#tech-careers

#tech-careers

I always knew I wanted to study and work in the United States. When I was 18, I dreamed of making $200,000 a year working in Big Tech when I graduated. Over time, I began to question whether I wanted my career dictated by a visa. I realized how little control I had over external factors: the economy, layoffs, and visa policies. The only thing I could control was my response.

In a previous career, I served as director of a professional association, called the Administrative Management Society, which produced events, publications, and research for its 12,000 members across North America. The membership consisted of IT, HR, and finance managers, who joined to advance their knowledge and connect with colleagues. It is here I learned how networking -- the human-to-human kind -- is the key to career advancement in this world. And this holds true more than ever as we journey into the digital age.

Imagine spending your work day posted up under a thatch roofed cabana next to the ocean. The clicking of your laptop keyboard merges with the sound of crashing waves and once your work day wraps up you spend the rest of the evening surfing. Perhaps you'd rather spend rainy mornings working in a cozy cafe before wandering cobblestone streets in Europe.

The job search process has become excessively rigorous for product designers, often leading to feelings of exhaustion and discouragement for candidates.