Introduction

Over the span of just 5 years, I managed to switch between 4 different jobs, explore 3 diverse domains, and even lived in 2 different countries. Exciting, right? Well, it sure was, but it also came with its fair share of struggles and uncertainties. Would I do it again? 100% yes!

This two-part blog series will depict my personal career journey, reflecting on how my thoughts and career choices have evolved over time. In the first part, I delve into my personal career narratives, while the second part offers a framework I developed to guide those considering similar career transitions.

The beginning of my career

In the final year of my Bachelor in IT, I faced a situation that might be familiar to a lot of students. Despite my good academic performance in school, coding was not a passion of mine. The idea of spending my entire day behind a desk, writing code, seemed like a monotonous future. The prospect of finding an entry-level IT job that would excite me seemed rather dim.

However, as luck would have it, a unique opportunity arose that seemed to perfectly fit my interests. I was offered a technical role in the Marketing team at Vaadin, an IT company. This position was an exciting mix of technical tasks and community marketing responsibilities – the perfect balance that allowed me to utilize my IT skills in a more dynamic and interactive context.

My first ever company in Finland

The first internal transition

Despite enjoying the unique combination of technical and marketing tasks, I found myself yearning for something more after a while. I wanted to leverage my data skills and work in a more cross-functional role. When the opportunity to join the newly formed Growth Marketing team arose, I took the leap. This team was data-driven and required collaboration with various departments, offering me the chance to utilize my data knowledge and escape the confines of content writing.

However, I soon realized that I was not completely satisfied with this role either. There was no clear path for growth, and the role was riddled with uncertainties. More importantly, I wanted to experience direct engagement with customers and provide solutions to them. This led me to seek out a customer-facing role.

3 years, 2 roles in the first company

The “first” big relocation

During this phase of career uncertainty, my personal life was also heading toward a significant change. My girlfriend (now my wife) and I decided to return to our homeland, Vietnam. This decision was influenced by a confluence of factors. The global pandemic had put a pause on many job opportunities, and safety concerns were escalating. But amidst all this, there was also a sense of excitement and curiosity about the prospect of living and working in Vietnam.

Upon my return to Vietnam and embarking on the job hunting process, a key realization dawned on me: my professional experiences, interview techniques, and acquired expertise were significantly more attuned to Finland’s working culture than Vietnam’s. It felt as if I had to start from scratch and relearn everything upon my return to Vietnam. Fortuitously, I secured a position as a Key Solutions Manager at TikTok, a role that involved managing a vast portfolio of gaming clients and formulating strategic solutions for their advertising initiatives. This opportunity felt like a dream come true. Not only did I get to work at TikTok, which was experiencing global popularity at the time, but I also got to work directly with clients and offer them solutions, something I was particularly interested in.

As time progressed, I began to recognize the constraints of this role as well. Despite my confidence in interpersonal communication, the job demanded a deep understanding of digital advertising. While it was a field I held an interest in, I didn’t envision a significant growth trajectory for myself in it. Consequently, I decided to return to Finland after 1 year living in Vietnam.

My viral “TikTok” announcement post

1 year working in Vietnam

Moving back to Finland

Returning to Finland was a challenging experience. I had to re-establish everything from scratch – my friend circles, living arrangements, professional network, and my career. After experiencing two companies and three different roles, I made a pledge to myself: This time, I would patiently seek a job that truly resonated with me and a company where I envisioned potential growth.

At first, I was drawn to the idea of working as a Consultant. As someone grappling with a significant career identity crisis at the time, the prospect of a role that necessitated diverse skills and constant learning was truly exhilarating. I started networking and meeting individuals currently working as Consultants, conducting in-depth research into the role, and undertaking case studies. However, I realized that qualifying for this role would demand a substantial investment of time, a resource I was not in a position to spare.

When one door closes, another opens

Prior to the 2020 pandemic, I was in the process of interviewing for a Paid Social Media Associate position at Smartly.io. The pandemic paused the process, but when I returned to Finland, I reconnected with Smartly.io‘s HR team. They were open to resuming our talks, and the process quickly shifted gears. Soon, I found myself being considered for the Customer Solutions Manager role.

The position at Smartly.io, a company I’d admired for its exceptional branding and reputation, seemed perfect. It promised to provide solutions to customers on a more technical level, which involved working directly with the company’s product and also utilizing my previous digital marketing experience. I spent time learning about the role and its requirements before securing it. This ends my job-hunting journey after 6 months of returning to Finland

Smartly.io had always been a company that I admired for its outstanding employee branding and solid reputation. However, my time at Smartly.io was short-lived. It reminded me of the saying, “Never meet your heroes”. The reality of working at the company I had admired for years was different from what I had envisioned. A few aspects of the job did not resonate with me, and coupled with some personal matters that needed attention back in Vietnam, my tenure at Smartly.io ended after a brief five months.

My first picture taken at Smartly.io with its unique unicorn

My shortest journey so far

The reflection

Parting ways with Smartly.io was a disorienting chapter in my career. It seemed as though my professional journey was a string of turbulent shifts and unexpected transitions. This prompted me to pause, reflect, and delve into comprehending my true career goals and aspirations.

Now, I’m part of a smaller organization as a Software Developer. This turn in my career has proven to be the most rewarding thus far. Ironically, it brings me back to coding, an aspect of IT that I initially disliked, but have now developed a newfound appreciation for. This position fuels my ambition to learn, evolve, and acquire skills that I believe will be critical in achieving both my career and my personal objectives.

Throughout this rollercoaster of career transitions, it wasn’t just boredom that drove my decisions. It was a series of conscious decisions, prompted by introspection and self-awareness. Whenever I felt a sense of dissatisfaction or monotony creeping in, I took a step back to understand my feelings. I questioned myself about the source of my boredom or lack of motivation, pondered on what I truly sought in my next role, and strategized on how to transition smoothly. These introspective moments were integral to my decision-making process, shaping the trajectory of my career.

Conclusion

My unconventional career journey has been a rich source of life lessons. The lateral career moves taught me to tackle challenges fearlessly and take initiatives. It’s about navigating uncertainties, balancing learning opportunities offered by the job and company with personal learning goals, and discovering what truly resonates with you.

Stay tuned for part two of this series, where I’ll share a practical framework of questions that guided my career transitions. This guide will arm you with a structured approach to navigating your lateral moves, ensuring that both the journey and the destination are exciting and fulfilling.

Let’s connect with each other on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/binh/

Author’s bio

Binh Bui is a software developer and a speaker with a diverse career history. Over the span of five years, he has navigated various roles in different domains, gathering a wealth of experience and insights. He shows interest in career talks, startups and personal development. You can find Binh boulder or read in his free time.