Thread by @eisabai

So I was wondering about my career and what success means to me... Read more in the thread :) #career #careeradvice #professionaldevelopment #womenintech #womeninstem #womenwhocode #girlswhocode

Sometimes, I like to ponder on what I have been doing in my career and whether I am living the life that I want. I've often been labelled as an ambitious go-getter (in the nicest way, I think!). Some might even consider my career history as a success story.

But for me personally, I don't consider it as a success story. Allow me to explain...

I started my career working as a web developer for a small web agency, doing everything from gathering requirements from customers, designing websites in Photoshop, building backend applications, coding frontend UIs, to looking after domain registration, hosting, etc.

Throughout my career, I’ve had many different job titles that are similar yet different in many ways, such as developer, technical lead, technical director, startup CTO, head of engineering, software development manager, and engineering manager.

I got into tech because I love using my creativity and problem solving skills to create & build stuff.

I am currently working as a senior engineering manager at a software company in Sydney. So in a way, my career path but is anything but unconventional.

Started out as a developer, moved up the Individual Contributor track til becoming a Technical Architect and then finally switched to the People Management track. Maybe it's considered "successful" because I've followed the tried and tested path.

However, it’s not the only career path for software engineers. I have seen successful people in may different roles who once used to be software engineers. Entrepreneurs, Chefs, Lawyers, or even YouTubers!

Success is subjective. When I feel successful, it’s often because I am feeling grateful for what I have in my life, not necessarily because of what my job title says.

Here is one of my favourite poems about success, which I also shared in my very first book, Unlocking your success: The secrets to experiencing joy in your career and life amazon.com/dp/B07DMN9ZZV.

To laugh often and much;

to win the respect of the intelligent people

and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate beauty;

to find the best in others;

to leave the world a bit better

whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;

to know that one life has breathed easier

because you lived here.

This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

How about you? How do you view success? I'd love to know.