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Could you describe your career journey leading up to your first "I made it" moment? What were the biggest challenges you faced along the way?
I believe that celebrating small wins is important.However, people always have an "I made it" moment in life that shapes the person they become and motivates them to follow their goals.
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10 answers
Updated
Monica’s Answer
The biggest challenge was doubting myself. With a good education and experience I received the keys to run a tax office . I was not looking for a management position but my resume and personality promoted me. When you show up as your best self you will always have a “I made it moment “
This was super helpful, thank you!
Yamlak
Updated
Wong’s Answer
My career journey began in the field of human resources, where I gained my first professional experience after completing my studies. Working in HR provided me with valuable insights into organizational behavior, employee relations, and the importance of effective communication. I learned how to manage people, resolve workplace issues, and ensure that teams worked harmoniously to achieve company goals. Although I appreciated the learning opportunities, I felt that something was missing. I wanted a career that would allow me to inspire others more directly and make a meaningful impact on their personal and professional growth. This realization gradually led me toward the education sector, where I could combine my knowledge of business and people with my passion for teaching and mentoring.
Transitioning from human resources to education was not easy. It required me to step out of my comfort zone and acquire new skills. I pursued professional development courses, attended seminars, and worked hard to strengthen my expertise in accounting and business management. During this period, I also began tutoring part-time, which allowed me to test my teaching abilities and better understand how to engage students effectively. The more I taught, the more I realized that education was my true calling. The sense of fulfillment I felt when students grasped difficult concepts or expressed appreciation for my guidance was unmatched.
My "I made it" moment came when I successfully secured a position as a lecturer and began teaching accounting courses at the tertiary level. It was a defining moment in my career, marking the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and continuous learning. I knew this opportunity represented not only personal achievement but also the chance to shape future professionals and contribute to their academic journeys.
One of the biggest challenges I faced as a lecturer was providing clear guidance to students and helping them improve their academic performance. Accounting can be a complex subject, and every student learns differently. I had to find creative ways to simplify concepts, incorporate real-life examples, and encourage critical thinking. Over time, I developed more effective teaching methods and saw significant improvement in my students' confidence and results. Looking back, my journey from human resources to higher education taught me that success is not just about reaching a destination but about continuously evolving and making a difference in the lives of others.
Transitioning from human resources to education was not easy. It required me to step out of my comfort zone and acquire new skills. I pursued professional development courses, attended seminars, and worked hard to strengthen my expertise in accounting and business management. During this period, I also began tutoring part-time, which allowed me to test my teaching abilities and better understand how to engage students effectively. The more I taught, the more I realized that education was my true calling. The sense of fulfillment I felt when students grasped difficult concepts or expressed appreciation for my guidance was unmatched.
My "I made it" moment came when I successfully secured a position as a lecturer and began teaching accounting courses at the tertiary level. It was a defining moment in my career, marking the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and continuous learning. I knew this opportunity represented not only personal achievement but also the chance to shape future professionals and contribute to their academic journeys.
One of the biggest challenges I faced as a lecturer was providing clear guidance to students and helping them improve their academic performance. Accounting can be a complex subject, and every student learns differently. I had to find creative ways to simplify concepts, incorporate real-life examples, and encourage critical thinking. Over time, I developed more effective teaching methods and saw significant improvement in my students' confidence and results. Looking back, my journey from human resources to higher education taught me that success is not just about reaching a destination but about continuously evolving and making a difference in the lives of others.
Updated
Ying’s Answer
Hello Yamlak,
You asked a great question that made me reflect deeply on my career path. It truly is a challenge.
As a mother of two, I've had some key moments in my life. First, when I had my second child ten years ago, I took a temporary break from work to care for my baby. When I returned, I found a new passion for my job, which helped me balance work and family life.
Second, I always strive to learn and prepare for new opportunities, whether it's a promotion or exploring a new field. This keeps me energized every day.
Third, my biggest challenge is i would like to transition into project management. I've prepared extensively, earned a PMP certification, and gained experience in various projects. I'm now seeking an internal opportunity for a smoother transition that won't disrupt my life too much. This process isn't easy, but I stay passionate and keep learning to be ready when the right moment comes.
Best regards,
Janice
You asked a great question that made me reflect deeply on my career path. It truly is a challenge.
As a mother of two, I've had some key moments in my life. First, when I had my second child ten years ago, I took a temporary break from work to care for my baby. When I returned, I found a new passion for my job, which helped me balance work and family life.
Second, I always strive to learn and prepare for new opportunities, whether it's a promotion or exploring a new field. This keeps me energized every day.
