Fork in the Road

You ask why I left a career I loved? We don't always know our value system until we are tested. I was asked to join the Executive Management team of an up and coming apparel company shortly after my 30th birthday. I would have been the second woman on the Executive team for this organization. I was young, a pioneer in my field... seems like a dream come true.

The Executive team presented an excellent package to me. I declined the generous offer because the time commitment would have been a detriment to my young family. All the prestige and money in the world could never replace the importance of being a vital part of my children's lives.

Now, I was at a fork in the road. Would I choose to remain in the field of Information Technology (IT) or would I begin a new career? I knew that remaining in IT was not an option. I had reached a managerial level that required much more of me than I was willing to give. The story would have been the same if I stayed with the apparel company I worked at, or if I changed employers.

I reflected back on my work to help me look forward to my future. I realized my greatest sense of accomplishment in the IT world came from empowering people with knowledge. Instructing management how to read reports, teaching entry level employees how their job function fits within the company function and mapping out the system enhancements that would increase revenue were the highlights of my IT career. It was time to apply these skills to a new career.