It’s 9 am on a Monday, and guess what? My only work is finishing this cup of hot chocolate and the pieces of cookies in front of me. I live for holidays like this one, so I thought it’d be a great time to write about my journey as an engineer these past three years. 

Hopefully, I got some fans from when I wrote about my transition journey, and you’ve been looking forward to an update. Here you go: 

What I do when I’m not on my holidays

Years ago, I’d have said I worked as a Customer Support Officer. Today, I am a backend engineer with Moniepoint, and I work on the team in charge of our POS lifecycle. We manage the entire lifecycle of Moniepoint’s POS terminals—from assignment to retrieval. This means that my team develops everything about the business owner's journey within the POS at the backend.

If you’re wondering, this is a big deal! We’re not simply solving technical issues but ensuring that thousands of businesses can keep running smoothly.

While learning software engineering at a boot camp, we wrote code and tested what it was like for people to use our products. Writing code and testing it in a controlled environment was one thing, but dealing with a real-time issue affecting a business owner is a different ball game.

Today, whenever I see a business using a Moniepoint POS, I feel proud knowing I made that happen. But this feeling of pride? It wasn’t always so. There was a time when it was mostly a feeling of uncertainty and inadequacy.

Transitioning from customer support to software engineering was not easy. For someone who studied English in university, best believe that coding felt like another foreign language. Even after I graduated from the bootcamp and landed a job back at Moniepoint, which is an indicator that I am skilled for the role, I still struggled with impostor syndrome. I just always had that feeling that I didn’t belong here. 

Beyond the feelings…

Through the uncertainty and the pressure to prove myself, I learnt how to use the fear to my advantage. If I were working on a project, for example, and I started to think that I would mess up, I’d spend my time reviewing the code to ensure there were no errors. My teammates and line manager were also my third eye. I'd get them to review even before I pushed live for official review. When my line manager picked up on the fact that I was struggling with believing in myself, he made it his assignment to ensure I did work that was good enough to make me confident in myself. To be honest, this helped me. Yes, I had loved ones for the motivational speeches, but the work and results I pulled at work always served as my ultimate motivation. 

One of my fondest memories of my work serving as the motivation I needed was when a teammate sent me a screenshot of the codebase with my name beside a line of code I had written. “Look at you now, Temi,” he said. “Your name is here.” It was a small moment, but it meant everything to me.

Finding Meaning and Membership

Over the past three years, I have grown from a nervous junior engineer to confidently handling major projects. Imagine paying for your fave meal on the menu at your fave restaurant and just knowing that you’re part of the reason the transaction was seamless. Cool, yeah?!

Beyond the inner sense of pride I feel when I see our product in use, working with the people in Moniepoint makes the work worth it. 

My line managers -  previously John Ojetunde and now Omolola Omolambe pretty much understand what it means to manage a talent. They’ve guided me through complex concepts, pushed me to think more profoundly, and reassured me that I am capable. My managers don’t just supervise me—they invest in me. They've encouraged me to dream big, challenged me with growth plans, and ensured I have the necessary resources to succeed.

Having Omolola as my line manager also makes me see more possibilities in my journey, as she was a backend engineer here and is now an engineering manager. My colleagues are also real MVPS. I am happy I get the opportunity to make an impact with really cool people.

Paying it forward

In March, I got the opportunity to share my tech journey with young girls who are trying to start a career in tech. In the past, I have mostly talked about transitioning, and I know most people would have assumed I was super confident with how I spoke passionately. But that’s just what it’s been - passion. 

This passion, backed with community and mentorship, has helped me improve and become more confident in my skills.

Looking back, I realise that my biggest challenge was not learning to code; it was believing in myself. Every task I completed, every problem I solved, and every project I contributed to proved that I was capable. I went from feeling like an outsider to becoming the engineer I once dreamed of being.

One of my goals moving forward is to actively mentor others, especially women looking to transition into engineering. I know firsthand how daunting it can feel, and I want to be the kind of mentor that John was and Omolola is to me - someone who helps others see their potential even when they can’t see it themselves.

Lessons from three years in tech

Three years may not seem like a long time, but in the fast-paced world of tech and a company like Moniepoint, it’s a lifetime of learning. Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned are that:

• Problem-solving is a mindset, not just a skill. Bugs and issues will always come up, but approaching them with patience and logic makes all the difference.

• Continuous learning is non-negotiable. Technology evolves rapidly, and staying relevant means constantly upgrading your knowledge and skills.

• Soft skills matter as much as technical skills. Communication, collaboration, and confidence can set you apart as much as your ability to write efficient code.

• You need a support system. Having mentors, teammates, and a company culture that nurtures growth makes the journey much more fulfilling.

If you’re reading this and thinking about making a career switch, know this: it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. The doubts will come, but push through. Find a company that believes in you (Moniepoint, duh), surround yourself with people who push you to grow, and most importantly, trust yourself.

To Moniepoint, thank you for seeing my potential before I even saw it in myself. Here’s to three years down and many more to come. If you’re looking for a first opportunity, here’s where to start.