I am the Great Resignation (perspective by WOC)

Around this time last year, I decided to take a sabbatical. I was out for a walk and felt exhausted. Drained from work and the pandemic, I could hear my inner voice pleading to stop. Later that day, I quit my job. At the time, I couldn't imagine I’d be moving on indefinitely as a People leader and operator in tech.

I bet you’re wondering how I got here. Too many transitions torpedoed all at once. The world was changing at indescribable speed. Political unrest. Social injustice. COVID-19 kept us locked down in shelter with no end in sight. We had to adjust to remote work and new routines. As a People leader, I was expected to have all the answers and be an expert in something no one had ever been through nor done before. I had to help everyone adapt before I could even consider taking care of myself. 

Like many, I was completely burnt out and grinding at an extremely unhealthy pace. I wasn’t feeling valued, rewarded, recognized nor fulfilled. It didn’t matter though. I had shit to do. I had to focus on work. I had a team to build. So I kept it in and ignored all the red flags. I sincerely struggled with the decision to leave a team I had come to deeply care for even though I was at my breaking point for a while. It felt impossible to stay motivated when I could not see a bright light in the distance. I knew I had to put on my own air mask. It was time to move on. I thought a break would help me refresh and return to the tech sector rejuvenated and ready to do what I do best. Build. 

My plan was to take the first six months to self-reflect and unwind. Then, I’d take the next six months to find the perfect C-level role. I put over 100% in working on ‘me’. I reflected, cried, rejoiced, cried some more, laughed, observed and listened. There were many highs, but I also felt dizzy and lost at times. With no clear answers at the halfway point of my sabbatical, I decided to launch my job search. Seemed reasonable, doable and practical given my experience. 

I met roughly 20 founders with varying perspectives on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), cultural values, market trends, lay offs, burnout, and remote first work. A small handful of opportunities were easy to walk away from. Most felt like these important issues were idealistic but not hard goals especially concerning DEI, which landed flat for me. I got a couple offers from startups willing to give me the C-level title but that I was clearly overqualified for which felt like a concession leaving me dissatisfied. Why should I take a step back at this point in my career?

Inequity for women in tech permeates throughout due to lack of representation amongst investors, in VC firms, on Boards, and at the C-Suite and executive table. It’s even more devastatingly worse for women of color (WOC) executives often cited in McKinsey's annual reports.

I was experiencing it firsthand. I had worked so hard to get to this point in my career. Even though I had always struggled for strong executive sponsorship, I figured out how to gain access and resources to thrive as a WOC climbing my way up the ladder in tech. But at the C-level, it felt even more difficult. 

A couple opportunities really stood out but ultimately they passed. It had come down to me and one other candidate. I’d patiently wait to see who got the gig on LinkedIn desperately wanting to be proven wrong. One company kept me in process for nearly 5 months claiming they were invested in hiring for diversity but gave the role to a white man. Another verbally indicated an offer was coming, but then retracted and said I needed to talk to one more (white male) executive before actually moving forward. Huh?! Was this my reality? I had become the ‘diversity factor’ that checked the box but with no offer in the end. Why was I fighting to convince anyone that I could do the job? I am clearly ready and qualified. My track record speaks for itself. It infuriated me. At the same time, so many of my fellow People executive colleagues and friends who also took sabbaticals due to burnout were returning back to tech. Here I was, not feeling inspired to even take any more conversations. I felt alone at the top. I started to question everything…

• What am I doing?
• What do I want?
• What motivates me?
• How can I create value?
• Am I evolving?
• Am I happy?

I came to realize that when I went on that walk a year ago and my inner voice pleaded for me to stop, that it was not about quitting my job. My burnout had been brewing for decades. It stemmed from a long career of experiencing discrimination and bias and constantly having to convince others that my voice mattered and I belonged at the table. 

I am the Great Resignation… for reasons we must seriously address in the tech community. My experience is not unique. Ironically, this realization has been the greatest gift. My year long sabbatical guided me to shift my aspirations, and I am proud of giving myself permission to just go and do what I love rather than waiting for a handout or compromising in any way. I’m sharing so other WOC don’t feel alone. We matter. We belong. We deserve the same privileges. I’ve learned that if something I desire and am ready for feels out of reach, I have choices. I can continue to fight or find other ways to share my positive impact with the world. My experience has empowered me to take full control over my happiness and continued success. I now see the bright light in the distance and am confidently walking towards it. 

I'm humbled by how my career has grown over the last couple decades as a People leader in tech and still proudly wear my Affirm and Credit Karma swag.

Of course, I plan to leverage my expertise to advise HRtech startups, be an active investor for women in tech, and serve on Boards. That said, I am incredibly inspired and focused in applying my strong transferable skills and experience towards my dream ambition 15 years earlier than anticipated.

I'm building again in new ways on my terms and very eager to see what the next year brings. I'll keep you posted when I’m ready to share more.