I am not very good at celebrating my own success. I have usually already moved on to the next thing, so if I hear something positive I might give a smile or a nod then go back to the new thing. I am not comfortable talking about my own achievements either, so I've decided to write a short post about something nice which will both make me look at an achievement and also live with feeling uncomfortable.
A few days ago I was accepted as a Fellow in the British Computer Society. This is the professional body for tech folk and is a very important part of shaping the future of the tech industry. In their words... BCS Fellowship is home to the most influential professionals in the digital industry - and a Fellowship is their highest membership recognition. It means I have been assessed by my peers and judged as a leader in my profession.
Yes, writing that felt awkward.
Anyway, this is a great thing for me. It is a very clear signal to people in and outside tech that I am worth listening to, which is helpful if I'm applying for a charity trustee position or board membership. It is also reassuring if you end up being mentored by me.
For me, it also opens doors into parts of the tech industry where I want to play an active role. I've long been worried that we have next to no professional consistency across tech (eg a "senior developer" could mean more or less anything) and that means organisations looking to build technical capability can struggle to engage with what is a fairly esoteric industry. Without common standards and understanding, it is easy for organisations to waste money and repeat mistakes. This does us no favours - it fuels perception that ours is a young, chaotic industry which doesn't have its house in order.
As our professional body, the British Computer Society has a key role in influencing our future albeit a difficult one as, unlike the medical bodies, it does not directly regulate who can practice.
So what is next? I'm going to look at the different ways I can engage with the organisation. My local branch is looking for volunteers, and there is a leadership forum which I will join. Over time, I would like to work with the groups that form the structure of the organisation so I will likely become an assessor and possibly look to join a committee like the Registration and Standards Committee, which governs various definitions of membership and professional accreditations.
I also plan on looking at getting Chartered, which complements Fellowship nicely. Fellowship speaks to career impact and leadership, whereas Chartership speaks to professional competence. Fellowship is a peer-reviewed, honorary status, and Chartership is a legally protected position. I am increasingly operating outside of pure technical environments, and these positions open doors and smooth conversations without requiring a detailed CV review.
All this is for the future. For the moment, I am pleased that I have been accepted into the organisation. I have been enjoying a career break over the last few months, and I was starting to worry whether tech was the right place for me. This is a timely reminder that I have done good, impactful work - and a nudge to keep going.
