Once upon a time in Finance/Accounting. That thrill you have when your financial reports are looking top-notch. That feeling of exhilaration that comes from presenting periodic reports to aid strategic decision making in an organisation.
Some of us never thought deeply about what we wanted to study in University. In my own case, I just took advice from a cousin I admired deeply and decided to enroll in the same course they were in - Accounting. Twenty years later, I reminisce quietly about the rollercoaster ride it has been so far.
Starting my career as an entry-level accounts officer, I soaked up knowledge and advice from mentors, studied for professional exams and kept working my way up the corporate ladder, all the while keeping my dream of becoming a chartered accountant in focus.
At mid-management level, I noticed how fascinated I had become working with data and databases, and was particularly appalled at the way most organisations I worked with didn't have well-structured data. Sure, they had ERP systems in place, but didn't (want to) use them appropriately. To get financial reports ready one had to resort to manipulating data in Microsoft Excel all day. I thought about really getting into Database Administration and registered for an Oracle Database certification course, but didn't get to follow it through, regrettably.
Last year, 2019 was the defining moment for me, when I finally decided to explore what I was really passionate about. I started with Python and data analytics, then moved on to learning Javascript, Node.js, and MongoDB. Working with backend technologies gives me the satisfactory "goose-bump" thrills. The methodology of designing a database schema in Mongoose, creating routes to serve up that data to the client, starting up a server and testing those endpoints in Postman. I was excited at finally finding what excites me most about web development.
Everyone has to make a crucial decision at some point in life and in my opinion, switching careers must be one of the toughest of them all, especially for a career-oriented individual, whose life revolves around becoming a well-rounded professional in their chosen field. In my late 30s, that is quite a challenge. But finally, at long last, I get to do what I am really passionate about - backend web development.
“The most beautiful thing is that despite the shallow life we sometimes succumb to - the soul has no timeline and it knows what it wants and will yearn within until it seeks the journey”.
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