From Missteps to Big Tech: How I Accidentally Landed My Dream Job

I was never that kid who declared at age five, “I’m going to be a doctor!” or “I’m going to invent the next big thing!” You know the ones—they had their lives planned out before they even learned how to tie their shoes (absolutely jealous of people like this by the way). My “plan” for education ended right after high school, and beyond that? Just vibes.

That’s how I blindly stumbled into my first university, enrolling in a program called Management Information System. It sounded like a fancy business degree, the kind where you learn to manage people, pitch big ideas, and toss out corporate buzzwords like “leverage” and “synergy.” No big deal, right? Plus, crucially, I thought it meant no math.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Management Information Systems wasn’t about charming boardrooms or leading team-building retreats. It was mostly about coding, programming, and deciphering algorithms—words that sent chills down my spine. My life became an endless loop of YouTube tutorials on things I couldn’t pronounce and frantic Googling of “What even IS an algorithm?” Spoiler alert: I never really figured it out. My grades tanked, my motivation evaporated, and my confidence? That packed its bags and left. Even the university agreed I wasn’t cut out for it.

It was time for a hard pivot.

That’s when I discovered Project Management. It was everything I’d been searching for: versatile, flexible, and designed for people like me who enjoy organizing chaos without needing to write a single line of code. It made sense, finally. This was my lane, and I stayed in it!

Fast forward to graduation, and I was ready to conquer the world—or so I thought. My first stop was national service, where I worked on communication projects for an oil and gas exploration company (shoutout to SEO Africa for the placement). It was an incredible gig, but the real shift happened when I joined a consulting startup in Ghana.

Consulting was… intense. Imagine being thrown into the deep end of a pool while someone shouts, “Figure it out!” But honestly? I loved it. I thrived in the fast-paced environment, juggling multiple industries, projects, and deadlines. More importantly, I learned two major lessons:

1. The beauty of Project Management lies in its versatility—you can jump into different roles and industries without constantly feeling like you’re drowning.

2. If I wanted to move beyond the “analyst” level, I needed to up my game.

And that’s how the MBA came into the picture.

With an MBA under my belt, I set my sights on the consulting big leagues: McKinsey, Bain, BCG—the usual suspects. I buried myself in case study prep, endless interview rounds, and enough networking to make my LinkedIn notifications pop off. Things were looking good.

But then, out of curiosity I decided to casually browse project management roles in Big Tech. Honestly, it was just for laughs. In my mind, Big Tech was this sacred space reserved for geniuses fluent in Python (the code, not the snake). I figured there was no way someone like me, a decidedly non-technical person, could get in.

So imagine my surprise when I actually got an interview.

Let me clarify—it wasn’t a fluke; I had technically applied. But still, I couldn’t help thinking, Did they mix me up with someone else?

As it turns out, all the skills I’d picked up over the years—problem-solving, managing chaos, and keeping a cool head while everything burned around me—were exactly what they needed. Who knew? Three years later, here I am, thriving in Big Tech. Every day is a mix of new challenges, last-minute curveballs, and the occasional “Wait, what did I just agree to?” moments. And I love it.

Before landing this role, I had no idea that someone like me could make it in Big Tech. I thought you needed a computer science degree and an impressive GitHub portfolio to even get a foot in the door. But here’s the truth: there’s room for people with transferable skills, even in spaces that seem exclusive. It’s not just for coders or engineers—it’s for anyone who knows how to get things done.

Looking back, my career path was messy, chaotic, and anything but straightforward. But it taught me some pretty valuable lessons:

• Failure isn’t the end of the world. Sometimes, it’s just a nudge in a better direction.

• Your skills are more valuable than you think. What seems ordinary to you might be the exact thing someone else is looking for.

• Take the leap. The scariest, most “impossible” opportunities often turn out to be the most rewarding.

So here I am: a Project Manager in Big Tech, still amazed that I made it here. Every day, I’m learning, growing, and proving that even the most winding, unplanned roads can lead to incredible destinations. And honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing. Well maybe one thing-Dove straight into project management right after high school.