Review of 2022

Summary

In this article, I'll take a casual look back at the year 2022.

About My Main Job

I Changed Jobs for the First Time

In February of this year, I changed jobs, and my workplace environment underwent a significant change. I transitioned from a Systems Integrator (SIer) where I had been working since my graduation in 2015 to a startup business company. The main motivation for this job change was my desire to enhance my skills as a front-end engineer. I also had the hope that my salary would see a slight increase.

How Was It After Changing Jobs?

After changing jobs, I was entrusted with the front-end development of a product's renewal. It was a challenging task since I had never used React before, and I was also responsible for decisions related to directory structure and library selection. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that they entrusted me, a newcomer, with such responsibilities. Looking back, I feel grateful for the opportunity because it allowed me to significantly improve my skills. After working for a year, I gained experience in Nuxt.js, React, and Next.js, which made me appreciate the decision to change jobs.

About My Side Business

Achieved Sales of 1.5 Million Yen

Fortunately, this year, I achieved the highest sales ever in my side business. I started working on web development projects as a side business around 2018. While the revenue was steadily increasing, this year marked the first time it exceeded 1.5 million yen. Most of the projects came through referrals from acquaintances, and some clients returned for additional projects. I hope to continue delivering work that meets expectations in the coming year.

What Kind of Projects Were Common?

In terms of projects this year, I felt that there were slightly more projects related to building e-commerce websites using Shopify. I also had the opportunity to work on projects using Next.js, which was a great experience. Additionally, I played the role of a supporter, answering technical questions from project team members and conducting source code reviews for quality assurance. This was something I hadn't done much before, but I found it to be a valuable learning experience, and I look forward to doing more of it in the future.

Feeling the Limits of Going Solo

As mentioned earlier, I achieved the highest revenue this year, but it also meant that I sacrificed a significant amount of my personal time. I didn't have as much time to learn new things due to the demands of my side business. Therefore, I'm considering reducing the volume of work if I continue to work solo next year.

Goals for the Next Year

Improving Our In-House Products

This pertains to my main job. The project I've been involved in since joining the company is expected to conclude around the beginning of the year. As I have become more accustomed to the company's products and gained experience, I would like to search for areas of improvement and work on them. My current position allows me to easily propose ideas as an engineer, so I want to take advantage of that and contribute to the company's growth.

Creating and Releasing My Own Service

Considering the significant time I dedicated to my side business this year, I plan to reduce the proportion of my side business work next year and focus on creating and releasing my own web service.

Conclusion

I created this blog and decided to look back on the year for the first time. Upon reflection, I believe I was able to make various improvements in my skills this year, so I want to continue working hard in the coming year.

Wishing you all a wonderful year ahead.