Five months into my government job, I knew I had to get out. Fresh off a master’s in computer science from the University of Florida, I landed a data analyst role with a state water resources agency in 2017. It was steady—think predictable hours and a paycheck that didn’t bounce—but it wasn’t the dream. I wanted Big Tech, the kind of gig where innovation hums and the paychecks match the ambition. The government's role was a foot in the door, but the private sector was the whole house. Here’s how I leaped from public servant to tech player—and what I wish I’d known before I did.
Back then, data science was the shiny new toy everyone wanted to play with, but entry-level gigs were scarce. I’d fired off resumes to tech giants and got crickets in return. A career fair changed that—a chance chat with government recruiters landed me the analyst job. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a start. I dug into water management data, built dashboards, and learned to wrangle messy datasets into something useful. Five months in, though, the ceiling loomed. Budgets were tight, tech upgrades were a pipe dream, and my salary—modest at best—felt like a dead end. I craved more: more challenge, more money, more room to grow.
So, I pivoted. At 26, I snagged a data science analyst role at a retail healthcare company, boosting my pay by nearly 50% within 18 months. Later, I hopped to a supermarket chain, then landed at Nordstrom as a data scientist by 32. The secret? I turned my government stint into a launchpad. I didn’t just list tasks on my resume—I showed impact: “Cut reporting time by 30% with automated tools” or “Drove efficiency in flood response analytics.” Private-sector hiring managers ate it up. They don’t care where you’ve been if you can prove what you can do.
Networking was my other ace. I’d chat with colleagues, hit industry meetups, and even cold-message tech pros on LinkedIn. One connection led to an intro at the healthcare firm—a door I’d never have cracked solo. The government gig gave me skills, but relationships got me seen. Still, I stumbled. I didn’t realize how slow the public sector moves until I hit tech’s warp speed. Government timelines were leisurely—months to roll out a project—while private firms wanted results yesterday. I adapted fast, but I wish I’d braced for the pace and the constant upskilling. Tech doesn’t wait; you’re always learning or you’re out.
Looking back, I’d tell my younger self to lean harder into the chaos. Government work taught me structure—how to manage big, messy projects with real stakes—but the private sector rewards risk and agility. If you’re stuck in a public gig dreaming of more, don’t sleep on what you’ve got. Translate it: efficiency for taxpayers can mean profit for shareholders. Build your crew, quantify your wins, and don’t fear the jump. The grass isn’t always greener, but when it is, it pays better.