Should I Accept a Support Role After 5 Years of Experience, or Continue Focused Upskilling for a Software Engineering Career?

Hey all, I’ve been on a break for the last two months, using the time to upskill and transition into software engineering. To make this career switch, I’m learning DSA, Python, JavaScript, React, and NodeJS. I have 5 years of experience as a support engineer and have been offered another support role. I’m concerned that taking it may slow down my transition into a development role. Here’s my dilemma: Should I take the support role offer to get back into work, or stay focused on my upskilling and career switch, even if it means a longer gap in my work experience? If I take the offer, how can I continue my software engineering learning and maintain momentum toward my career shift? I’d appreciate advice from anyone who has been in a similar position or has experience balancing a support role while pursuing a new career path. Thanks in advance for your insights!

smoothapplepie

A Team Lead

I’ve been in a similar spot! If you decide to take the support role, try to look for opportunities to work on small coding projects or internal dev tools in your free time. That way, you’ll keep the momentum going while still getting the stability and experience from the support role.

cleantonic

works at

Oracle

This really depends on your long-term goals. If you can manage the time and energy, continuing to focus on upskilling while working in the support role might help you balance both. Just make sure to keep your goals clear and set aside time for coding or projects related to software engineering.

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