choong pw

As I reflect on the year, one of the final few one-on-one sessions I had with a couple of senior engineers delved into the concept of shaping your own job scope.

Yes, you heard that correctly. But before you go revamping your entire job description, let’s put things in perspective.

Context

Here’s the context: At the beginning of 2023, my team—more accurately, the LoB of apps—was acquired by another company. In just one year, our responsibilities shifted dramatically: from our ongoing tasks “continued momentum” to migration and knowledge transfer, and finally to creating entirely new apps. Amidst all this, we were also tasked with driving DevSecOps through the Cybersecurity chapter.

It’s been a challenging journey—constantly shifting contexts, especially as an engineering manager, we need to manage the teams and stakeholders. These responsibilities often intertwined and overlapped.

When change happen….

But back to the point. Our ability to adapt becomes crucial, especially when company is going through change. As leaders or senior members, we possess a broader perspective that enables us to spot gaps and instigate change, which is where we offer the most value. You’re likely meeting expectations just fulfilling the job description. I would dare to say that many companies are moving in this direction too.

To break through that, we must reinvent ourselves and seek opportunities to add value. This might involve doing more spike work or building processes. I know… is not the coding that we love. If you’re part of the platform team, you definately have more room for creativity here.

Conclusion

It’s easier said than done. Not everyone has the mental capabity to do the beyond. Give it a challege to step up to it. Just make sure that your manager has your back (please do the same for your manager’s). Consider the upside of it, #redefine and #grow.