How Skyscanner recharged my tech career - Careers #2

By Katie Andrews  

Before I landed a job at Skyscanner, I was seriously considering quitting tech to bake cakes instead.  

I applied for a systems engineer role back in 2019, with very little expectation of success. But Skyscanner was a brand I was very familiar with - it was my go-to when I was travelling around the world for six months. And it was a last-ditch attempt to salvage a decade of trying to fit into the tech industry. 

Getting that job completely changed my trajectory. I went from feeling like I would never find the right fit in tech - and that then knocking my confidence - to experiencing my longest stint ever at any company, and still being excited by the possibilities. And all because of a little pivot I made at Skyscanner.  

My background is in systems engineering, and I started off at Skyscanner in Employee Enablement, working on internal systems. It’s hard to explain, but the culture here just feels different to anywhere else I’ve worked. It’s more accepting of you as you are, and that definitely helped build my confidence again. 

New possibilities 

I did some internal training - just out of interest - on building successful teams, and that really opened my eyes to a career outside of the traditional engineering route. Neither the management path nor the expertise route felt right for me. So I started to explore secondment opportunities that would enable me to use my technical experience, but in a non-technical role.  

A six-month secondment in January 2022 became permanent. I’m now working in Software Delivery Operations - we’re essentially a team of coaches looking at agile processes and team health, helping tribes and squads to be successful. It’s another type of enablement, just less technical. And it allows me to add value in a different way.  

Growth and Learning 

I’ve gone from feeling a little stuck into an exciting period of growth and learning over the last 18 months, and I now feel like there’s a career path ahead of me. It’s been super interesting and I’ve unlocked so much knowledge, but it has been a huge jump for my engineering brain.  

The biggest challenge was changing my way of working - from a structured week and clearly defined parameters, to a very broad scope where one day can be completely different to the next. As an engineer, you can be quite focused, and there’a a limited network you need to interact with. Now, I need to know about the wider business and speak to so many different people. I’ve had to come to terms with working in a less structured way, but I’m happy because having a holistic view of the organisation gives me a broader opportunity to contribute. 

A lifechanging experience 

Joining Skyscanner and taking that secondment was lifechanging - I don’t think I’d be in tech today if I hadn’t taken that chance. I was beginning to feel like I’d wasted ten years in an industry that didn’t suit me, but it turns out all that experience was useful and I can now apply it to a different role.  

When I started out, I didn’t have much exposure to or understanding of the other critical, non-engineering roles in tech. But now I feel like I’m on the right path, thanks to the support of my manager and the wider organisation - my teams and the friends I’ve made at Skyscanner. It’s a very encouraging environment and a safe place to dip your toe into different career options.  

Make an informed choice 

Even if you’re not considering a career change, making an internal move to a different team or discipline can be so valuable. It helps build knowledge and experience, and you can make an informed choice to pivot your career, or go back to your old team with wider experience. There are no downsides as far as I can see.  

I’d encourage anyone to explore the opportunities and ask the questions, even more so for career changers. Feel the fear and do it anyway - it will be a huge development curve, filled with nerves and adrenaline, but internal moves are low-risk. And as well as widening your perspective, other areas of the business get to benefit from your insight too.  

I’m grateful to Skyscanner for helping me find a new path. I’m not sure I would have had the same opportunity in another company. I’m definitely less afraid to step outside of my comfort zone now, and more open to opportunities.