I have wanted to be a software developer ever since I met a few out in the workforce. They were beyond lazy and had a lot of excuses coupled with complex explanations that could be replaced with a simple and more adult phrase: “I don’t know how to do that”. It certainly seemed like I would already better at it than they were just based on my attitude towards work and, willingness to learn things I don’t know. My mantra is always that speaking with end users about their needs and feedback will produce a superior product. Now 9 months later, I know I was right. I have built applications that I personally find utility in and think are cool. Applications that other developers give me positive as well as constructive feedback on. I make changes or updates to my existing code based on project collaboration and I am always on the lookout for how I can do something better than I have done before.
I will never forget the first time after my career change and having graduated from FlatIron that someone asked me what I do. “I am a software designer”, I stammered. It wasn’t eloquent or even the right term. It didn’t confidently roll of my tongue. But it smacked me in the face with a lot of accomplishment that I had achieved. I am a developer now. I switched careers and went to one of the toughest, successful and prestigious bootcamps. I had acquired skills that matter to people.
In my last career I had attained a certain level of success that would satisfy many people. But I woke up every day and went to work wanting to do more. Something that I found engaging on a different level. I wanted to build something that worked for people. That would be reused over and over. After building my first website and then CLI gem I was hooked. I wanted to code and talk about code and have friends that code and teach other people to code. I had the bug without a doubt.
So, why did I want to be a software developer in a concrete answer? Because it makes me proud to say. I feel great because it means so much more than I code. It means I took risk and quit a career to change my life so I would be happier doing something I like every day. It means I get to make things for people they find useful. It means I get to learn forever. It means - meaning and purpose that didn’t exist before.
That’s why I am a developer.