97 - How to find your next job in tech

The Connection | 2021.11.08 | Issue 97

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. I send this out twice a month. Let's get into it…

When starting your retail career, do you start at the Gap or Abercrombie? Or if you're diving into the world of marketing, does it make sense to go in-house or start at a digital agency?

It doesn’t matter because you can always adjust your trajectory. 

But when you’re mid-career and looking for your next role, each decision carries more weight. You have a finite number of career moves left. 

If you’re 40-years-old, you may plan to work 20 more years, and anticipate a change of roles every 3-4 years. That’s only 5-7 more roles left.

These roles are likely more senior as well. Each one you take means passing on 2-3 potential roles. So the opportunity cost of each mid-career decision is also more expensive.

Finally, you’re going to spend a lot of time in these final roles, physically and mentally. You want the time spent doing something meaningful, around people you enjoy. You want to make the time count.

So when you’re trying to find your next tech job in the middle of your career, have a clear plan. Not because the plan won't change (it will) but because as Eisenhower said, “it’s the planning, not the plan.”

Even if you veer away from the output, the process of reflecting, thinking, getting feedback is invaluable.

Before taking my most recent role in tech, I spoke to over 20 people about how they navigated the middle of their careers, ranging from from product managers to C-suite executives. All were unique in their circumstance but shared common themes in their approach. In this article, I break down the five levers in navigating their job search. 

Someone else you think should read this? Please share with them.

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