Change in Career

There comes a time in life when things just don't feel like they are quite right. Winter was ending and another year at my previous job was coming to an end. "What am I doing here?" was constantly on my mind. I was a medical consultant attending meeting after meeting with Doctors and such, trying to explain how their practice was going to change once this new system was brought implemented. My day was filled with chatters about what the boss is doing and questions like "did you here that someone got promoted that didn't deserve it?" or "did you hear they're hooking up and did you hear about this and that". Every move I made felt like it needed to be calculated to ensure I would progress and get my job done. Let’s not forget the most daunting question of all "why do I have so many bosses?” and "why does it take two weeks and seven peoples approval to get a bathroom key?". To make a long story short it just wasn't the place or the job for me. What was I supposed to be doing? Was I destined to be a cop, LAPD thought so, was the medical industry for me, some bosses thought so, was LA the right place for me, some people thought so. But what really was my next destination?

Riiiinnngg alarm is going off and another day of the same was waiting ahead. Everything felt the same except it wasn't! Something was different! I knew what I wanted and needed. I knew that something was going to change. I was going to do that next thing today. I got on the phone and called up Z. "I think that it's time I take you up on that offer to pass my resume along".

Really? Cool, send it over and I'll pass it along. Don't worry everything is going to be great.

So a couple weeks later I found myself in Santa Cruz in a conference room interviewing to be a Software Engineer. I was excited and nervous about starting a new career. I thought that I knew what it was going to be like. I thought cool, Software is challenging and it's something that I went to school for and enjoyed. The hours are pretty flexible and the work seems relaxed, so I was told from my friends in the field.

A couple of weeks later I was packed and moving back to Santa Cruz. I was leaving everything that I thought I miss and many things that I knew I would miss again. I left so many things behind that I wish I could stuff into my car and take with me. For better or worse the decision was made and off I went to be an engineer. The doctors would have to fair without me, and besides what the hell did I know about running a clinic?

I was moved in and ready to start my life as an Engineer. There were so many things going through my head but some that stay with me are what does it entail? Can I do it? I don't know shit about programming, two computer screens oh man I am a nerd, I remember pointers "right?", Visual Studio, Classes, PHP, SQL, C++, MFC, ATL, HTTP, Headers, JavaScript, The DOM, member functions, variables, code depot's (is that like home depot?), there were things I had never heard of or had heard of and just skipped that page in the book back in college. Overwhelming was an understatement. I went from ya that's right I'm going to be writing code to thinking what the hell is all this stuff. Humbled is an understatement.

Its ok dude you’re going to be fine and don't worry. Those where the words of my friend and mentor. Don't worry! Are you kidding? Those are some easy words coming from someone who is damn good at his field. I remember asking Z, "What is a class again?”. The expression on his face said it all, I think it was something to the effect of "I recommended this guy?". However his verbal response was something like "Don't worry man, It's going to be alright".

Here I am four months into my new career. Far away are the thoughts of making pretty graphs and trying to explain for the tenth time to a doctor that left click means the little button on the left side of the mouse. Gone are the days that before work I had to put on a mask to play the political game or waiting a month to get a bathroom key. For those of you that work in a big company, you know what I'm talking about.

Engineering has brought me back to what I enjoy, solving problems. Stuff like a servers communication with it's clients are still somewhat a mystery but now I know how to write a line of code that can do it for me. COM, DOJO, AJAX sometimes still feels like I'm talking about ninja's and cleaning the bathroom. Sometimes spending hours trying to figure out why my mouse turns into a hand about on millimeter from the damn button feels pointless. Other times it's such a challenge that I want to get up and walk away without looking back but when you solve something it's a great feeling. It's still overwhelming and the hours can be long. The pressure can be intense but overall it's fun. The drama is much less, the problems are much more black and white and the expectations are high, I love it.

This topic was given to me by Z and was supposed to compare and contrast what I thought my life as an Engineer would be VS. What it actually is. It's not exactly that Z but don't worry it will be OK.