I Quit My Job as a Data Scientist

Just wanted to pop in and express my gratitude for all the incredible support flooding in. I was extremely nervous creating this video because you can never predict how the internet will perceive it, especially when discussing a topic like this one. Reading through each and every one of your comments has been genuinely uplifting and inspiring. Your words and shared experiences make me feel less alone in my journey. Thank you all for nurturing such a positive and empowering community - I appreciate every single one of you ❤

My favorite quote comes from Joseph Campbell, “You have to get rid of the life you’ve planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.”

Don't skip this comment and let me save you 10-15 years of frustration and possible regret. Try to avoid replacing your current job with the same job at a different company. Happiness will come from pursuing passions, and that rarely exists in a corporate/zoom environment. You'll end up in the same place and feel like you've wasted years. Don't get infatuated with brands, companies, or the tech industry. Companies are just a group of people, that's it. And in the tech industry, it's basically the same people and thinking at every company. Especially if it's a public company. What frustrated you at Spotify will be the same frustration somewhere else. I get this will be hard to do, and you'll probably have to go through it yourself to really understand. But if you have the courage and you're willing do it now, I beg you to find what you really love to do, then find a way to make a living at it. The sooner the better.

I'm a 37 year old female in tech. Ive worked in this industry since I was 19. I have been laid off once early on in my career and I also left a job without another one lined up. Both times, things worked out. Two things helped me a lot, financial security and strong interview skills. Work your network, ask for referrals, do mock interviews with people who are in the fields that you want to go into. Most importantly, take care of yourself. Life isn't as scary as people think it is.

“I was putting in so much effort, but I felt like I wasn’t moving anywhere” is definitely a factor for consideration 🥺 I feel you

"It made me realize that life's trajectory isn't always upward and that's normal" Needed that.

Hey, it’s very important to take your time. It’s okay to take your mind off your career. This happened to me before. Took 6 months of rest, just being unemployed, binge watching movies, travel, spending time my family, dogs, etc. Helped me a lot to bounce back even better in my career and got a job that pays 3x than my previous and has waaay better working conditions.

Leaving a dream job takes courage, but prioritizing your mental health is crucial.

I think it's good that our generation are thinking more and more about fulfilment in life and not just going along with the mindset of keep hustling and you will be happy. It's not that you won't have to work hard or their won't be ups and downs. More so that you recognise when those downs are and trying to improve them, rather than 'sticking it out' and just brute forcing a miserable situation until you (hopefully) see the light at the end of the tunnel. Wishing you all the best in this new chapter! Regardless of what people say, just know that you are the only person that will live your life so make the most of it.💕

Hi Julia! I have never commented on your channel before but I wanted to tell you that you have all our support in whatever you decide to do and I wish you the very best of luck in finding your next dream job! I have experienced a similar situation before and was feeling extremely stressed and burnt out in my previous job. I was working long hours and I felt like I was not going up the career ladder as I hoped. I felt sad and stuck almost every day... I spent a few months job searching and although it could get disappointing at times, I have learnt a lot about myself and understanding what I truly aspire to in life. I ended up finding my current job and I am so grateful to have landed in this position. Like you said, there will be highs and lows in our lives, but trust the process and I am sure the next high of your life is waiting for you! Good luck!!

After the corporate massive layoffs, I have defaulted on debts, my savings are lying waste to inflation and my portfolio losing gains everyday. It’s all leading to financial exhaustions and depression. These days I have contributed more in learning how to make extra interest on the side, Using my job to finance my goals, You can't be an employee forever!

Went from being a veteran to, software engineering for 10 years, just got into law enforcement and hoping to become one of the good police officers out there to help people. It's okay to crush your own ego and be reborn into a new person. It is the cycle of having a healthy life by inviting change.

Success depends on the actions or steps you take to achieve it. Building wealth involves developing good habits like regularly putting money away in intervals for solid investments. Financial management is a crucial topic that most tend to shy away from, and ends up haunting them in the near future.., I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life!!

You've got such a measured take on your situation and life. It's sad how the reality of dream tech jobs often falls short... Burnout (and now, unfortunately layoffs) is common in this industry. I'm amazed you're immediately going back to the job search. Years ago, I too quit my job at the peak of burnout, and I can say it was one of the best decisions I made. Life is indeed short, but also long... Do take some time to enjoy funemployment too (it's also a luxury to have both savings + free time as an adult without worrying about career responsibilities)... take care! It sounds like you're confident about the next steps ahead, and I think you'll go far 💖

Girl I'm so happy for you! You're very brave, congratulations for thinking of yourself above work. I also quit a job that paid me well but ruined my mental health and I was so relieved and happy! There is no money in the world that can compensate for our health. Don't feel guilty or worried. Things happen at the right time, God knows what He is doing so trust Him and better things will come! You're capable of whatever you want and we at YouTube are here to support you =)❤

I found your channel back in 2021 just as I was getting into tech (and got my first job as a data analyst) and I’ve followed along ever since. You’ve helped a lot not just career-wise but just with navigating through life in general. We’re close in age and it always seemed like your videos came in at just the right point to kind of give me some respite and support in my own life and I think a lot of that is due to how transparent and honest you’ve always been in your videos. You don’t churn these out but instead have always given an insight into where you’re currently at, which I think is very brave of you. Best of luck moving forward. Remember: You’re supposed to step out of your comfort zone, which oddly enough I think is something you’ve always conveyed.

i may have first clicked on a video of yours because you were at data scientist at spotify and i just so happened to be interested in data science at the time, but i subscribed because of the warmth that shines through in your videos through conversations you have with your friends and family, the introspective thoughts and emotions you're feeling that you're so graciously willing to share with us, and your courage to be vulnerable about topics that are difficult to talk about and discuss (let alone with people you haven't met before). you are infinitely more interesting than whatever occupation you could possibly have; a job's like a hat you wear for a season, and it's simply time to wear a different one as you transition into the next. you are doing so well, and i have no doubt exciting things await you in this next chapter in your life. thank you for your courage.

you go, girl. so proud of you. i recently quit a finance job as well because it was draining me beyond compare. crazy to think that I had worked on something for years - knowing i hated it. rooting for you the whole way and loved your thoughts on this. thinking of similar things!

Thank you for being honest Julia, with everything. Being vulnerable in front of strangers is such a hard thing to do. I'm also in NYC looking for another job in the tech space while being unemployed and you are not lying when you said things are bad. It definitely is..but I'll take some nuggets from this video and be positive about time and emotional freedom we've now gained. Thanks again for sharing <3

this is huge girl! been following your journey for a while and I loved to see your growth. <3 excited for this new journey and chapter for you