I graduated from college with a degree in English Literature. At 22, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Back then, just like much of what I still hear today, there was this overarching expectation that we should have everything figured out even before we start college—or at the very latest, by college graduation. On top of that, we were sold the idea that a college degree in anything would automatically land us a well-paying job. It was a rude awakening for me when I realized this was entirely untrue.

After college, still unsure of my path, I took a job as a hostess at Olive Garden. Then I worked as a receptionist. Did some time as as a waitress. Traveled to Japan to teach English. Came back and went into rental car sales. Then ended up at a church as an admin assistant to the finance guy...and so it went. Until one day, several years later, I was living on my own, and had recently purchased a condo I could barely afford. I knew something had to change. I was getting too old for this dead-end job nonsense.

A few days later, I found myself sitting in a local Starbucks, writing out my dream job. I made a list of non-negotiables:

• It had to be indoors - I'm not one to like being wet, or cold, or too hot. Environmentally controlled temps for me!

• It had to have flexible work hours - I didn't want to have to punch a clock.

• It had to be challenging - I master things quickly, so I needed a role that would keep evolving.

• It had to pay well - most importantly, and unequivocally.

Then, I started thinking about what actually interested me. I thought back to the movies and TV shows that had always fascinated me as a kid: Star Trek, Minority Report, Total Recall, Star Wars. I loved science fiction. Sure, the plots were great, but it was always, always, the technology that captured my imagination. Self-driving cars, a replicator that magically makes food (and tea), a computer in the sky that you can give all sorts of commands to, ads tailored specifically to you - NONE of this stuff actually existed in real life back then. Somehow, though, I knew it would. I KNEW it. And I wanted to be part of it.

Here's the part in the story were I can give you a prime example of how your environment and the people you surround yourself with make all the difference. I was lucky to be in Seattle, surrounded by people who worked at Microsoft. Without them, I wouldn’t have even considered a career in tech—I wouldn’t have even known where to start!

It Pays To Be Audacious

I got to work. I revamped my resume (which had almost zero tech experience), drove to the Volt staffing agency, and applied for a Web Developer job. I had read a few programming books and figured, How hard could it be?!  Volt was known for placing contractors at Microsoft, and I just wanted to get my foot in the door. The recruiter glanced at my resume and asked, What do you think about being a tester? I had no idea what that entailed, but I was willing to take any opportunity that came my way.

A few weeks later, I got a call for an interview as a Branding Coordinator on the Microsoft Money team. I didn’t care. It was something.

I spent two years in that role, working with a developer, a test engineer, and my team lead, helping banks onboard to Microsoft’s Money platform (a QuickBooks competitor at the time). While there, I took full advantage of my situation. I talked to every tester and test lead I could find, read software testing books cover to cover, and absorbed everything about test plans and test cases. Eventually, I started writing my own test cases and taking over the team’s testing.

Three and a half years after walking into that Volt office, I landed a job as a Test Lead at a startup in downtown Seattle. It was a huge step forward.

Becoming a PM

I thrived as a Test Lead at the Seattle start-up known as aQuantive. However, I couldn’t shake my growing interest in a role I had encountered during my contracting days at Microsoft—Program Manager. It felt like the perfect fit for me. I loved planning, organizing, and strategizing, and this role blended all three. At aQuantive, Agile development was a core focus, so I immersed myself in Scrum, learning its principles inside and out. I took on sprint planning and retrospectives, gradually incorporating more Program Management responsibilities into my role.

After three years, we were acquired by Microsoft, and I found myself as a full-time employee of the company I had once dreamed of working for. I seized the opportunity to apply internally for a Program Manager position. After a few interviews, I landed an amazing program management role with the Windows Embedded team.

I've been managing software programs and projects ever since! Over the past 20+ years, I've had the privilege of working with innovative startups, well-known product brands, agencies, consultancies, and even freelanced along the way. Through it all, I've helped build some truly incredible products. It’s amazing how the dream my younger self had of being part of the technological future she only saw in movies actually materialized in ways I never could have imagined.

Ignore The Pessimists

I started out with zero experience and only a belief that if I wanted it bad enough I'd figure it out. Through it all I’ve ridden the wave of tech market ups and downs. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s this: Ignore the pessimists. Life is a spiral of highs and lows. Believe in yourself. Take the risks. Do the thing. Life isn’t that serious, and we only get this one shot. Ok, and maybe a second lesson - pay attention to who & what you surround yourself with. Your tribe, your people and the things you choose to consume (movies, TV shows, music) - it will all influence you more than you realize.