For Dawn Choo, the spark for a dream job was lit early. As a college intern at Facebook, she envisioned herself someday working at Instagram as a data scientist. But when graduation loomed, so did practicalities. With no offers from the tech world and an urgent need for visa sponsorship, she accepted a quant role at Bank of America — her gateway to staying in the U.S., even if it meant pushing her aspirations aside.
“I needed a job to stay in the country,” Dawn told Business Insider in a candid interview. “Even if it wasn’t the industry I really wanted.”
Her work at the bank was far from fulfilling. While she dabbled in backend model-building, the passion for data and innovation remained untouched. By the time she hit the three-year mark, the itch to pivot had grown unbearable. She applied for tech roles relentlessly — nearly 100 applications, only 10 interviews, and a single offer: a business analyst position at Amazon.
Taking the job meant swallowing a bitter pill. Her total compensation took a 40% dive. Living in New York City, where rent and ramen both came at premium prices, the impact was both financial and emotional.
“It felt like a step back,” she said. “I wondered, ‘Why did I take this pay cut? Should I just go back?'”
Her role at Amazon felt uninspiring. The tasks were repetitive, and her skills underused. But in that monotony, a spark reignited. She started automating her tasks as a personal project — something that would unexpectedly redefine her future. What began as a quiet experiment soon got the attention of Amazon’s leadership. Within a year, she was promoted to Business Intelligence Engineer, leading a five-person team on a project she had initiated herself.
That leap of faith paid off again two years later when Dawn finally landed her long-coveted job at Instagram, Meta’s image-sharing giant. The journey had been circuitous, the rejections many, but her persistence outlasted her doubts.
“I almost canceled my final Meta interviews,” she admitted. “I just didn’t think I could handle another ‘no’.”
But that final “yes” marked the beginning of three transformative years, both professionally and personally. The work was meaningful, the friendships deep, and her voice — finally — heard in the rooms she always wanted to be in.
Her story isn’t just about changing careers — it’s about taking chances, making peace with temporary setbacks, and trusting that growth rarely follows a straight line.
For every professional standing at the crossroads of comfort and calling, her advice is simple and powerful: “Sometimes one step back is the best way forward.”
