This is the e-mail I sent out this morning to Bankrate folks explaining my decision to leave the company. It’s as much business related as it is personal. I’m displaying it here because I believe in openness and transparency.

Fellow Bankraters,

Today, after serious consideration, I tendered my resignation as Manager of DevOps at Bankrate. There are a few reasons behind this decision that merit some explanation:

  1. I have reached a point in my life where I can take a moment to figure out exactly what it is I want to be when I “grow up.” Life is all about balance. Not being able to take part in significant life events this year has shown me that I need to focus on what matters most to me. It’s time I take a deep breath and determine how best to balance the role of husband, father, and community leader while coping with a permanent, debilitating nerve injury and other issues this position has exposed that I can no longer effectively manage while working at Bankrate.

  2. I have spent a significant amount of time, since joining in June, way outside of my comfort zone. This is great for learning new things and challenging yourself. But, being a manager is not something I am as passionate about as I think one should be to be successful at this. If you’re not hopping out of bed in the morning excited about what you’re doing that day, are you doing the right thing? My answer to that is, “No.” Additionally, it has become clear to me that I care about people first and business a distant second. I will do neither justice trying to strike the delicate balance needed to be effective at Bankrate. I want to lead people to become better versions of themselves without the entanglements management brings.

  3. The level of self-sufficiency and progress of Bankrate’s Cloud Migration Team has reached a critical mass. To be honest, the team can operate fine on its own. If the team stays focused and avoids the pitfalls of re-engineering while migrating (which it has to a certain extent) they can accomplish its lofty goals of migrating all Bankrate resources to Amazon Web Services without me.

  4. The Red Ventures acquisition provides the right timing to make this move. If you think there is a better time to go, feel free to debate it after weighing reasons 1 through 3. The fact of the matter is there is no time like the present.

My last day will be on or about Friday, December 1, 2017. I do not know when I will land in whatever my next role will be. It could be quick, it could take some time. But, I am seeking out something that will provide the balance I am trying to achieve in life. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.

Respectfully,

Chris Short Manager, DevOps | Bankrate.com

Update as explained on Twitter

Related Content