On switching teams – thoughts
“I don't like the direction my team's project is taking. Should I switch teams?”. I was recently asked this. Does this sound familiar? Here are my thoughts.
Have you exhausted all reasonable options?
This is obvious, but — have you spoken with your manager? A long time ago, I underestimated my manager's power. Then one day, I politely said that I didn't enjoy coding in C++ (my ❤️ was Python at that point). The very next day, my manager asked every PM I had worked with to stop giving me those tasks. And just like that, it happened. Honestly, I was a bit shocked – I just didn't know this was an option.
Start a New Project
Is your team blessed enough that you can propose a new project? Maybe block an hour each day to ask people around the team about their challenges – see if any of their problems can be solved by you and if that excites you. Once, my teammate found an inefficiency in our company's courier logistics – and proposed a solution – and then proceeded to implement it. It turned into an exciting opportunity which he pursued for quite some time afterward. Nobody told him to do it. I tend to think people underestimate the amount of influence they can exert on the team's direction and their own role within the team.
Understand the root cause
There could be several reasons why the current team doesn't satisfy you: lack of growth, a boring project, or maybe poor work-life balance. Just make sure the team itself is the root cause, so that the switch will make sense. Check out this amazing post about finding the root cause: Ethan Evans on LinkedIn: In 15+ years at Amazon, I influenced 30+ promotions to the Director level.… | 218 comments
The grass is greener aka biases
Information is asymmetrical. We know a lot about the current job, and not so much about the other. When selecting a new team and talking to the hiring managers, keep in mind: they can oversell their team well and hide the unsightly parts. – If possible, talk with the team members – If someone left the team recently – they are especially good candidates. Ex-manager is also an excellent option. Remember that work is often (always?) 80% routine and 20% exciting. It could be on-call work, uninspiring features, or supporting a legacy soon-to-be-retired system. Make sure you know what the 80% of boring work in the new team is. And you are fine with it.
On compensation
Some people say compensation is not important and you should find a project that aligns with you the best. I personally am not sure about this. I think 1) Short-term compensation matters and 2) Long-term compensation matters even more, given that the work gives you reasonable satisfaction. So, searching for a better-paying job, if that is something you want, is a totally valid reason.
Don't jump off too soon
There are also benefits of staying on “boring” projects if circumstances are right. More than once I saw how a person was staying on a project they didn't like until everyone else rotated away from it. And all of a sudden, they were the only expert on the team. And more often than not, they received a promotion. So sometimes this pays off.
Unexpected things happen
If you have a tendency to be pessimistic, think that good unexpected things will happen to you as you switch teams. It's not only the risk. Unexpected opportunities also happen. When I was starting my own business, I was thinking mainly of myriad of problems that I will face. A lot of them didn't materialize. But also, strangely enough, I met a lot of friendly and helpful people along the way who have helped me beyond my expectations. I haven't anticipated this in the slightest.
Don't wait for too long
My main learning from having changed team/companies for 5 or so times is – do it. If you have thought about it, maybe made a pros and cons list, talked with your partner or a friend for another perspective. Obviously, make sure it's not an impulsive decision. Looking back, there was not a single instance where I regretted a change – aside from missing the people I worked with. And having a bit of nostalgia. And there were definitely instances where I regretted not doing it sooner. Once, I spent almost 4 years in one position which didn't contribute to my career, but was too comfortable: the pay was good, the manager was sweet and caring, and the team was cozy and friendly. So if you have weighed everything — remember the Nike slogan. Just do it!
If you’re thinking about switching, what’s holding you back?