Melody Koh, a product designer, plans to leave the tech industry after nearly a decade. Initial years were marked by innovation and rewards, but the current state features layoffs and diminishing opportunities. Koh built her career amid the digitalization boom, believing in strong demand for her design skills. Now, many resources feel repetitive, diluting the essence of creativity. She reflects on reduced celebratory team activities, contrasting past and present work environments. Koh also notes that friends in corporate jobs enjoy stability, while her experience in startups has been inconsistent and challenging.
"Digitalization was a big deal at the time. I felt there would be a lot of demand for my skills and a good industry to build my career."
"Nowadays, many product playbooks are already made. There are also more resources designers can implement into their own work, but it feels like you're mimicking something that already exists."
"Earlier in my career, we'd always celebrate something good happening by going for team lunches or team trips. This has been less common for me recently."
"Efficiency pushes are hurting employees... I’ve been in and out of employment during my career. Since finishing my diploma in 2017, I’ve worked for six tech startups."
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