt. As many companies all-around the world, our company also announced that 2024 is going to be our year of resilience.
Which pretty much means: No more acquisition, no more hiring, less breaking changes, more bug fixing, more refactoring, more operation side of things, fewer developments.
As a team member of feature delivery, it pretty much means I don’t have too many things to do in this situation. So, we start working on internal tooling, and I actually lovin’ it. That is the first time I feel we actually own our product in this company, as developer we have more freedom to make our own decision on the stack, coding style, how we handle different situations etc. And makes me feel that we are finally working together as a team.
But it doesn’t make me want to stay here any longer. Not saying this company is bad or anything. The benefit is top notch among all the companies that I have ever been. But just the feeling that I can do better. And maybe the need for validation. Which I do reckon is quite unhealthy.
At the beginning of 2024, my new year's resolutions are: Go to sleep earlier, develop an exercise routing, and get a better job.
Which I already failed miserably; I actually stay up even later at night than before. And the job market seems still in decline. The only good thing happened is I do manage to get some workout before going to bed. I found it particularly good in the wintertime, because it keeps my feet warm that supposed to makes me fall in sleep easier.
But the failures are mostly my own problem, which should have some easy fix. The only thing that is kind of out of my hand is getting a better job. I’m not the luckiest person when it comes to career growth. I graduate at the year during the recession of financial crisis. Which is arguably the worst period of time to start one’s career in my entire life span.
After years, my salary and my saving account never really growth in the number. And the inflation every year make the situation even worse. I worked in many different jobs and companies. And there’s months of gaps between each of them. Every time I hope it’s going to be better; it only gets worse.
And finally, I decide to ditch my diploma and dedicated to do something that I don’t even know how to start with: Web development.
I spent almost a year stumbling around different technical jargons, and all the stuff that I don’t actually need for my career. But I wouldn’t know, because I don’t have money to get a systematic learning resource. And I’m quite ashamed to ask for support from my parent.
And just right before my account running dry. I finally realized it’s now or never. I desperately applied a lot of jobs whether their requirement are actually suits my abilities or not. After dozens of rejections, I finally got a job from local travel tech company. Which set in a very dated office in the centre of Taipei city. And it pays very bad, pretty much set me back to the ground zero again. But I appreciate the fact that I finally squeeze into this field.
The biggest regret is that I should quit the job earlier. But I wouldn’t know that by the time I was working there. Because even till now, I still feel like I’m an imposter among the crowd.
That particular feeling holding me back for years. When I finally get another job, I found my salary is actually falling behind my peers, even people who is less capable than me.
The luckiest thing in my web development career is probably I did catch the last train of hiring explosion during the pandemic. And my performance did pass the bar to keep my job. We did lose a lot of soldiers at the end of last year… Although I still can’t help but noticed that the pay gap between me and those graduate members are quite close. But it’s just an inevitable fact.
I wouldn’t say this is a successful story. Because there’s a lot of things that still bugs me. And I don’t even consider myself as successful in many different factors. But I do feel better for myself compared to the days I still don’t know what I should do for the rest of my life.
I know one’s experience doesn’t translate to another’s. And everyone handles their emotion and struggle differently, we can never compare who’s been through more or less than the others. But the point is, we’re just persons who happened to live in the same period of time and don’t really possess with any raw talent or luck. We are just normal people. We are our own work in process.
During my career in IT, I tried to encourage the candidates in the interview that I hosted. Because I believe programming is really not an intimidating thing, even someone like me can do it. All the employees that I lead in have higher survival rate than who’s interviewed by my boss. And none of them quit in a year or got fired. Which I considered is the highlight of my career, not even any products I’ve built.
But that does not mean that I’ll recommend everyone jumping ship to IT. Because it does require a strong mentality. It’s ever changing. So, you have to try your best to keep up. It’s full of incredibly smart people, which will almost constantly make you feels like you are out of their league. And it’s definitely not the healthiest working environment. The working hours may be long, the competition sometimes very toxic. There are maybe some people who doesn’t even know how to get along with other’s that will always belittle you.
Especially at this period of time. Layoffs still happening here and there, hiring still freezes. The junior roles are almost non-exist, and the mid and senior roles are even more competitive. So, it’s more important to do it strategically, and make sure you are nearly fully prepared. I won’t say fully prepared, because I don’t think it is possible for an interview. But you really need to prepare yourself to a point that can feel comfortable during the process. And expect it as a long-running battle that could span over months.
Although I said it like you need to slay a dragon to get a job. But I still want to try to get a better job. And some of my colleagues actually expressed their will to find another job during the performance review legendary. Which including me, but I’m not using this as an excuse to ask for a raise, and I said it kind of covertly.
Anyway, I don’t even know what I’m trying to say. But for anyone who wants to switch your career path to IT, or who’s planning to get your next job, including myself. I wish you all the best. Stay strong and healthy.
Cheers.