I Quit My Job as a Data Scientist

Summary

Julia, a data scientist at Spotify, decides to quit her job without another one lined up. Though she loved working there for the first few years, in the past year she has been working long hours on high-priority projects, causing burnout and affecting her mental health. A failed job search made her realize the market wasn't ideal for switching jobs. After taking a month off following her grandfather's passing, Julia has an epiphany that life is long, and she should prioritize her happiness. Despite anxiety about losing her identity and platform, she puts in her two weeks notice, aiming to focus on her mental health, content creation, and eventual job search.

Takeaways

• 😊 Julia has worked at Spotify for almost 5 years, starting as an intern and becoming a full-time data scientist
• 😟 In the past year Julia has been working long hours on high priority projects which caused burnout and affected her mental health
• 🤔 Julia started looking for other jobs a few months ago but did not get any offers she was happy with
• 😢 In November, Julia's grandpa passed away right after layoffs were announced at Spotify, which was an emotionally difficult time
• ✈️ Julia's trip back to China for her grandpa's funeral gave her clarity and perspective about priorities in life
• 👋 Julia has decided to quit her job at Spotify without another offer lined up
• 🎥 Julia will focus on being a full-time content creator for her YouTube channel after quitting
• 📚 Julia plans to dedicate time daily to preparing for job interviews by practicing coding questions
• 🤞 Julia is anxious but excited about this next chapter and finding a new opportunity
• ❤️ Julia expresses gratitude to her viewers for their ongoing support during this transition

Q & A

Why is Julia quitting her job at Spotify?

Julia is quitting because she has been working long, demanding hours on high priority projects but has not seen career progression. This caused her a lot of stress and burnout. She also felt limited upward mobility at the company during the bad economy.

What were some of the negative effects Julia experienced from her demanding workload?

Julia developed insomnia, anxiety, stopped exercising and creating YouTube videos, which is her stress relief outlet. She also had emotional breakdowns and cried frequently.

What happened when Julia tried to find a new job before quitting?

Julia interviewed with one company for 1.5 months and got to the final rounds. However, they decided to go with someone more senior despite Julia's positive reviews. This left her very upset.

How did going to China for a month impact Julia's perspective?

Attending her grandfather's funeral and learning about his long, multi-faceted life made Julia realize life and careers are long. It's important not to get stuck comparing yourself to others.

What is Julia's plan after quitting her job?

Julia plans to take time off to rest and recover. She then plans to dedicate focused time to preparing for job interviews by practicing LeetCode. She will also create more YouTube content.

Why doesn't Julia have another job lined up before quitting?

The job market has been bad. And trying to job search while working her demanding job did not work out. Quitting to focus on finding a new job is her last resort.

What are Julia's concerns and fears about quitting?

Julia is anxious and scared about losing her identity and financial security tied to her prestigious job and career. She worries about letting her YouTube subscribers and supporters down.

Why does Julia acknowledge she is privileged to be able to quit her job?

Julia recognizes that having savings, a financial safety net through YouTube, and work experience to fallback on means she is lucky to be able to take this risk that others cannot.

How can people continue to support Julia during this transition?

People can support Julia by subscribing and following her social media channels, sending sponsorship opportunities, and sticking around to see her share her job searching process.

What tone does Julia convey about her decision to quit?

While anxious and scared, Julia also comes across as resolute in her decision. She has given this serious thought and feels choosing her mental health is the right thing.