The Breaking Point
Picture this: It's 8 AM, and I'm already on my third cup of coffee, chain-smoking while frantically making calls to s...
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Really well written! I'm not anywhere near the point of making a career pivot like that (mainly because I haven't actually started my career), but the stress and "months struggling" are very relatable. Props to you for sticking through it!!
Thanks for reading! Taking that first step a year ago was the hardest part. Don't worry about building something 'interesting' - my ERP was a beautiful disaster. Every project moves you forward, even the ones that feel small. Those moments of self-doubt are normal, and honestly, so are the setbacks - I actually had to take a brief job back in my old field at one point (lasted a week, thankfully!) right when Covid was starting. It's all part of the process. Sounds like you're on the right track.
Thank you! The struggle is real at any stage - whether first career or career change. That persistence you're developing will be invaluable. Keep pushing through! 🚀
Really inspiring article. This line hit me: "feeling stuck in a role that's draining your energy, constantly fighting fires instead of building something meaningful". I decided to do something about it ~1 year ago. Can't say I've built anything remotely as interesting/end-to-end as an (desktop!) ERP system, but I hope I'll make it there one day. Funnily enough whenever that self-doubt starts creeping in, I'm always fortunate enough to come across encouraging stories like this!
My switch to dev work looked almost exactly like yours! I’d just wrapped up a 10-year run in management, my son wasn’t even a year old yet, and suddenly... there's no job, no safety net, and the only paycheck in the house just disappeared.
Sure, I poked around at other roles—for about five minutes. Then it hit me: I hated it. Why force myself back into the same trap? So I flipped the table, went back to school, and borrowed enough in student loans to survive. (Pretty sure those loans are eternal companions now... maybe they’ll forgive them when I’m a ghost 👻).
It’s not easy making that leap, but totally worth it! Big kudos for taking the jump yourself! 🫶
Wow, so similar paths! That 'flip the table' moment really is life-changing. The 'five minutes' of job searching made me laugh 😂 - when you know, you know! Hope your dev journey is going great! Thanks for sharing - nice to know others made similar bold moves! 🙌
Never thought about this journey as a whole until now. Scary to think how easily I could have ended up somewhere completely different.
Inspiring article, although my story isn't similar, I can relate to this, as I am also trying to get back after a massive career gap without any backup, hopefully I can make it too 🤞.
Thanks for reading! Career gaps are challenging but absolutely not insurmountable. I actually had about 2 years of struggle myself - mostly unemployment with some small freelance gigs that barely paid the bills. Even had to take a brief job back in my old field (lasted a week, thankfully!) right when Covid was starting. These transitions take time and rarely go smoothly, but persistence pays off. The courage to try again is everything. Rooting for you - keep us posted on how it goes! 💪
Thanks so much for the encouragement! Your story shows that persistence does pay off. I’ll keep going and update along the way
I had a retail commerce for 7 years and I had the same problems as you: dealing with people. Started studying software development in 2022 to see if it was something that I would like and suddenly I saw myself working with it. Now I'm about to start my web developer freelancer career. A little scared, but certain that I made a good choice for my life. Good luck to us in our new paths!
Love this! Retail to web dev - we all seem to have that 'dealing with people' thing in common 😅 Sounds like you've found where you belong. Best of luck on your new journey! 🚀
Inspiring article, thanks for sharing your journey!
Thanks for reading! Glad it resonated with you
Great article. Love it
Thank you! Really appreciate you taking the time to read it