A bunch of you responded! And I read them all.
Here are some of those responses, edited for brevity. Thanks to all of you who took the time to write back.
Your reasons
For me, it's 3 things:
1. Always learning — as a developer, I understand that we need to spend a considerable amount of time keeping up to date with ever-evolving technologies.
2. Maximize my optionality — I have a heavy business and finance background. I figured adding software development to the mix helps to maximize my optionality in the workplace (if I decide to stay on as an employee)
3. The ability to build
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I've never aspired to be a Software Developer when I was younger! (Not even close!) … It was not until I started a certificate course for Computer Science that I piqued an interest and started to build up a passion for software development.
This led me to pursue a Software Engineering degree at a private university and intern at the company I work for now. I think I followed my instincts at first in choosing software engineering.
Maybe I had a push from my friends and family. And it wasn't passion at first either. But whatever the reason is, I'm really glad I did.
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Good pay + potential for remote work if I want it + relatively interesting problems on a daily basis
I am a professional musician as well and so the easier access to remote jobs should I want to play more shows out of state is a big draw.
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I have always had a passion for math, and during my school days, I thoroughly enjoyed solving math questions and problems. However, as I ventured into different areas of life, I couldn't find anything that brought me the same level of joy and fulfillment as coding and programming did, just like math did during my school years. So, I decided to follow my passion and kept exploring the field of software development.
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This is a little corny, but I have loved my computer since I was like 4 years old : )
I didn't even know programming was a thing until I was 26 and as soon as I found out about it I thought it would be a dream come true.
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I had been working as an aircraft engineer fixing Boeing 747s, Airbus A380s for 10 years when I went on a holiday to France for 6 weeks. After riding up and down all the big mountains every single day and not doing a single 12 hour, 6 to 6 day or night shift, my body felt amazing!!! After doing my first night shift back after the holiday I went and saw my boss who promptly got me off the tools and into an office role working 9 to 5, 5 days a week :)
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For me it was life coming full cycle, as a kid I used to pretend to be a hacker on my dad BBC computer, hammering keys watching green letters pop up. … 16 years later I fell into a job where the company saw my interest for more in life and nurtured it, I want from customer support to NOC, to Core Operations Engineer in the space of 4 years.
The role is intense, support is sparse, but pressure is low. I feel the full force of imposter syndrome multiple times a week but there is something in me that cannot give up, something in me that craves to learn more, something that gives me a sense of wholeness to see how far I've come and a super power to dream of a better tomorrow.
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The work has been immensely fulfilling, offering numerous learning opportunities. My current goal is to evolve into a software architect while continuously honing my development skills.
The world of software development keeps my passion for learning alive, allowing me to stay hands-on with cutting-edge technologies. Above all, the joy of creating products that add value to users' lives fills me with profound happiness. I am truly grateful for choosing the path of a software developer, and my journey is an ongoing pursuit of self-improvement in this dynamic field.
Perspective
Looking at these responses, there are a few trends. I'd say the most common aspects are:
- Always learning new things
- Flexibility to work when & where you want
- Joy/fulfillment at solving difficult problems
Some of you mentioned money as well, and that's certainly one reason to work in software, but I'd say it's not anywhere close to the primary reason for members of my email list.
So now the question:
You said you wanted this career for the learning, flexibility, and joy it brings you. Does your current work bring you learning, flexibility, and joy?
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