Warning 1: For anyone reading this article in hopes of learning how to successfully maneuver a career change, you're in for a big disappointment. This article is not talking about how I have worked through the difficulties of a career change and successfully made it as a UX designer but instead about how I am currently in the thick of my struggles. I feel like there are plenty of articles out there that talk about finally getting to the light at the end of the tunnel and not so many about the tunnel itself. I hope anyone struggling, with anything — be it their career or personal life, finds solace in the fact that I too am right in the middle of the tunnel with you.
Warning 2: This is my first article. I am extremely nervous writing this. I see so many amazing writers on here and I can’t even think to be as good. If you feel that this article is stupid then, by all means, close it. I am simply writing this because putting pen to paper (fingers to keyboard) is a kind of therapy that goes beyond anything. And I simply want to share my experience.
As an immigrant trying to break into this country also popularly known as the “land of opportunity”, I got a real dose of reality when I lost my work permit simply because I was not lucky enough to get randomly picked in a lottery system. One IVY league education and 3 failed attempts later, I found myself staring at an email from the HR saying “Sorry you didn’t get it”. Luckily, I had just got married and thankfully my partner had an H1B visa (and only 1 of those happy moments you’ll find in this article). I could continue to stay in this country with him on a dependent visa. Now when I say dependent, it is quite literally exactly that- you are not allowed to do anything that gives you any monetary benefit without a work permit. So I went straight from a fancy 6-figure cushy job to…… “dependent”.
It was one of those false life-defining moments when I thought that this may be a good break for me before I could get back to work. This is where the dominos began to fall — Now all this happened at a time when the dependent work visa permits were stalled and the pandemic had just hit. Great timing, right? My own personal murphy's law moment right there. So I decided, heck why not take up my passion for design and learn it inside and out?
Since then I have got a diploma in UX design from a popular BootCamp and learned more about UX design than I could have ever imagined (wait, this is another one of those happy moments so I guess you can make it 2).
So why am I writing this?
Because much to my dismay, pursuing my passion has had a HUGE catch to it. (So far) It’s been impossible to break into this industry. Here is a little thing about ‘passion’ that I have learned — more likely than not, you are passionate about something that is niche and something that requires significant experience before you can make some money. Forget getting a job — one that pays well…. or even just pays.
I have gone through a roller coaster of emotions straight from extreme positivity than “I can do this!” and “I’ve got this!” to “F***! I am never going to make it and this was a humungous mistake”. Every day is a whole new day and my emotions and confidence go up and down this roller coaster.
Ok, so what’s the moral of this sad story?
I realized over time, that the more I talk to people and learn about their struggles and failures, the better and more comfortable I feel in this journey. It feels good to know that I am not the ONLY one struggling and hitting rock bottom. Sadistic as it may be, knowing that I am not the only one struggling helps me cope with the fact that this tunnel that I am in right now is not tailor-made “just for me”.
I hope reading my story (or a small snippet of it) made you feel better about your struggles (which may be much worse than mine or way better than mine). As long as you end this knowing that you’re not alone.
