The Big Move

Recently I changed jobs, and in a way I went back to my roots.  I started this week working at DigitalOcean.  What it brings me back to is where I really started learning and understanding how to solve complex issues and deal with the obscure aspects of client management day to day in hosting.  When I was in hosting, I felt I met my potential every day, so when a hosting company that does something I really believed in called, I answered. 

The Old Gig...

Now lets talk about some of the reasons to consider moving on from a place like my old job.  First and foremost, it was painful to do.  Leaving a place with a company culture quite like my old job is just a heartbreaking part in my career.  I made so many great relationships there and found so many new friends.  I learned some interesting technologies and really felt like I found was to contribute to the team I was on.  I learned a lot of interesting things there and felt like it gave me an environment to continue to grow personally.  I had no real irons in the fire after considering some offers I had received elsewhere.  I was not LOOKING to move on.  

The Introduction

How I am introduced to a company means a lot to me.  There are things like a friend giving a reference, a LinkedIn inquiry or even just applying online.

WARNING TO THE READER

The following is going to be a run-on sentence that you English major types are gonna hate.  I want to type this the way I would explain it if you and I were having a drink after work, please forgive the ambiguity of the people involved but I would prefer not to use names:

I happened to be introduced to someone at an event who then further introduced me to someone else on Twitter that happened to like some of the same music that the person who introduced us and I were going to a concert to see then that person said I might be a fit for a role and they would want to meet me at this concert.

In other words, it was a friend of a friend who reached out.  At first I was apprehensive because I had no need to consider other positions.  I agreed to meet, we chatted on what I called was a real mutually safe ground.  It wasn't the quiet coffee shop chit-chat.   Then we decided that just doing some real informal discussions made sense.  After a thorough interview process I was presented and accepted an offer.

I did the things a person does when they leave a job and moves on to a new one and felt that there was a soft and easy transition.

The New Gig...

Moving on is hard.  A new commute to work, a new desk, new faces and a whole lot of new work.   Moving from a media company back to a hosting company is a dramatic change.  Moving to a much younger business with the pains that all companies come with as they rapidly grow is hard.  But the part that helps is that a lot of the great culture aspects I took from my old job I can use to help me get more acclimated at my new digs.  Working at such a large media company exposed me to so many people every single day.  That taught me to be positive, talk to people you don't normally work with and just try to be helpful to those who need your help.

That's my goal no matter where I hang my hat, I want to help.  I felt like my help was wanted and the opportunity was great.  After a lot of discussions with my wife, I realized that maybe moving on was the right thing to do.  It brought the idea of totally different curveballs being thrown at me daily from an unlimited limitless number of people in a userbase.  That's an amazing change at being part of something big.  I jump at those things, just like I did when I jumped at my old job.

I Want Everyone To Win

I enjoyed my time both places, and I hope for the best at everyone at my previous job.  I wish I could have stayed, but I want to continue to win.  They are winning, and hopefully I will continue to be part of a winning team with my new opportunity.