Anna McDougall, Soprano turned Software Developer shares how a break from performing meant a career rethink, and how the key to finding a way forward was to look back at all the things she loved doing before she invested fully in music.
Anna McDougall is a full-stack developer with a passion for JavaScript. She is known as "that dev who used to be an opera singer". In addition to her upcoming position as Junior Software Engineer at Novatec Consulting GmbH, Anna is also a tech blogger, YouTube creator, and public speaker.
QUOTES
“I had to go into every situation looking for, and wanting to find the gaps in my knowledge. And the things I'm bad at .The only way I'm going to get better is to find out what those are and work on those consistently over time. That’s a lesson I learned from opera.”
“It can often be a strength to be the odd one out.”
“I was loving the day to day work (of opera) but I started thinking more long term.”
I know there’s a logical, problem solving part of my brain I’m not using every day.”
“I wanted more than to be more than one piece in the machine.”
“Working a desk job is not nearly as fun but long term, I feel like I’m moving and that’s what’s important.”
“Imposter syndrome is something that tech and music have in common.”
LINKS
PODCAST TEAM
Production Support from Molly Jenkins
Audio Engineering from Frazer Ruddick
Theme Music Composed by Danna Yun
Theme Music Performed by Jasper Ly
RECORDED
Recorded on 07 June 2021