Third, my biggest challenge is i would like to transition into project management. I've prepared extensively, earned a PMP certification, and gained experience in various projects. I'm now seeking an internal opportunity for a smoother transition that won't disrupt my life too much. This process isn't easy, but I stay passionate and keep learning to be ready when the right moment comes.
Best regards,
Janice
Updated
Justin’s Answer
Hello! Very interesting question.
My first job after college was working at a local branch as a banker -- opening accounts, selling credit cards/auto loans, making referrals to mortgage officers and financial advisors, etc. I was happy to have a good job, but I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do forever.
After a few attempts to move elsewhere within the bank, I found a job as a Catastrophe Property Claims desk adjuster at an insurance company. I knew it was a solid company as a gentleman from my church had worked there for many years. I handled claims for homeowners for about a year and was then promoted to handling commercial property claims, which I did for about a year as well.
My "I made it moment" came when I landed as job as a Property Claims Team Leader and started my leadership career. Since they, I have held numerous leadership positions within Property Insurance Claims and, barring any major unforeseen changes, I plan to finish out the rest of my career in this space.
Good luck to you and keep your options open! You never know the unexpected direction your career may take.
My first job after college was working at a local branch as a banker -- opening accounts, selling credit cards/auto loans, making referrals to mortgage officers and financial advisors, etc. I was happy to have a good job, but I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do forever.
After a few attempts to move elsewhere within the bank, I found a job as a Catastrophe Property Claims desk adjuster at an insurance company. I knew it was a solid company as a gentleman from my church had worked there for many years. I handled claims for homeowners for about a year and was then promoted to handling commercial property claims, which I did for about a year as well.
My "I made it moment" came when I landed as job as a Property Claims Team Leader and started my leadership career. Since they, I have held numerous leadership positions within Property Insurance Claims and, barring any major unforeseen changes, I plan to finish out the rest of my career in this space.
Good luck to you and keep your options open! You never know the unexpected direction your career may take.
This was super helpful, thank you!
Yamlak
Updated
Eric’s Answer
Here is the fun and unexpected part, Yamlak. You may have *several* "I made it" moments in your life that you would never dream of!
My first challenge of an "I made it" moment was being unqualified for a job that I wanted. I applied, and then trained myself over a few days by checking out books and reading them in stores to help me learn how to do the job! I was lucky that I had another skill that stood out, and allowed me to get hired in my first job as a graphic designer/book publisher. This was before I had a 4-year college degree.
Several years later, my second "I made it" moment was making video games! I always wanted to do it, but never thought it was possible. However, as a hobby, I've always studied how to make games and did little side projects in that area. Eventually I got a call from someone who had seen my skills and projects and they asked me to make video games! I used this job's benefits to help me get my 4-year college degree!
I thought there could be nothing better than that, until many years later I used some free time during covid to skill myself up again even more. This time I used those skills to get into the Theme Park business help create a brand new Theme Park for the world!
It just goes to show, you never know where you may end up! For each of my "I made it" moments, I worked very hard to learn the skills needed, and trained myself. When I was young, I had to fake it a little bit, and quickly upskill myself when I got home to catch up with everyone else. As I became older, I made sure I could prove that I'm capable of doing the work requested, and know it better than anyone else, with a positive attitude.
If you work hard, I believe you will also have several "I made it moments" in your life, Yamlak!
My first challenge of an "I made it" moment was being unqualified for a job that I wanted. I applied, and then trained myself over a few days by checking out books and reading them in stores to help me learn how to do the job! I was lucky that I had another skill that stood out, and allowed me to get hired in my first job as a graphic designer/book publisher. This was before I had a 4-year college degree.
Several years later, my second "I made it" moment was making video games! I always wanted to do it, but never thought it was possible. However, as a hobby, I've always studied how to make games and did little side projects in that area. Eventually I got a call from someone who had seen my skills and projects and they asked me to make video games! I used this job's benefits to help me get my 4-year college degree!
I thought there could be nothing better than that, until many years later I used some free time during covid to skill myself up again even more. This time I used those skills to get into the Theme Park business help create a brand new Theme Park for the world!
It just goes to show, you never know where you may end up! For each of my "I made it" moments, I worked very hard to learn the skills needed, and trained myself. When I was young, I had to fake it a little bit, and quickly upskill myself when I got home to catch up with everyone else. As I became older, I made sure I could prove that I'm capable of doing the work requested, and know it better than anyone else, with a positive attitude.
If you work hard, I believe you will also have several "I made it moments" in your life, Yamlak!
Thank you for the advice, Eric.
