From university lecturer to business analyst: about burnout, fear of change, and carpe diem

May 5, 2023

Victoria had a prestigious position at the university, a stable income, and exciting students. It seemed like a dream job. Suppose it weren't for the fact that she had never been attracted to the academic world. Every year, lecturing became more and more depressing for Viktoriia, and with the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine, it became an unbearable burden. On the advice of a friend already working in IT, the future business analyst completed a course at Beetroot Academy, grabbed the opportunity to work as a technical writer at first, and then worked her way up to the position she wanted.

What was your biggest fear before starting a new tech career, and what helped you overcome it?

I had been thinking about switching to tech for quite some time, but I was afraid of changes - after all, I had worked five years at the university. The fear of unemployment scared me so much that I stayed at my job, which I almost hated, until the very end. One morning I woke up, and it hit me like a lightning bolt: "Why am I putting up with this? If this continues, I have no future." I held out until the summer vacation so as not to abandon my students and not to set up my colleagues, and I left the university without any compromises.
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What would you advise yourself at that moment, looking back?

If you have an idea to change your career, you should listen to yourself. Especially if this desire is always with you, don't wait until the ship sinks and you have to make many more efforts. Don't waste your time. If nothing but habit and comfort zone is holding you back, you must act. Yes, the fear that things will suddenly get worse than they are now can be paralyzing. But the realization that, in this case, you are closing yourself off from new opportunities inspired me.

Imagine you're in a perfect world, and you can choose your dream job. What would it be?

Oh, it would be GameDev. It would be fantastic to work in a big company and develop some indie games with a soul. Although I play computer games, I prefer board games. Since business analysts are not required there, my choice is GameDev.

Your message to those who are just thinking about studying and pursuing a career in tech

When people come to courses, they only sometimes realize they must invest time. No matter how much money you pay, you won't be taught anything if you don't have the resources and desire. You must read, do a lot independently, and listen to the teacher's feedback. If you don't invest, nothing will come of it.

My pain was the lack of feedback from recruiters. You need to be patient. Nothing is done quickly, although you may be lucky. Don't be disappointed when you get rejected, not to mention when they don't respond to your emails. Grit your teeth and send more CVs on all possible platforms.

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Daria Diadenko

Editor