For the third time in three years, I’m being laid off. This time my company is shutting its doors. A good portion of folks are already gone, but I’ve been given two months to wrap up my work, document it, and hope someone at a firm specializing in maintaining failed businesses will be able to pick it up and make use of it. ?‍♂️

Two of these layoffs I couldn’t have done anything to avoid. The third I could have stuck around had I been in a different role. Regardless, I’m beginning to see a common theme – businesses tend to hire mobile automation as a cherry on top. They have “established” products and are looking to reduce testing costs. Why are they looking to reduce costs? Because they may have grown irresponsibly and are failing. I’m repeatedly boarding sinking ships. I’m meeting some spectacular people and friends I foresee having for life, but growing tired of losing. As my now former manager, looking to move into engineering management put it “I no longer want to be on the wet end of the firehose.”

On the other hand, some companies have grown responsibly (my one recent job not ending in layoff), have well-established automation, and benefit from it. The problem there is being a cog in a large and well-running machine isn’t for me; I want to lead, I want to create new things, I want to solve the hard problems. In an ideal world, someone would hire someone like me still as a startup, but nobody does that because it requires a ridiculous amount of maturity and luck.

So… I’m thinking of reinventing myself. I’ve done some form of web development for 20+ years, I know how to program, I know databases, I dig being a jack of all trades, and full stack developers are in high demand. It’s a natural fit.

A full stack developer is a web developer or engineer who works with both the front and back ends of a website or application—meaning they can tackle projects that involve databases, building user-facing websites, or even work with clients during the planning phase of projects.

I’ll have a lot more job prospects, I’ll be less disposable, I’ll be able to create more, and remote work (Rebecca and her Montana dreams) is much more feasible.

I’ve dropped $12 on Udemy for The Complete 2020 Web Development Bootcamp from appbrewery.co and started today. 58 hours of lecture, Lord knows how many hours of reading and coding, but I do already know a good chunk of what is taught so hopefully I’ll blast through it. Something to keep my mind occupied the next two months at work, six weeks off, and six weeks of paternity.

You may ask “why not mobile development?” I’ve been in mobile specifically for 12 years. Android development would come easily because I’m very familiar with the IDE and Java/Kotlin, but I hate using Android. I’m an Apple guy, but I hate Xcode and Swift (the “tools” for iOS development).

I don’t know if this will lead to a job in this role anytime soon; I’m at the top of my game in mobile automation and quality in general and am compensated as such. I do think I’d be able to skip junior level development, but I’d almost certainly see a fair salary cut I’m not ready to afford at this time.

If I’m lucky my next gig will allow me to dabble on the development side? Pipe dreamy, but I can hope. It may even take some side gigging to get this thing off the ground, although having experience with that (my ten years of running my own IT gig), I’m not sure it’s something I want to fit into an already filled and soon to be extra filled calendar.

If nothing else, learning is good and fun.