Itemizing Your Career Goals

When I was searching for my last job, I found it useful to make a list of all the things I was looking for in a new career. As it turned out, there were actually two categories within these requirements. Upon making a list, I found that I both cared about the company I worked for and the job at hand.

I encourage everyone to make similar lists as a way to learn about your true career goals. You might be surprised that you want something different than you have. I will attempt to maintain these lists as my perspective changes, but here they are.

Company Requirements

1. Work on new products with friends

2. Build tools for software engineers

3. Work in an industry that strongly interests me:
   • politics
   • music
   • theme parks

4. Work at “a Python shop”

5. Consult teams and companies on:
   • Automation
   • Quality Assurance
   • Testing
   • Agile Methodologies
   • DevOps
6. Get paid to work on open source software

Job Requirements

1. Feel like at least half of the team cares more than I do

2. Flexible working hours and support for asynchronous work

3. Work on a team that hates bugs and insists on prioritizing bugs first

4. Have some free work time for side projects

5. Have a dedicated conference budget

See a typo? Help me edit this post.