Why I left my dream job at LinkedIn
I recently left my dream job at LinkedIn last week without any plans.
Note: it’s a long-winded post (probably also over-sharing) so read on if you’re still curious
Career-wise, things were going well with no complaints. I was grateful to be part of a great culture and team; my managers were awesome. I was taking home an above average compensation and was recognised as one of the top performers globally. I truly believed in the mission of LinkedIn. Many would love to be in my shoes. So when I told others I was quitting, there were unsurprisingly mixed reactions. Some thought I was crazy, while others called me brave. Many couldn't understand, but some totally get it.?
I left with the intention of prioritizing my mental and physical well-being, spending time with family, exploring my hobbies, and finding something more fulfilling and impactful to others.?
Despite being sure in my reasons, I battled weeks of self-doubt, anxiety, and insecurity leading up to D-day. What if I had made the wrong choice? What if I couldn't find another job in time? What if this decision amounted to nothing?
I tried to be less emotional, as this was a well considered decision, much like many other decisions I've made in my life. I weighed the consequences and was willing to take the risk. The fear of not knowing and not trying outweighed my financial stability. The fear of losing out time was stronger than staying in my comfort zone.
This experience also reinforced what I knew about myself for the past year - the mindlessness, my entrenchment in work and productivity, the need to be constantly busy, the overcontroller mode, and my pursuit of excellence.?All of these helped me to be successful.
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Looking back, these behaviors also prevented me from forming deep connections and meaningful conversations. I didn’t enjoy the micro moments of joy and fun. I was chasing weekends and meaningless activities. All of that was made worse last year when we experienced a family tragedy, causing me to have to deal with my own version of grief. I was constantly falling sick, losing my light and wasn’t sure what I wanted in life. It was clear I needed to hit pause.?
Right now I'm motivated to make the most of this time off and remind myself why I embarked on this journey in the first place. Ultimately, only you know what you need and what's best for you. Prioritise yourself so that you can run a longer marathon.??
I’m oversharing here hoping it could encourage others. If you've read my long-winded sharing this far and resonate with my experience, I encourage you to:
One key lesson I've learned is that there are many paths to success, and if Plan A doesn't work out, we have plans B, C, and D. We fail only when we stop trying. It's okay if this corporate job or life no longer serves you in this phase of your life; there are many more chapters to explore.
Plan B might just be the journey that you’ve been looking for :)
Helping Women in Tech Build Strength, Mobility and Move Pain-Free for Life | ex-Google, ex-Meta
8 个月thanks for sharing your journey Jamie! Definitely not an easy path, and I'm sure when you look back on it you know you'll have made the right decision :)
I fully resonate with you and it takes a load of courage to take a road less travelled. Happy that you shared your story and wishing you the best what lies ahead. Go smell the flowers ??
Digital Media Sales & Strategy, LinkedIn
8 个月Thank you for sharing, Jamie! I so appreciate your candor and vulnerability. I hope that you are thoroughly enjoying this important chapter! xo
Writing about personal brand and identity | Building a free course on how to get started on LinkedIn
8 个月Jamie Loh congratulations on taking a step to prioritise yourself! I’ve been having conversations with many individuals who are currently on their break, and there’s lots of positive stories to share ?
Authentic thought leadership expert, public speaker, community startup founder & author of the GADIS GILA newsletter
8 个月That you classified this as "oversharing" is a display of the decay of society. You are not at all oversharing. I recently left my dream job as well. The job was and is still a dream. What's the opposite of a dream is a nightmare - and what constitute a nightmare, in this context, are the politics, the lack of genuine humanity at work - the commodification of living beings. LinkedIn is unfortunately my least favourite social media platform for this very reason. It's a Hall of Fame. I almost never used it as a corporate journalist - journalists simply do not have time to "market" their work much less themselves. Their job is to search for truth and to report it. When you think about the work that goes into that kind of responsibility... How anyone who identifies as a journalist finds it necessary to prioritise time for LI is beyond me. When I finally found the courage (and freedom) to tell my story from a humanist perspective, the overwhelm was so immense that I simply disappeared for 2 weeks. Congratulations on leaving the system. Scary as it is, you get to call it now. I pray for courage and softness in your life. Also, my DMs are open. :) Feel free to reach out if all this resonates.