or... have you asked yourself lately: "what matters to me?"
In July 1999, the Microsoft platform consisted of a combination of Windows 9x, NT4, SQL Server 7 (or 6.5 in most cases), and VB6 (more correctly, Visual Studio 6). Monitors were deep, storage wasn't, and there was still often a funny slot in the front of beige boxes to take the ever-rarer floppy disk. More importantly, though, I stopped scrounging as a student and started getting paid to write line-of-business code using that suite.
The thing is, though; I'm still at the same company, with just a snitch short of 10 years under my belt. Sure, I've changed job title a few times since then - but I've also repeatedly heard it said that it is atypical (unnatural, even) to stay in one place so long these days (a "job for life" being ancient history) - especially as a first job.
But why should I change?
- I like the work and the team, and the projects are ethical; and usually varied, interesting and rewarding
- The company* is big enough to span most of the common "enterprise" scenarios for IT systems
- They have always respected that I'm happy being a code geek; I'm quite good at it, and I don't particularly want to be a manager (indeed, over the last few years they've introduced an additional grade of senior geek**, to respect this as a career progression option)
- We're pretty good about adoption of new technologies and methodologies
- I'm still learning and growing, both in work and on my own time
- My employer is liberal about my out of work community involvement - indeed, they actively encourage and support such
- They are pretty flexible, with a number of policies that help with the fact that (by my own choice) I live a stupid distance away and commute by train
- The compensation package is acceptable
- The sector (education) is relatively stable and secure
(*=if you are UK-based and want to check the recruitment boards, it is no secret that I work at RM)
(**=no, that isn't the actual job title)
My only possible concern is that as a result, I've been mainly limited to the Microsoft technology stack. I can't really complain here, though since:
- The stack is rich enough and fast moving enough that you can never know all of it
- As part of the senior technical team, I'm involved in our choice of tools, so it is (in part) of my own doing
So why should I change?
Frankly, I have no immediate plans to do so. I do, however, firmly believe that it is critical to regularly check that one is following the right path. I think that with the above list I've done enough to satisfy myself that I'm still in the right place for me (and conversely, for my employer: a malcontent employee isn't a constructive employee). But have you asked yourself the same question lately?
Some history: I was guilty of this a few years ago; we (my wife and I) found we'd been idly "drifting" through life for several (wasted?) years. We only realised this (the hard way) when my father was tragically killed in an accident while on holiday; in the sad, reflective months after that, the question(s) came up "what are we doing? where are we going? what is important to us?" As it happened, it turned out that going to work each day to pay the mortgage wasn't actually our life goal - and we made some big changes (including relocating half way across the country) and went the family route. We've never been happier. Of course, you need to make your own priority list (and it doesn't strictly have to relate to career), but make decisions - don't just drift idly. And "no change" counts as a 100% valid decision, as long as it is considered.
Summary
Reminiscent of a project health-check...
Priorities weighed and measured? check
Remedial action? none required
Follow up actions? re-book in 1 year, same attendees
And back to the grindstone...
