Disclaimer: Bear with what is coming up because I’m a software engineer and have never been into story writing before.
Okay. Let me begin with once upon a time..
Hi, this is me, Joel James. I’m a seven-year-old Software Engineer. Oh, wait. I did not mean that! I’m obviously way more than that, but has been working as a software engineer for the past seven years. I have been thinking of writing a blog regarding how I came into this field and started on it when I was in the second year. But, like every other software developer, having had the tendency to leave anything halfway, I never reached the finishing point to this autobiography of mine until this point. As it is not an offense to write a blog about myself here, let me tell you the story of my seven-year journey. Even at this point, I’m not sure if I should address myself as a software developer or a software engineer or a software programmer. All of this being right, software developer is the tagline which is often used.
The Beginning
The story has not begun yet, here it begins. Let me start the story by telling you how I came into this world of software development. I’m someone who would have become a person dealing with machines after completing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, if, on that day, the admissions for mechanical engineering would not have been closed and the only seats left was for a B-tech in Information Technology. This is how I met computers in my life, but unfortunately, programming became the worst enemy I had to have an everyday encounter with. However, despite this fact, I started falling in love with the computer at some point where until then,all I knew was how to turn a computer on and use MS Paint during the Computer Period, at school. I was not aware about anything else I could do on a computer, anyway.
The Turning Point
By the end of the second year of my course, a close relative of mine was kind enough to give me a computer which, over the course of time, led me into the field of hacking, where I had all my interest. Programming still my enemy even after completing my B-tech with a minimum pass mark, I made up my mind to never go back to programming in my life. However, coming across the realities of life, I found that hacking cannot be my path. Being left with no other choice, this led me to turn back and have a look at programming who was already and still standing behind me. In an attempt to become friends with programming, I joined a three month’s course where I had the best experience with it, especially the professor I had was so brilliant that I made up my mind to become a programmer.
Now it is a new turning point where I started working in an IT company as soon as I finished the course. I was still a beginner in programming and a programming project coming my way would have made me tremble. But lemme tell you, the company I first worked with brought me chances to work with real big projects. Besides work, I used to have my own experiments with programming and once, I came across a platform called WordPress, on which I got a chance to lead a project. I saw that I’m more into WordPress now and as a part of it, I tried creating a plugin. As soon as I published it for public access, I found that a mere attempt of mine attracted a lot of people and I received great acclamations on that work, which was far beyond my expectations.
This created a different sort of interest towards WordPress and started spending sleepless nights over it. I started creating more plugins, the details of which you can have a look at on my profile. The company I worked in then did not have many WordPress projects. I had to work with platforms like Laravel and Drupal. But neither did I leave WordPress nor did WordPress leave my head. However, just like how we have ups and downs in life, I also had an experience where I thought I just lost it. I had sleepless nights where people firing me for my work became a nightmare. I have solely dedicated a blog article for the same, the link of which I shall share here with you.
The Actual Turning Point
We have now reached the third year of my so-called life story where I worked in a company that gave me much satisfaction. Having flexible working hours and the best work environment, I just enjoyed my job. However, WordPress still being my interest, I used to follow companies that were related with it. And one day, I came across a job vacancy of a WordPress developer of a very reputed company called WPMUDEV (Incsub). With a good amount of assurance that I’m not getting in, I still applied without being any serious about it. It went to an extent where I received an offer letter from them after clearing a trial task which happened as they had an impression on my profile. This led me to the highest dilemma I ever had in my career: it was to choose between continuing with the job that I enjoy a lot or taking a risk to join a challenging firm. After a long thought, risking everything else I decided to give the latter a try. The company being abroad, the job was on work from home mode which was not very popular in my hometown at that point of time. Not even having any direct contact at the office, everything happened online but I still decided to give it a chance because I believed that we don’t gain anything without taking risks.
The End
Yes, it was successful! It is not just about getting to work in WordPress, to do what you love; the flexibility of this job to work anytime and anywhere, be it while being with your dear ones or at the beach is just amazing.Another peculiarity to this mode is that, unlike being in an office, you’ll be able to take your time out of your work for personal or other emergencies without that affecting your work or being answerable to someone for it.This also gave me a chance to work with a lot of intelligent brains across the world. I got a lot of chances to learn and unlearn a lot of things, each day. I get to be familiar with the latest technology at the movement being in lead roles as a developer, which is another peak reason why I am happy about my career.
The Actual End
This is my story. From being an enemy, programming has now become a part of life. Now I’m at a stage where I have started reworking on many projects I have left halfway. This storytelling is part of the same. If you go through this page, you will find details about plugins that I have created and have sold in the past. My future plan is to continue with a remote job just because it just works so well on me. I’ll also be working on other open source projects as and when I get some free time. This is my past seven years of life which was so happening. I’m sure some of you who are reading this might also have such stories of life changing experiences, to share. Please do share if you have any so that I could read them. You can also use the comment box for the same.
Let me ask your leave until I appear myself with a new post.
Till then take care, you all.
Bye guys!
JJ
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