And Now for Something Completely Different
Today is my last day working for ThoughtWorks. After four and a half years, I decided to hang up my consultant’s cape and try something new: I accepted an offer from DRW Trading Group starting next week.
I am extremely excited about my new job at DRW, but the decision to leave ThoughtWorks was difficult and I am sad to say “goodbye!” ThoughtWorks was an important part of my life these past several years, and I am leaving behind a lot of great friends. I will miss working with ThoughtWorkers every day, and I wish them all the very best.
Ultimately, my decision to leave stems from my frustration with consulting. Ostensibly, companies hire consultants for their expertise in helping solve difficult problems. Typically, companies select consultants based on past experience and expertise in successfully solving similar problems. But always companies ignore or push back against anything running counter to their current way of doing things, no matter how much they paid for the suggestion.
I accept that compromise, education and negotiation are important aspects of consulting, and I agree it is unreasonable – and would be unwise – to expect clients to do everything exactly as they are advised. I also enjoy helping others solve problems. I am just tired of arguing about the same things with different clients over and over again. And hence the change.
I am not bitter or jaded, I bear no grudge; it is just time for me to try something new away from client politics. ThoughtWorks is a great company, and I can’t wait to see what things lie in store for them in the future! But I won’t miss my cape.