Changing direction within technology.
WHY PEOPLE MOVE
Interest changes Demand shifts A ceiling is reached An adjacent area looks better
WHAT TRANSFERS
Fundamentals Problem-solving approach Understanding of how organisations work Communication
WHAT DOES NOT
Specific tooling and domain knowledge.
WHAT THAT MEANS
You are not starting from nothing, but you are starting.
WHAT THE EASIEST MOVES ARE
Adjacent ones: frontend to backend, support to engineering, analysis to engineering.
WHY ADJACENT MOVES WORK
Some knowledge carries, and the gap is credible.
WHAT THE HARDEST MOVES ARE
Into fields with formal expectations, such as machine learning.
WHAT THE BEST ROUTE IS
Internal, within your current employer.
WHY
They know your work, and the risk to them is lower.
HOW TO ARRANGE IT
Take on work in the target area, gradually.
WHAT TO ASK FOR
A project touching that area.
WHAT TO BUILD MEANWHILE
Evidence: something built, something learned, something shipped.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A possible step backward in level or pay.
WHAT TO WEIGH
That against the longer trajectory.
WHAT TO AVOID
Moving repeatedly before establishing competence anywhere.
WHAT TO GIVE IT
Long enough to become genuinely capable.
