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Tori0326
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Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Age: 52
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06 Aug 2014, 11:14 pm

When I was hired to my current job there was only me and one other programmer. He was the front end developer and I was the back end and we sometimes overlapped depending on what was needed. We've been working on a ERP system for the company but now there's a new project that is positioning to be a nationwide deployment so they're bringing in a whole team of developers.

I was fulfilling several roles until now....everything from business analyst to architect to coder to tester to trainer/implementator.
Now I'm being asked which of the defined positions do I want to be Business Analyst or backend developer. My education suits both roles as I have a business management degree with Information Systems specialization. I know the business analyst job is more desirable from a ladder-climbing and financial perspective....but I know the BA job is more a dealing with people job and the developer job is more dealing with designing and coding, which I'm better at than socializing. My new manager talks everyone's ears off and the C-level executives love her. I'm not that kind of person. I don't like pointless meetings. I don't like talking on the phone. So, maybe being a BA isn't for me even though the choice is being offered to me.

I'm wise enough to know what this means. Wherever this project leads in the next few years it's likely this choice will mark my career path. One going down a management path and the other a developer path. It boggles my mind that people who don't even know what programmers do let alone know how to program get paid more to sit around a conference table and talk nonsense but that's the way of it. I just can't see myself being happy if I'm not developing.



progaspie
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Joined: 22 Jul 2011
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06 Aug 2014, 11:57 pm

You're very fortunate to be offered the two choices due to your training and qualifications. Your aim should be to learn as much as you can and make yourself indispensable to the company you work for. Pursuing the development side is the easy option since you're good at it and enjoy doing it. However you may find yourself limited by lack of opportunities on the development side and once you've learned everything there is to learn, what do you do next? On the other hand, pursuing the BA side removes you out of your comfort zone and forces you into an area that you're not used to. That could actually benefit your long term career if you are able to master that side of the company. Also, don't knock the management side of the company. You may think that it is easy to manage other people, but I assure you it isn't and good managers are rewarded for a reason. If you decide to choose the BA option, just accept that you are going to make a lot of mistakes until you gain the confidence necessary to do the job and hopefully you have a very understanding manager, who will support you all the way.



Tori0326
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Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Posts: 293

07 Aug 2014, 5:24 pm

I went with requesting the BA job. My degree is more in line with that position so why not give it a sincere effort. I emailed my manager as directed telling why I was qualified for the BA job. I don't consider it a given that I will get it. They may find someone more experienced and decide I'm going to be the developer anyway. I figure it can't hurt to shoot for it.

My primary concern is my social skills not so much my ability to do the rest of the job responsibilities. Maybe I should look into some kind of assertiveness or voice training. I'm not a talkative or loud person. I notice that tends to get me trampled in business meetings, etc.