Yamlak
Updated
TJ’s Answer
Hi Yamlak:
Great question! For me, my first "I made it" moment was when I interviewed for a job in NYC while I was still living in FL. I must have submitted over 100 applications and finally found a job on Wall Street as a Financial Analyst focusing on Sales and Marketing. I had to scrounge up the last bit of my savings to make multiple interviews (ie last minute flights from Tampa to NY) and it ended up being worth it. While I didn't stay at that company long, it showed me that persistence does pay off.
My second "I made it" moment was when I joined another company as an FP&A analyst and scheduled time with the CFO/VP of FP&A to talk about my inkling to get into the financial systems space and eventually own the finance systems at that company. They were currently interviewing candidates including many who had much more experience than I had but I walked them through the steps I would take to get acclimated and my vision/roadmap for the next 12-18 months. Needless to say scheduling that call worked out in my favor because a few weeks later I received a promotion and eventually I was managing 4 financial system analysts at a publicly traded media company.
I think having an internal sense of confidence in your abilities (while also being cognizant and honest about what you don't know) goes a long way in opening up opportunities that can progress you throughout your career (and life). My advice is to look to the future and position yourself as a valuable resource who is not expendable to your employer.
Best of luck to you!
Great question! For me, my first "I made it" moment was when I interviewed for a job in NYC while I was still living in FL. I must have submitted over 100 applications and finally found a job on Wall Street as a Financial Analyst focusing on Sales and Marketing. I had to scrounge up the last bit of my savings to make multiple interviews (ie last minute flights from Tampa to NY) and it ended up being worth it. While I didn't stay at that company long, it showed me that persistence does pay off.
My second "I made it" moment was when I joined another company as an FP&A analyst and scheduled time with the CFO/VP of FP&A to talk about my inkling to get into the financial systems space and eventually own the finance systems at that company. They were currently interviewing candidates including many who had much more experience than I had but I walked them through the steps I would take to get acclimated and my vision/roadmap for the next 12-18 months. Needless to say scheduling that call worked out in my favor because a few weeks later I received a promotion and eventually I was managing 4 financial system analysts at a publicly traded media company.
I think having an internal sense of confidence in your abilities (while also being cognizant and honest about what you don't know) goes a long way in opening up opportunities that can progress you throughout your career (and life). My advice is to look to the future and position yourself as a valuable resource who is not expendable to your employer.
Best of luck to you!
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Yamlak
Updated
Yaofeng’s Answer
I remember my first project in my first job after college. I had to learn a lot from my experienced coworkers about what to do and how to do it. It was tricky to find time in their busy schedules for step-by-step help. I asked many questions and tried different ways to figure things out. It was exciting to see my work succeed and to show my team that I could handle more. The more you learn, the more you can do. My advice is to stay curious about your job and what's around you. Starting your career can be tough, but remember, no one expects you to know everything right away.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Yamlak
Updated
Rick’s Answer
Yamlak,
I can do that. Like most students, when I first started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career.
I began as an engineering major. That lasted about four weeks. Truthfully, I changed my major four times during my freshman year. What I was really learning was what I didn’t want to do, but not yet what I did want to do. I was lost.
That all changed the summer between my sophomore and junior years. I worked at a mobile home sales lot, driving a truck to deliver the homes that had been sold, connecting the water and electricity, and helping set them up.
But I kept watching the owner as he tried to sell to new customers. Most of the time, they didn’t buy. I honestly thought, I could do that better. He usually sold two or three homes a month. I believed I could sell more.
So during my last month before returning to campus, I asked if I could try selling. He thought I was too young, after all, most buyers were families or retirees. But he finally agreed.
Long story short: I sold eleven new homes in that last month.
He was shocked. He begged me to stay and skip college, but I knew better.
Now, how did I do it?
The owner focused too much on making a sale. He was impersonal, detached. I, on the other hand, made my sales approach all about the buyer, their lives, their needs, and what they wanted to accomplish.
The lesson is simple: people won’t buy from someone they don’t trust or like.
I earned their trust by showing genuine respect for who they were before talking business.
The real lesson for you, Yamlak, is this:
Search for what you’re naturally good at, what energizes you and feels right. We’re all brilliant at something. It’s just a matter of finding it.
Sometimes that discovery happens outside the classroom. That’s what happened to me. I switched my major to economics and eventually became a stockbroker, where I met new clients and new “buyers” every day.
How do you find your brilliance? Try things.
Work at McDonald’s. See if you enjoy the kitchen or the register. If not, try something else. Each experience teaches you more about who you are.
