I wanted to write this because I have seen a lot about “finding work in elixir” or “there’s no work in elixir” conversations.
I would like to share what has been a huge problem for me in programming over the years.
When looking for a job I would look at what the tech was first and foremost.
I wanted to work in elixir and maybe some frontend stuff like vue or react.
The issue with this was I was never looking at the problem,
I was only looking at the solution which I had already determined before I knew what the problem was.
I had a hammer, I was always looking for the nails.
When looking for a new job I always said. “I have this hammer, do you have these nails?”
This was why I had such a hard time for so long.
Everything about this will make you hate your job and programing in the end.
This last year I was able to work at a few amazing elixir jobs, I finally found the nails.
But, I hated who I worked for and how we used the hammers.
I didn’t find what I thought I was looking for.
What I really learned was, I was past the point of learning elixir.
I wanted to solve problems that I thought I understood well.
The truth often is that we rarely fully understand what we need until after it is needed.
So how does this have anything to do with finding work in something that you want to do or are good at?
Well, today I start a new job. I’m going to be writing PHP in drupal. Yeap, fucking drupal.
But here is also the truth, the company I was hired by is open to change.
That means this could become an elixir job if elixir is the right solution for this problem in the future.
It also means I may have to do something until then that I have never done before and or that will put in me a place that makes me feel uncomfortable. This right here is the secrete sauce.
Honestly think, would we even have elixir if not for José Valim doing that very thing when they had been working in ruby and finally said you know I think I have to try something else.
There are no elixir jobs, you or someone else has to make them.
