Farewell Yahoo
Today was my last day at Yahoo. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity, the friendships, and the invaluable lessons learned from many amazing people along the way. I figured it might be a good time to share my journey, hoping it could help others who are hesitant to take a leap.
When I decided to learn how to code, I never imagined it leading anywhere; it was purely for fun.
When I signed up for a “hackathon” at the Yahoo Head Quarters while dwelling in San Francisco, I just did it to have a good time with friends over a weekend. We ended up winning.
When I cold-emailed one of the judges my resume without Computer Science background or relevant experience, I had no expectations of a reply. He did reply, and even referred me to a couple of open positions at Yahoo.
When I reached the onsite interview, I was just happy to experience “how the sausage was made” at a legendary tech company. I got a job offer on the spot.
When I moved from Mexico to the US to join Yahoo as a junior software engineer, I was convinced I'd be fired within the first week. I somehow managed to move up through the ranks and stayed for a bit over eight years, learning and having fun along with great people.
I admit luck was on my side more than once, and I couldn’t have succeeded without the help of some exceptionally kind individuals. Yet, there are many others with similar stories. The key lies in putting in the work and giving your best effort whenever an opportunity arises. So, if there are only four takeaways from my story, let them be:
- It's never too late to take a chance, switch paths, or explore something new.
- You can learn absolutely anything. Seriously.
- Failure looks scarier than it actually is. If it happens, you will bounce back.
- You get one life, make good use of it, enjoy it, and help others.
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all the incredible people who were part of this journey; it has been an honor.