And trust me , when you find your brilliance, you’ll know it immediately.
Then you’ll know exactly what you should be majoring in.
Best of luck,
Rick
I can do that. Like most students, when I first started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career.
I began as an engineering major. That lasted about four weeks. Truthfully, I changed my major four times during my freshman year. What I was really learning was what I didn’t want to do, but not yet what I did want to do. I was lost.
That all changed the summer between my sophomore and junior years. I worked at a mobile home sales lot, driving a truck to deliver the homes that had been sold, connecting the water and electricity, and helping set them up.
But I kept watching the owner as he tried to sell to new customers. Most of the time, they didn’t buy. I honestly thought, I could do that better. He usually sold two or three homes a month. I believed I could sell more.
So during my last month before returning to campus, I asked if I could try selling. He thought I was too young, after all, most buyers were families or retirees. But he finally agreed.
Long story short: I sold eleven new homes in that last month.
He was shocked. He begged me to stay and skip college, but I knew better.
Now, how did I do it?
The owner focused too much on making a sale. He was impersonal, detached. I, on the other hand, made my sales approach all about the buyer, their lives, their needs, and what they wanted to accomplish.
The lesson is simple: people won’t buy from someone they don’t trust or like.
I earned their trust by showing genuine respect for who they were before talking business.
The real lesson for you, Yamlak, is this:
Search for what you’re naturally good at, what energizes you and feels right. We’re all brilliant at something. It’s just a matter of finding it.
Sometimes that discovery happens outside the classroom. That’s what happened to me. I switched my major to economics and eventually became a stockbroker, where I met new clients and new “buyers” every day.
How do you find your brilliance? Try things.
Work at McDonald’s. See if you enjoy the kitchen or the register. If not, try something else. Each experience teaches you more about who you are.
And trust me , when you find your brilliance, you’ll know it immediately.
Then you’ll know exactly what you should be majoring in.
Best of luck,
Rick
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this.
Yamlak
Updated
Toni’s Answer
My career journey has been a mix of faith, creativity, and persistence. I started out exploring different artistic paths—singing, dancing, and managing artists—before realizing that photography was where I truly came alive. Once I picked up the camera, everything clicked. My first “I made it” moment was seeing my work published and shared by major platforms and artists I admired—it confirmed that my vision had value.
The biggest challenges along the way were believing in myself when others didn’t understand my path and learning how to balance the creative side with the business side. But every obstacle pushed me to grow stronger, stay consistent, and trust my purpose. Now, I see every shoot and client connection as a reminder that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Whatever you do don't give up.
The biggest challenges along the way were believing in myself when others didn’t understand my path and learning how to balance the creative side with the business side. But every obstacle pushed me to grow stronger, stay consistent, and trust my purpose. Now, I see every shoot and client connection as a reminder that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Toni recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Yamlak
Updated
Marcela’s Answer
Hello Yamlak.
Sure, I can share my career journey. Right out of school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a career, but I knew I wanted something in STEM. So I ended up enrolling for Industrial Engineering. I live in a town where manufacturing is the main industry so it made sense, plus I could go into QA, process engineering, project management, time and movements... opportunities were endless, or so it seemed.
When I first entered the workforce, I was very frustrated, I got a job as production engineer, right at the production line. At the beginning it was interesting seeing all that I had learned being implemented into practice, but it got boring fast: we had hourly metrics, and soon it got very repetitive. We never had major issues, which is a good thing, but it's also not very exciting. And since the operation was very small, we didn't have much opportunity to move to a different area. So I decided to quit and keep searching for something else.
After realizing most of the work was for production engineering, I decided to try for a master's degree in Manufacturing Systems and Processes, as a way to steer my career into an area more of my interest, so that's what I did. I went abroad to do a full time program thanks to a scholarship and the reference letters from my uni professors (remember to build good relationships with your professors, they're a great source for knowledge in and out of the classroom).
After my program, I got a job as a warehouse supervisor, where I was responsible for making sure we had the materials needed to cover the manufacturing plan, supervise purchasing, manage the receipt of said materials, coordinate with other departments like QA, HR, Production Planning to make sure everything was in place for the day's work. I absolutely loved that job, there was a new challenge every day, plus I got to learn a lot about each area of the manufacturing floor.
Then, 2 thing s happened, my husband got a job offer in Europe, and the plant I was working at was closing. So we made the decision to move abroad again. There I didn't have a job permit so I spent my time learning a 3rd language, German, and I loved every moment.
