Exposure to a wider range of technology processes and services can be great for your career. Earlier this year, I changed jobs to do just that - moving from working with a specialised area to a more widely used technology. Apart from broadening your range of skills, working in a new environment can also be great for your career in terms of building cross-industry knowledge, providing networking opportunities, and challenging yourself in new capacities.
No two teams work the same way, but there can be a lot of overlap in the processes. Taking part in a variety of teams, roles, and workplaces will almost inevitably expose you to a myriad of tools and methods. For example, since changing jobs, I've begun working extensively with CI tools like TeamCity and deployment automation tools like Octopus Deploy, as well as diving into API development. These new skills have not only broadened my technical expertise but also opened up opportunities for me to work on more complex and dynamic projects. Diversifying the number of skills you have and tools you have mastered will open up your opportunities to a wider range of options.
Working in a range of different areas means that you can take your learnings from previous experiences and apply them to new contexts. The greater diversity of experience you have, the greater diversity of thought you will be able to bring to new projects, enabling some truly innovative and out-of-the-box solutions.
This may be stating the obvious, but did you know different people work in other teams? Shocking, I know. Interacting with new teams and their stakeholders will help you broaden your professional network. Connecting with more peers, mentors, and industry leaders is another excellent way to gain exposure to new ideas and opportunities.
Sometimes, we just get bored and need a change. Changing our work is one sure-fire way to mitigate any sensation of boredom, as it's much more difficult to be bored when figuring out a whole new way of working. This shake-up can be great for our mental health, as increased variety can keep your work feeling engaging and stimulate continuous learning.
Change can be intimidating, but it is essential for personal growth. Working in a new team or with a new technology enables you to diversify your skills, gain cross-industry knowledge, network with more people, and face new challenges - all of which can enhance your professional growth, satisfaction, and opportunities. If you’re feeling stuck, step out of your comfort zone and dive into the deep end. Embrace the new experiences and opportunities, and discover what is waiting for you out there.