Taking Control of Your Career

[chainsniff]

Returning from the Peace Corps in 2011, I aimed to move to San Francisco and land a tech or non-profit job. I got two offers: a consulting role and a non-profit position. I chose consulting to learn business and technology, even though it wasn’t my dream path.

By 2013, I realized my goals weren’t being driven by me—they were set by my employer. I built a professional portfolio, applied to tech giants, and failed to get interviews. That failure clarified my next step: take control of your own destiny, even if it means leaving stability behind.

Lesson: Goals are tools for self-agency. When you own them, you can pivot, learn, and grow faster than following someone else’s agenda.

[Nahid Hossen]

The moment you take ownership, everything starts shifting in your favor.