Cash is still king. That’s what many people will tell you, but over the past 18 months we have seen candidates opting for job roles that hold meaning to them over anything else. It’s not that a bumper pay packet is now being frowned on, but candidates want more than that – whether it’s learning and development, better progression opportunities, or to simply feel that their work is making a difference to the world.
But everyone has different goals, different aspirations and different objectives, so how do you find your calling? How do you know whether you’re driven by improving the bottom line or that you want to make a difference in the community?
Like most things, you don’t really know until you’ve done it, but we’ve outlined a few different pathways a Software Engineer could take for you to find out if any of them ring true.
The Innovator.
You’re a problem solver. When you come up against a brick wall, you find your way around it and you won’t let it lie until you have. Technological innovation is moving at the speed of sound as it has been for some time. Moore’s Law has proven to be true, but we are innovating at such speed that there’s a divide between invention and interest. Software Engineers are now tasked with addressing that gap, and The Innovators are the ones who will redress the balance. If you like breaking new ground, this is you.
The Difference Maker.
You want to see change in the world, but you aren’t prepared to sit back and wait for it to happen. You’re ambitious, you’re glass-half-full and, most importantly, you’re proactive. Whether it’s working in the medical sector helping to transform vaccine rollout, or at a start-up that is bringing farmers in Kenya together, Software Engineers have a real opportunity to make their mark. The tech-for-good market is growing rapidly and start-ups are blossoming all over Europe. At these businesses, getting to work means making a difference.
The Growth Accelerator.
Some people are motivated by money, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If it is what drives you forward, then absolutely pursue it if you’re someone who takes great pride in growth statistics and are chasing the next round of investment. The start-up and scale-up ecosystem is booming, and you have plenty of opportunities to play your part in taking companies from their infancy to multi-million-pound balance sheets. Technology is, in most cases, the enabler – and those businesses need someone like you to develop that technology.
“Choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life” – that’s what Confucius said, and it’s what we’re saying too. Life’s too short and opportunities too broad to be forcing yourself out of bed every morning to go to a job you don’t enjoy. There’s no set path in software engineering, so if it feels like you’re heading in the wrong one it’s time to make your own.
We work with companies that are hiring Innovators, Difference Makers and Growth Accelerators, among many others. If you think it might be time for a new challenge, then our Consultants can help you find what’s important to you, and if you’re ready, the perfect role too. Come and have a chat.