Episode 456: Will I look bad on the job market if I'm a crypto developer and struggling to go from management back to dev work

<p>In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:</p>

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<p>Hey, I am a web developer getting bored of the regular development work. I am interested in finance and the monetary system and due to the overlap of finance and engineering I feel down the Bitcoin rabbit hole and even spiked interest in crypto like Solana and Sui. I am pretty sure most of crypto is a FUD, delulu or straight up scam, yet the technology looks appealing and interesting to learn. So that said, I am still really interested in learning more about crypto and dabbling in the development space of that. Yet, I am hesitant because I fear that this could reflect negatively on me. What do you think? Is a bit of crypto okay or really that bad?</p>
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<p>Hi Dave and Jamison</p>

<p>After five years as an engineering manager, I want to return to coding. But I’m facing a few challenges:</p>

<p>First, I worry about leaving my current team. It feels like I’m abandoning the people I’ve been supporting. Should I make this transition elsewhere to avoid this awkwardness?</p>

<p>Second, I’m struggling to find time and energy to rebuild my technical skills. After a full day of management work, it’s hard to open the laptop again for coding practice.</p>

<p>Finally, I’ve been humbled by how rusty my coding skills have become. Tasks that would take a practiced engineer minutes are taking me days, which is frustrating and denting my confidence.</p>

<p>How have others successfully navigated this pendulum swing back to an IC role without burning bridges or burning out?</p>

<p>Thanks,
a rubber duck</p>
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