As of yesterday, I have been working at Volcanic for a year.
I have already shared some aspects of it, like what the culture is like, and how is it to work with the rest of the team.
I can say that I find myself thinking about the future and the path I want my career to take more than ever before in my professional life. Which is great.
In my current position, I also write more about it: how to progress, how to make a plan, and how to advance in your career. It is important to do that to move forward and not stagnate.
One year ago I was in a very different headspace. I would not be able to think about growth, career, or projection back then.
I bring value with my work. I have the knowledge, I have the experience, and I have a good amount of soft skills. However, my joining Volcanic is not a case of achieving a goal or moving my career forward; it is a case of being given an opportunity when I was not having one.
So, which is it? Am I working at a place with a good culture and opportunity to grow? Or am I just working at a place that would hire me? And the answer is both.
If I am now in a place where I can share what I keep learning, it is because they gave me a chance when others wouldn’t, and they are connected. A place where your experience and soft skills are more valued than your current employment status is also the place that will not just exploit what you already bring to the table but also allow you to learn and grow.
And more importantly, for people looking for a job, or a career change, especially those interested in making it in tech, keep in mind that being told you have to think of your future and work for it, and sometimes not being in the best place mentally to do it, are not contradictory. These are just different moments in the same path.