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...
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
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!
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
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! 🙌
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