I won’t lie, I got lucky.
I graduated in 2021, right when the job market was hot. Tech was booming. VC money was everywhere. Remote work was expanding. AI wasn’t a threat yet.
It didn’t take much to land interviews. Everyone was hiring, and by chance, my interest in tech, my degree, and my skillset happened to align with what companies needed.
None of that was planned. It was just good timing.
If I had graduated a year later, I honestly don’t know how things would’ve gone.
By late 2022, layoffs had started. Funding dried up. Roles that once had hundreds of openings disappeared almost overnight.
I look back now and I’m grateful. But I also know a lot of it came down to timing I didn’t control. Nothing I could repeat. Nothing I could teach.
Most people don’t get that lucky. They graduate into a downturn. They choose a degree without knowing what jobs will still exist. They pivot into shrinking industries and don’t realize it until it’s too late.
Early in my career, I made decisions based on vibes. I was completely unaware of the bigger picture.
I didn’t know which industries were growing, what roles were in demand, or how the economy was shifting. I couldn’t tell you any of it. I was just in the right place at the right time.
And lately I’ve been asking myself: If I had to make a big career decision today, what would I do?
It’s harder than ever to know which direction is actually worth betting on. There’s too much noise. Too many headlines. And no clear way to tell what’s real.
That’s what’s been on my mind. What would make that kind of outcome repeatable?
What would it take to make smart career decisions based on real signals, not just vibes and good fortune?
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