A year ago today, I was two months into an amazing career opportunity at GM. I was part of the handful of Apple Leaders that went over to GM to xyz on Software. I’d left my safe, comfortable and really great job at Apple because I’d felt like I could do more, challenge myself more, see what else I was capable of…..a year later I wonder if my decisions was career suicide? 

Often these reflective stories are told after the resolution has been discovered. The self-help, lessons I learned article with an amazing outcome to really boost the dreamers. But I don’t have a conclusion yet, I’m in the midst of wondering where this leads, which path will I be accepted to, which path will I take. My father tells me it takes 2 years to know if you made the right decision in life, he’s been telling me that for years, and it’s proven a true, so I have until August 18, 2025 to see if my departure from Apple was my biggest career fail or my biggest career win. 

For over 20 years I’ve been the person to unify a vision, goal, product or outcome by clarifying the necessary details, determining the deliverables and connecting the dots of people through processes I created to work effectively.  Producer, Program Manager, Project Manager – the titles vary pending on the company, but the scope of work entails a complete end-to-end responsibility to get shit done. 

I enjoy this career and I’m good at it. My contact book is filled with talented design leaders and creators, product visionaries, amazing designers, engineers, marketers and product people who make up working teams that actually get stuff built. I’d always viewed my professional relationships as people who would pop in and out of my life at random times, but would play a part in propelling it forward. Overall life has always worked out for me, personally and professionally if I wanted something, I went after it and got it. And believing that what comes my way was meant for me and the universe has a plan  – have guided me well so far.  It’s this fourth paragraph that has me a stumped. 

• My network is vast and responsive to “I’m available”

• I’m an experienced product development operations leaders as well as working in the daily details to build products

• I want to work, while being selective towards product/industry 

• I want my compensation to match the experience I’ll bring to the org

And with those 4 points, I’m still unemployed.