Your Unique ‘Why’
Code School Book — Morgan Lopes and Tim Whitacre (5/30)
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That’s right, I didn’t get paid with money.
Why are you embarking on this career path? Take time to contemplate that question. As you do, imagine your ideal job. Get specific. Here are a few prompts to help:
- How much money do I want to make per year?
- How many weeks of vacation do I want per year?
- How many days do I want to work per week?
- How many hours do I want to work per day?
- How many more years do I want to work?
- How much health insurance coverage do I need?
- How much do I need to contribute to retirement?
- Do I want to work onsite or remote?
- Do I want to manage people or be an individual
contributor? - Which requirements are must-have?
- Which requirements are nice-to-have?
Everyone answers these questions differently. Every job provides different answers as well. These answers will change over time, and your first job will likely have different expectations than your next job. Your definition of success will impact the companies you pursue and the offers you can accept.
For code school graduates, I encourage a “learn before earn” mentality. Learning before earning means prioritizing opportunities to grow and stretch our knowledge rather than maximizing salary or benefits. Jobs with early-stage startups or small businesses, for example, may pay less but are generous with responsibility and more forgiving of mistakes.
My first real opportunity in tech came from a coffee company. The compensation? Free coffee for life. That’s right, I didn’t get paid with money. Despite not drinking coffee at the time, it was a great deal. The painfully low compensation afforded me lots of opportunities to try new things, make mistakes, and learn. As I proved my value over time, my responsibilities and pay increased. I was able to leverage the experience from that season of life into the next, larger opportunity.
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