Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself
Where to begin…
So…it has been awhile since the last time I wrote an entry (November 2019, to be exact). And a lot has happened since then. I first started this blog as part of a challenge to myself to 1) Write everyday for at least 30 days and 2) Document the journey as I learned new skills and try to break into tech. And technically, I failed that challenge. But for good reason! Not too long after I started being very public about trying to break into tech, I was presented with different work opportunities. I went from Operations, to Marketing, and finally into UX/UI Design at an Insurtech startup. So what started out as an exercise in writing and learning out loud, turned into accomplishing my ultimate goal. I put all of my energy and focus into my work and upskilling for skills within my new role. But because of this, I didn’t have much time to write. From 2019 to now, this is the first time I’ve really gotten a chance to sit down and write about what I did, what I learned, and what I want to do next. Let’s take a journey through time…
2019-2020
This is really the beginning of my new career journey. I had decided that the path I originally was on, was no longer for me and that it was time to pivot. So, I sat down with my parents and explained how I was feeling and what my plan of action was going forward. The first half of this time was really about learning the new skills I needed to move into the tech industry. I studied Web Development, UX/UI Design, and when I could, went to different tech conferences to build a new network I could leverage when the time came to apply for jobs. 2019-2020 was really a building season. It wasn’t a linear path though. When it did come time to apply jobs, many of the leads I had nurtured over the first 6 months of my learning period had to put their hiring on pause due to the pandemic. However, with the help of my network, I was able to land a job in operations at a Quantum tech startup. Which brings me to the first set of lessons I learned in this journey:
Ask for help when you’re on the job hunt
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s not just about what you know but who you know”. I would’ve never even gotten this job if I hadn’t made it known to my friends and colleagues that I was looking for a new role. And this isn’t the only type of help you can ask for. In my spare time, I would have coffee chats and portfolio reviews with people in the fields I knew I wanted to work in. All of that helped make this transition just a little bit less difficult than it could have been.
There is nothing wrong with having a career “pitstop”
What I mean by this is that I had already worked an operations role, and I knew this isn’t what I wanted to do next for the rest of my career. But life doesn’t stop just because you decide to change fields and bills still need to be paid. As long as you’re honest and upfront with your manager/company that this is likely a temporary position (contract roles are great for this), and you still put forward you’re best effort, it is okay to use this time to continue to build your skills while ensuring you’re able to take care of your responsibilities.
A supportive manager can make a world of difference
I will forever be thankful for the manager I had in this role that encouraged me to not give up on my goal, despite the fact it would mean me leaving the company. That encouragement gave me the push I needed to press on. It was also the catalyst that would eventually land me my first internship into UX/UI Design. One step closer to my end goal
2020 - 2022
2019 - 2020 was my season of building. 2020 - 2022 was the result of all of that building. I landed a UX/UI internship and in my free time worked as a contractor and freelancer in Project Management, specializing in marketing projects. I enjoyed putting my head down, working, learning, and proving that I was more than capable of the job (or rather, jobs). Again, it wasn’t always easy. But it was the first time in a long time that I felt like I was in line with what I was meant to be doing. And the good didn’t stop there. During this time, I got engaged (!!!) to the love of my life and we made plans for the next step and the wedding. Also, my internship turned into a full-time offer, and with that, marked my first official tech role.
But with the good, also comes the bad. In the summer of 2021, I found out my Dad had pancreatic cancer. And what we thought was treatable stage 2, rapidly devolved into stage 4 with not much time left. From then on, nothing else really mattered. My focus shifted from trying to get promoted to saying goodbye to the man who made me into who I am today and was my biggest supporter, motivator, confidant, and inspiration. I spent the rest of 2021 and a large part of 2022 grieving. Which brings me to my next set of lessons:
Work isn’t the end all be all
It only takes one moment for your whole perspective to shift about this. Yes, new jobs and promotions are great. But there are more important things. My dad always taught me to “Leave some work for tomorrow”. Don’t work so hard that you’re forced to miss out on the moments with the people you love. Thankfully, I am blessed to say that I was able to be with my dad right until the end.
Grieving is not a linear process
This is fairly straight forward. One day you’ll not want to get out of bed, the next you may want to just leave the country to get away from it all. You’ll go from sad to angry and back again (several times). And all of those feelings and thoughts are valid. Full stop.
A supportive company (also) makes all the difference
We tell job seekers how important it is to find a company with a good work culture, and it’s for seasons like this. The company I was working for at the time was fully supportive of me during this extended period. Without getting into the specifics, the support and empathy they showed me gave me even more reason to want to get back to work when the time was right.
2023 - Present
We all go through seasons in our lives. In the past four years, I went through a building season, a results season, and even a grieving season. Which brings me to this current season of life which is a season of the unknown. After my grieving season, I went back to work and things got back to a semblance of normal. I was even back on track to that promotion. But then, another season came in to disrupt everything. Layoff season. Unfortunately, I was impacted by a reduction in workforce. I had to deal with a different type of grief. Yes, grieving a job is a thing. But if my past seasons of life had shown me anything, it was that there are definitely worse things. But also, with time, I can get through anything. With the help of my family, my faith, and the resilience I’ve built up over the past four years. So as I go through this season of unknown, here is what I’ve learned so far:
It’s just business
I will not lie, it did not feel good getting that layoff email. But the fact of the matter is, it’s just a part of how business can shake out. Learning how not to take it personal is better for your own health.
Maintaining bridges
We’re often taught about building bridges, but I think maintaining them is just as important. I have no ill will towards my former coworkers and I still talk to quite a few of them. They’re also the ones who are first to comment or share my LinkedIn posts as I look for my next role. I like to think that it is because of the genuine friendship and care we built over almost three years of working together. I know they want to see me win, and I want to see them win too. I plan to continue to cultivate those relationships.
It may be hard, but it’s not impossible
There was a time where I thought I would never land a tech role, but I did it. And I know I can do it again. As I look for my next role in a new arena, I hold this lesson with me close. It may take time (hopefully not too much), but it will happen. I look forward to updating you all when it does.
Now that you’re all caught up…
You’re probably wondering what comes next. My new goal is to gain a job in Project or Product Management, or Product Design. In order to do that, I’ll be deploying a similar strategy that I took to gaining my first tech role. Which Includes:
Committing to a new 30 day writing challenge
Public writing about the new things I’m learning , for example:
Expanding upon my project management skills
Learning how to utilize AI to be more efficient in this new role
Brushing up on my analytics skillset (SQL, for one)
Finding at least 10 new connections each week, and at least one sit down chat per week
I’m sharing all of this because I know I’m not the only one out there trying to switch fields. To anyone who may be able to relate to any of this: know that I’m rooting for you and that we got this. If you’re reading this and feeling like you want to reach out or connect, please do so using the links below! Until next time.