I woke up at 6:50 this morning, took a shower, put on my clothes, and left for work. At 6:15pm, I pulled into a spot outside my apartment and tiredly walked inside. How has another day passed by already?
For many people in their 20s, graduating from college brings a dreaded time where work does not include leisurely walks around a beautiful campus, lunch with friends, or reading about topics of interest. Rather, many of us end up in a job that slowly (or quickly) steals the young perspective from our minds that life is collaborative or that we will get as much from our careers as we put into it.
Last December, I moved across the country to Seattle, WA. I had already secured a role at a non-profit within the heart of the city. I was eager and excited to contribute to such a powerful force. Around the second week of work, I realized my office’s windows didn’t open. Around the third week, I realized that my position was, in fact, not what I thought it would be. Slowly as I became more comfortable within the walls of my job, I began to feel like I was going to spend my entire life there if I didn’t do something about it.
I graduated in May with my B.A. in Psychology. While I loved the courses I got to take throughout my college career, I wasn’t sure what change this degree would actually make in my life. Pre-college Beck wanted to be a therapist. Post-college Beck does not. While there are several routes I could take, none of them would take me from where I was to somewhere I would want to be.
During the summer of my senior year I realized that I did not want to pursue a career within Psychology. I began taking a Coursera course on data analytics. I knew that a career within tech would bring me benefits like a livable wage and the ability to work remotely. Although I realized that I didn’t want to become a data analyst, I discovered then the vast potential within the tech industry.
Around the same time that I realized my office’s windows didn’t open, I began to dive deeper into careers in tech that I could enjoy. I began learning to code through free online resources and found that I deeply enjoyed the coding process. After much research, I decided that I wanted to become a software engineer.
I spent summer nights figuring out what to do with this new-found commitment. Where do I even begin? With research, I developed a ten-month road map to get me from beginner to job-ready. I’m half-way through, and have learned an incredible amount along the way.
Did it take me getting stuck inside a job I hate for me to decide to pursue a better life? Unfortunately, yes. I’ve realized that I simply can’t do this for the next few years- let alone until retirement. I’ve realized that my situation is not going to change until I change something about it.
I hate my job, but I hate it a little less knowing that I won’t be stuck in it for long. I know that there is a better work-life balance within the tech industry. It comforts me to know that I won’t be underpaid for an insurmountable workload for long. Someday soon, I’ll be able to sit in my office and open my window while I work. The hard work will pay off.
I’m starting this website to share my journey. While it hasn’t been easy, I feel that the process could benefit others as well. I’ve spent countless hours researching to find the right skills to learn and the right places to learn them. I want to help you skip the hours of research and hop straight into the learning process.
This space will be one of transparency. I feel that many glamorize the process of career switching. For me, this process hasn’t been glamourous. I haven’t been able to quit my job to devote banking hours to learning. I’ve experienced many late nights so that I could reach my goals. I’ve skipped outings with friends and brunches with my partner. This process hasn’t been easy, but I’m sure that it will be worth it.