IT career changes: here's why I just quit my job.

Summary

In this video, Veronica announces her decision to quit her COBOL job and transition to full-time content creation on her YouTube channel, Veronica Explains. After years of working behind the scenes in legacy systems and COBOL, she expresses her desire to be more engaged with people and share her knowledge. With a passion for teaching and explaining tech, Veronica plans to focus on Linux tutorials, writing, and speaking engagements. The video captures her excitement for this new path, as well as her gratitude for her supportive community who helped her realize her true calling.

Takeaways

• 😀 Veronica has decided to quit her job as a COBOL developer and system administrator starting November 1st to focus on her YouTube channel, Veronica Explains.
• 😀 Her previous work involved maintaining legacy systems, mainly COBOL on the x86 platform, which she finds stable but no longer fulfilling.
• 😀 Despite the stability and opportunities in legacy systems work, Veronica realized she craves interaction and teaching people, which she wasn't getting in her previous role.
• 😀 Veronica has a background as a music instructor, which helped her pay for college, and that teaching experience still influences her career today.
• 😀 The decision to leave COBOL was driven by the desire to be in front of people and engage more with her audience, rather than working behind the scenes.
• 😀 She’s excited to have more time for content creation, specifically to produce more videos on Linux and other tech topics for her subscribers.
• 😀 Veronica plans to write more about her tech experiences and observations, potentially expanding her content into a blog.
• 😀 In addition to videos and blogging, Veronica is interested in doing more speaking engagements, particularly on topics like multi-factor authentication.
• 😀 She aims to bring energy and passion to corporate training, using her unique style to make dry topics more engaging.
• 😀 Veronica expresses gratitude to her viewers for supporting her decision to move away from behind-the-scenes work and pursue her passion for teaching and explaining tech.
• 😀 While uncertain about the exact future, Veronica is committed to making a career out of explaining technology and hopes to make it work with the help of platforms like Kofi and Patreon.

Q & A

Why is Veronica quitting her COBOL job?

Veronica is quitting her COBOL job because she no longer enjoys working behind the scenes and misses teaching and engaging with people. She also doesn't want to commit to another long-term COBOL job, which would require a 3 to 5 year commitment away from her passion of being in front of people.

What is Veronica's plan for the future?

Starting November 1st, Veronica plans to make 'Veronica Explains' her full-time job. She hopes to create more content for her YouTube channel, engage in writing, and possibly do more speaking engagements and corporate training. She also intends to take some time off initially to recover from her intense work schedule.

How does Veronica feel about the legacy systems she worked with?

Veronica appreciates the stability and job opportunities offered by legacy systems, such as COBOL. However, she acknowledges that while it's a good career path for some, it wasn't a good fit for her long-term because she prefers being in front of people and teaching rather than working behind the scenes.

What did Veronica do before becoming a system administrator?

Before working as a system administrator, Veronica was a music instructor. She taught music as a way to pay her way through college and described it as the best job she ever had.

What does Veronica plan to do with her newfound time after quitting her job?

With more time available, Veronica plans to produce more videos about Linux, focusing on utilities and Linux lessons. She also wants to write more, share her experiences, and potentially engage in speaking opportunities.

What kind of content can viewers expect from Veronica's YouTube channel moving forward?

Viewers can expect more videos from Veronica, especially related to Linux and technology. She aims to produce smaller lessons on Linux utilities and dive deeper into the topics she has explored in her career. She also plans to do more behind-the-scenes sharing of her experiences through her blog.

Why does Veronica value interacting with people in her work?

Veronica values interacting with people because she finds it fulfilling. She misses being in front of an audience, teaching, and sharing knowledge. She recognizes that this interaction helps her feel connected and motivated in her work, which is why she is shifting away from a behind-the-scenes role.

What does Veronica's work history suggest about her career trajectory?

Veronica's work history shows that she has a strong passion for teaching and engaging with others. Her shift from a system administrator role to full-time content creation and education highlights her desire to work directly with people and share her knowledge in more public-facing roles.

What did Veronica do for her previous employer in terms of corporate training?

Veronica created corporate training videos for the IT department at a previous employer. One of her most memorable projects involved acting out a scene about data integrity with her colleagues, showcasing her creative and fun approach to teaching.

How does Veronica feel about the support she has received from her subscribers?

Veronica is incredibly grateful for the support from her subscribers. She credits them with helping her realize that she was on the wrong career path and has shown her that transitioning to a full-time content creator is the right choice. Their support has been crucial in her decision to pursue this new career direction.