By Chance or By Choice?

Is your "career" by chance or by choice? By accident or design? Or both?

This question was posed earlier this month by Billie Sucher at career hub:

I attended a wonderful certification program this week and one of the questions posed to the instructor was "Do you think one's career is by chance, or by choice?" Even though there wasn't ample time to delve into this subject area, the question still lingers in my mind. With 21 years as an experienced career professional, I have no definitive, conclusive, for sure and certain answers; only more questions.

Your Career: Chance or Choice?; billiesucher, April 06, 2006

Be sure to read the comments as well. Then, consider adding your own story: here, there, or in your own weblog.

In my case, it's been a case of Chance plus Choice plus large portions of Serendipity, Luck and Help from other people.

Starting Out

I've always been interested in Science and Technology. In High School, I took every Science class that was offered. By chance, I was able to sign up for a half-year course in FORTRAN programming (aka "Computer Math"). That got me hooked on computers (it didn't take much. :-) Two years later, when I started College, I chose to major in Biochemistry and Computer Science.

Moving Forward

Chance gave me second thoughts (we won't delve into the reasons) and I graduated with a BS in Microbiology. I tried grad school in Forensic Science, but didn't enjoy the program. Nevertheless, I received support from my advisor when I decided to try a different school and a different major.

In the new program, chance brought my future spouse and myself together. As chance would have it, Rich was a computer programmer who had recently chosen to purchase a shiny new Sun (Unix) graphics workstation. The computer "bug" bit me again, this time permanently.

I chose to re-orient my studies toward an application of computer analysis to microbiology. This didn't sit well with most of the department (especially when I chose to drop my original faculty advisor). One far-thinking senior professor chose to take me on — as her only "terminal Masters" student. Her support at a critical time netted me a thesis committee, a project, a degree, and, ultimately, my first full-time job and the first step on my "career ladder".

Career Beginnings

By chance, that first job was with a company that used Unix. I was pretty facile with Unix when I arrived; within 3 months I was writing internal tools and providing technical support for the department. When the department started talking about switching to IBM's TSO (and phased out my job), I chose to move on.

I looked for something new and chose to interview for a system administration position. They made me an offer but things didn't seem quite right, and I chose to turn it down. By chance, Rich and I guessed that Apple Computer might be hiring Unix programmers and, also by chance, the project lead for Apple's Unix group had specifically requested Staffing to send all Unix resumes directly to him. He liked my credentials; I interviewed; they liked me; I took the job. I chose to stay in that group, at Apple, for 6 years (until, by chance, I was laid off).

For my next job, I chose to take a chance on a new career direction: Quality Lead...

Twenty-something

My career has passed the twenty-year mark. With each new job, I realized that I could choose to alter my direction, at least a little. Each time, I could take a chance on something different.

Some choices work well. Some choices... don't. Dabbling in Unix system administration over time has taught me that I enjoy parts of SysAdmin, don't much care for Network Admin, and never want to take on a full-time SysAdmin job! (That early decision was the right one). Two years as a "Quality Lead" taught me that I'm passionate about Quality, I'm good at asking "the right questions" that can help people unblock their thoughts, and I never again want a position with so much responsibility but so little authority. One year in Technical Publications taught me that, much as I love writing, I'm not so fond of writing for unseen, external readers, and I truly hate trying to document vaporware. ;-( That same year also taught me that I should never try to move completely away from writing code.

Starting with my first "real job", I have chosen over time to concentrate my programming skills on developing data filters and tools for clients I can talk to. I have chosen to use interpreted languages, such as Perl, preferentially over compiled languages such as C, C++, or Java. Since 1995, I have chosen the Web as my preferred platform.

I choose to work for technical clients, in technical companies, private industry, and the Internet sector. By chance (?) the technology allows me to continue to make these choices.

The most important thing I've learned is that there are always choices and it's true that "chance favors the prepared mind". It's up to us to recognize, and choose to accept or reject, the chances we are given.