Dear Community and awesome folks, I find myself at a crossroads in my career, and I'm in need of some guidance from those who have perhaps faced similar dilemmas. Allow me to share my story. I was once part of a high-pressure AWS team, where deadlines were tight, and on-call shifts seemed never-ending. Recognizing the toll this took on my well-being, I made the decision to transition to a slower-paced retail team within the company. The change allowed me to reclaim some semblance of work-life balance. I found time for my health, nurtured relationships, indulged in travel, and rediscovered the joy of simply living. However, lately, I've been grappling with a sense of stagnation. While the slower pace has been beneficial for my personal life, I can't shake the feeling that my professional growth is suffering. This became glaringly apparent when I attempted to showcase my skills for an internal position and found myself lacking in recent design work, as my current role primarily involves operational execution tasks. To complicate matters, my former team at AWS has reached out to me, informing me of changes that address some of the issues that prompted my departure. They've increased the team's headcount, resulting in less frequent on-call duties and more support for achieving team goals. The offer to return has left me torn. What if history repeats itself, and I find myself trapped in a cycle of overwork and burnout once more? Moreover, I've begun exploring opportunities outside of Amazon, actively applying for roles elsewhere. Should I prioritize these external prospects over the possibility of returning to my previous team? And how do I ensure I stay relevant and upskilled in an environment where my current responsibilities feel disconnected from professional growth? I would greatly appreciate any insights or advice from those who have navigated similar situations. How did you weigh the balance between personal well-being and professional development? And what strategies did you employ to stay competitive and continually improve your skills, even in roles that may not inherently offer such opportunities? Thank you for lending your wisdom and experiences to help guide me through this challenging decision. TC: 280K SDE2 YOE: 4+ #akamai, #accolite, #affirm, #airbnb, #alibaba, #alation, #adobe, #amex, #amd, #akunacapital, #appdynamics, #apple, #aristanetworks, #asana, #atlassian, #audible, #baidu, #barclays, #blackrock, #bloomberg, #blizzard, #booking, #box, #braze, #bumble, #bytedance, #cameo, #calendly, #capitalone, #citadel, #citrix, #cloudera, #codenation, #cohesity, #coinbase, #coursera, #coupang, #dataminr, #databricks, #datadog, #deshaw, #didi, #docusign, #doordash, #dropbox, #dunzo, #ebay, #epic, #evernote, #expedia, #factset, #fitbit, #flipkart, #garena, #github, #gitlab, #godaddy, #goldmansachs, #google, #grab, #groupon, #handshake, #hashicorp #houzz, #hrt, #hubspot, #hulu, #ibm, #indeed, #instacart, #intel, #intuit, #janestreet, #jpmorgan, #jumptrading, #liveramp, #linkedin, #lyft, #mastercard, #meta, #microsoft, #mongodb, #morganstanley, #netflix, #nutanix, #nvidia, #opendoor, #oracle, #patreon, #palantir, #paypal, #paytm, #pocketgems, #pinterest, #ponyai, #poshmark, #postmates, #qualcomm #qualtrics, #quip, #quora, #redfin, #reddit, #redhat, #referral, #riotgames, #roblox, #robinhood, #rivian, #rubrik, #salesforce, #sapient, #serviceNow, #shopify, #shutterfly, #slack, #snapchat, #snap, #snowflake, #solarwinds, #sony, #splice, #splunk, #spotify, #square, #stripe, #sumologic, #tesla, #tencent, #tiktok, #toptal, #tripadvisor, #triplebyte, #twilio, #tinder, #twitch, #twitter, #twosigma, #uber, #unity, #visa, #virtufinancial, #vmware, #wayfair, #wish, #workday, #yandex, #ynga, #zappos, #zillow, #zulily, #startup #startup, #tech, #swe, #product, #engineering, #software, #hedgefund, #machinelearning, #datascience, #softwareengineering, #computerengineering, #hiring, #referral, #jobs, #tech, #internships, #referrals, #help, #please, #referral, #Qualcomm, #patreon
Facing a career crossroads can indeed be daunting, but it’s also an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. Let’s explore some actionable steps to help you navigate this pivotal moment in your professional life: Recognize You’re at a Career Crossroads: Before diving into decisions, acknowledge that you’re at a critical juncture. This moment signifies the need for change and presents a chance to shape your future intentionally Take Charge of Your Own Career: Remember that your career is ultimately your responsibility. Instead of merely reacting to opportunities, proactively seek out learning, growth, and advancement. Make deliberate choices aligned with your long-term goals. Shape your career rather than letting external forces dictate it Evaluate Your Strengths, Weaknesses, and Motivations: Engage in self-reflection. Identify your strengths, skills, and talents. Understand what sets you apart. Consider your weaknesses and areas for improvement. Knowing your motivations will guide your decisions and help you align with your true aspirations Get an External Perspective: Seek advice from mentors, colleagues, or career coaches. They can provide fresh insights and help you see beyond your own perspective. Sometimes an external viewpoint reveals opportunities you might have missed Embrace Lifelong Learning: Even in roles that don’t inherently offer growth, commit to continuous learning. Attend workshops, take online courses, read industry publications, and stay informed about trends. Upskilling ensures you remain competitive and adaptable Network Effectively: Networking isn’t just about job hunting; it’s about building relationships. Attend industry events, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, and participate in relevant forums. Networking opens doors to unexpected opportunities and keeps you connected to the pulse of your field. Set Milestones: Break down your long-term goals into smaller milestones. Celebrate achievements along the way. These incremental wins will keep you motivated and focused on progress Be Adaptable: Flexibility is crucial. Be open to change, whether it’s within your current role, a new team, or even a different organization. Adaptability ensures you thrive in dynamic environments Seek Work-Life Balance: Remember the lessons from your slower-paced retail team. Prioritize your well-being. A balanced life contributes to sustained success. Consider how each opportunity aligns with your overall quality of life Consider External Prospects vs. Returning to Your Former Team: Weigh the pros and cons carefully. Evaluate factors like growth potential, work environment, team dynamics, and alignment with your values. Trust your instincts, but also gather data to inform your decision Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Each person’s journey is unique. Seek advice, trust your intuition, and take steps that align with your personal and professional aspirations. You’ve got this! 🌟 Feel free to explore further resources on personal and professional development to enhance your decision-making process. Best of luck on your path forward! 😊
Amazon’s growth oriented teams typically run out of HC to match their goals. Check the team’s future plans before you switch.
I went through similar crossroads a few year back and worked with a couple of executive coaches to help me make a decision. Good coaches put a honest mirror infront of you, so that you realize what is important to you and can take a right decision. Such decisions would rely on several parameters like career stage, family situation, current networth, ego, personality etc. While I opted for better WLB (with less time on road), I sometimes miss high flying lifestyle, but then I turn my focus on all positives that came out of my decision. Good luck with your decision!
Wow, did you add all these tags yourself?
Nope 😄 took them from another post