We came back after 3 years, and I found it difficult to find a job in manufacturing again, it's a fast paced area and my 3 year gap was not very attractive for employers, so I had to do a career change. 9 months after we came back, and after a lot of searching, I found this great job as manufacturing handbook translator; it turns out this company was in the process of globalizing their manufacturing processes (i.e. building closing to the customer to decrease shipping costs) so there was a lot of cross training that needed to be done. I had the language, the technical experience and the cross-functionality work experience so I was hired.
I started as just handbook translator, that turned into audiovisual content translation and learning to use video editing software. Once all the material was translated, our team was absorbed by HR where they asked us to do Performance training, so we were trained in Performance metrics and tools. Due to my engineering background, I was quickly asked to do some metrics to measure training effectiveness. A couple of Performance Partners saw my work, liked it, and asked me to come work with them in more complicated metrics and KPI and that's how I got into Business Intelligence.
After another reorg, several people doing BI for different HR departments, me included, were brought together into a dedicated HR BI team, I was more formally trained into Data Science, including a certification from USF co-sponsored by my employer, as well as in other tools. After a couple of years, the company decided to implement Workday, a new RPM software to manage human capital, and I was selected to be part of the implementing team, where again I got to work with people of all areas of the business.
After another couple of years, Workday opened operations in my country, I applied and was hired, and now I do BI for professional services.
I would say my career can be summarized as: Learn all you can, always take on new challenges, there are no small jobs, you can always learn something new, and eventually you'll find your place.
Best of luck in your career journey!
Sure, I can share my career journey. Right out of school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a career, but I knew I wanted something in STEM. So I ended up enrolling for Industrial Engineering. I live in a town where manufacturing is the main industry so it made sense, plus I could go into QA, process engineering, project management, time and movements... opportunities were endless, or so it seemed.
When I first entered the workforce, I was very frustrated, I got a job as production engineer, right at the production line. At the beginning it was interesting seeing all that I had learned being implemented into practice, but it got boring fast: we had hourly metrics, and soon it got very repetitive. We never had major issues, which is a good thing, but it's also not very exciting. And since the operation was very small, we didn't have much opportunity to move to a different area. So I decided to quit and keep searching for something else.
After realizing most of the work was for production engineering, I decided to try for a master's degree in Manufacturing Systems and Processes, as a way to steer my career into an area more of my interest, so that's what I did. I went abroad to do a full time program thanks to a scholarship and the reference letters from my uni professors (remember to build good relationships with your professors, they're a great source for knowledge in and out of the classroom).
After my program, I got a job as a warehouse supervisor, where I was responsible for making sure we had the materials needed to cover the manufacturing plan, supervise purchasing, manage the receipt of said materials, coordinate with other departments like QA, HR, Production Planning to make sure everything was in place for the day's work. I absolutely loved that job, there was a new challenge every day, plus I got to learn a lot about each area of the manufacturing floor.
Then, 2 thing s happened, my husband got a job offer in Europe, and the plant I was working at was closing. So we made the decision to move abroad again. There I didn't have a job permit so I spent my time learning a 3rd language, German, and I loved every moment.
We came back after 3 years, and I found it difficult to find a job in manufacturing again, it's a fast paced area and my 3 year gap was not very attractive for employers, so I had to do a career change. 9 months after we came back, and after a lot of searching, I found this great job as manufacturing handbook translator; it turns out this company was in the process of globalizing their manufacturing processes (i.e. building closing to the customer to decrease shipping costs) so there was a lot of cross training that needed to be done. I had the language, the technical experience and the cross-functionality work experience so I was hired.
I started as just handbook translator, that turned into audiovisual content translation and learning to use video editing software. Once all the material was translated, our team was absorbed by HR where they asked us to do Performance training, so we were trained in Performance metrics and tools. Due to my engineering background, I was quickly asked to do some metrics to measure training effectiveness. A couple of Performance Partners saw my work, liked it, and asked me to come work with them in more complicated metrics and KPI and that's how I got into Business Intelligence.
After another reorg, several people doing BI for different HR departments, me included, were brought together into a dedicated HR BI team, I was more formally trained into Data Science, including a certification from USF co-sponsored by my employer, as well as in other tools. After a couple of years, the company decided to implement Workday, a new RPM software to manage human capital, and I was selected to be part of the implementing team, where again I got to work with people of all areas of the business.
After another couple of years, Workday opened operations in my country, I applied and was hired, and now I do BI for professional services.
I would say my career can be summarized as: Learn all you can, always take on new challenges, there are no small jobs, you can always learn something new, and eventually you'll find your place.
Best of luck in your career journey!
Thanks for your encouragement!
Yamlak