I’ve been at Microsoft a year and some change now. Before that, I’ve worked at two other companies whose main product was not software related but they did have tech departments that mostly maintained the system and made sure operations ran smoothly. I definitely did learn a lot from those 3 or so years, but what I learnt most was what I wanted to achieve as a software engineer. Albeit rough around the edges, it was my plan, that has since been a little more polished with the help of mentors and advice from more experienced engineers I’m learning from.
Growth
Once you feel comfortable, that’s your cue to move.
As a software engineer, it made more sense for me to work for a company that focused on software as its product. I was looking to being somewhere that stayed in tune with changes in technologies and stacks. My prioritised areas of growth are in my engineering expertise and financial prosperity. Working for big tech offered that. Did I grow whilst in the other companies I worked at? Definitely. However, when my growth started to plateau, I realised the company was not serving me as much I served it.
It helped to have discussions with my managers at the time. I was lucky enough to have managers who were genuinely involved in my growth. Sometimes adjustments can be made to align your day-to-day work with your short-term and/ or long-term goals. Other times, that can’t happen. In my case, it was because software was not the company’s product so it didn’t make sense to invest a lot in that over what actually brings the company revenue, and there was nothing wrong with that.
There are a lot of boxes to tick to consider yourself a good engineer. Proficiency in one programming language doesn’t just cut it. Maintaining a system isn’t it either. There’s being able to apply programming concepts in whatever programming language is thrown your way, critically challenging your own solutions and those of others, project management, dev design, creative problem solving; I could go on. These are areas I would not have been familiar with were it not for moving and getting exposed to the sort of work I do at Microsoft, and the engineers I work with. Don’t get me wrong, I worked with good engineers (most of who also moved, and some are my current colleagues once again) and learnt a lot from them too. Including areas I was lacking, and that is how I fleshed out exactly what I wanted out of my career.
Fast-forward to my interviews, I asked a little about my interviewers’ backgrounds at Microsoft and the opportunity to move around teams within seemed to always come up. The chance to work within a company that offered growth in different areas of engineering without having to leave was extremely appealing. Having a safe environment to experiment with your career while offering a positive impact in the growth of the business was not something I was about to pass on.
Being exposed to talent, problem solving skills and ways of thinking from all over the world is a huge learning opportunity that greatly benefits my own growth. I’ve learnt so much in the last year than I could have even imagined possible. The best part is feeling like a worthy team member despite being surrounded by engineers who have a lot more expertise than I do. It genuinely increases my curiosity. It’s safe to say I haven’t gotten comfortable yet and I’m constantly being pushed out of my comfort zone.
Synergy
What I want in terms of my career has changed a lot over the years. My first ever dream job was a flight attendant. I was 8. Computers never really interested me and I was average at math probably because I barely put in any effort. That changed, obviously, otherwise neither of us would be here. Truthfully, I can’t say I have my entire career laid out for the next decade. But as it stands, I enjoy engineering and the challenges that come with it. Working for a company that matches my enthusiasm motivates me to be better every day. How do I know the company matches my enthusiasm? For starters, candid discussions with my manager(s) where I confidently share my goals and get back advice/ direction on how to achieve them. That shows me I’m an asset to the company’s end goal and of course motivates me to bring more to the table.
Creating a work environment that positively motivates employees to take the time to continously improve should be a company’s biggest principle. With that kind of energy floating around at least 40 hours a week, imagine the level of output the company would receive in return? Motivation comes in many packages. A safe environment to share what’s on your mind, financial return, rewards, growth/ promotions, transparency within the company… in short, making your employees feel like they belong as opposed to feeling trapped.
Security & Rewards
Contrary to timed contracts, getting a job that offered a full time role did offer a sense of security. Not having to worry about whether my contract would be renewed every two years was honestly very comforting.
Financial return is one of the biggest reasons big tech has taken the market my storm. I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t at the top of my list as one of the reasons I joined Microsoft. Appreciation for the work you put in does motivate you to put in more, don’t you think?
Conclusion
There isn’t one formula that serves all, rather you create your own based on what you’re looking for in your career. Some people find what they want from working in big tech, others, startups, others freelancing ticks all their boxes. For some, even all of the above. At the end of the day, I believe personal growth matters more than the company’s growth. Besides, the more you grow, the more you bring to the table and the greater the benefit to the company you serve. If a company turns out to be a hinderance to someone’s growth plan rather than a stepping stone, then it will most likely haemorrhage good talent.
