Why I left JPMorgan after four months
Follow your heart and passion
“Challenge yourself constantly until you find something that makes your heart beat.”
Introduction
After receiving my undergraduate degree — bachelors in international studies — I spent two years working at three different companies for an average of four to six months: two were internships that guaranteed a full-time job, and the other was a full-time offer from JPMorgan. In order to join JPMorgan, I had to pass an online test, a phone interview, a group interview, a manager interview, and then wait about five months before getting the final offer. I still vividly remember that moment: I was super excited to be working for JPMorgan. But I left the company after four months. Why did I leave?
Through this article, I want to share how I could make such a decision of leaving JPMorgan and starting a new journey to find my passion.
Why did I recently begin to pursue a completely new field of Human-Computer Interaction and dream of becoming a UX Designer? Why did I choose this challenge after abandoning a stable job? I would like to share what I have learned from the past two years — two years filled with countless worries and thoughts.
Warning!
Before delving into the story, I know some people are very skeptical when it comes to discussing passion. I have recently read many articles that are like this, and although I do value some of their points, I personally cannot imagine my life without talking about passion. If you asked me why passion is so important to me, I would answer:
“… because this indescribable feeling has made my life much more meaningful.”
Your passion does not necessarily have to be a job; rather, it can be anything that you are always willing to do no matter what. I am sharing my story with you in hopes that this can inspire you to continue to look for something or anything that you are passionate about, without dropping out in the middle of the search. If you agree with some of my points thus far, then yes, we are ready to have this talk!
Why I left JPMorgan
I have always been above average or at least decent at the things that I have attempted to do in life. People usually comment that I do well at the things that I do. It was the same with my studies. There were not many classes that I hated when I was in college, and when I interned, I felt equally fine with everything and did not have any strong preferences.
That was the problem. I did not have anything that I was really passionate about.
Time passed and college graduation approached. Obviously, there wasn’t a career path that I particularly preferred. Since I had prior experience working with consulting, business strategic planning, and research, I specifically applied to companies that offered these types of work opportunities while also attracting many applicants and allowing its employees to feel privileged and make good money.
JPMorgan.
That’s how I ended up at JPMorgan. As one of the top-notch firms in the industry, its interview procedure was complicated and took a long time. Beginning with an online test, it took me more than five months before I received the final offer. While waiting for the final decision, I received an internship offer from a management consulting firm, which I took. At the end of that internship, I received a call from JPMorgan saying, “Welcome aboard to JPMorgan!”
JPMorgan was JPMorgan. As one of the most reputable firms in the industry, it enabled me to work with intelligent people from all over the world. I usually stayed at the office till late at night receiving training and learning more about my work. I appreciated the opportunity. But as usual, I neither liked nor disliked my job. I was doing it because it was my job, nothing more. One random day, after I had gotten used to my everyday routine, someone asked me a question that completely changed my whole perspective:
“… so did you find what you are passionate about?”
She kept asking me, “Where do you see yourself in five years? Do you see yourself working for JPMorgan, getting promoted? Is this something you see yourself doing in the near future?”
This was just on a random day when I worked late before coming home. But I stayed up all night that day, pondering those questions. Is this something that I really want to do for the next five, or perhaps ten, years? Is this something that I am willing to devote all of my time, effort, and passion into in my late 20s? I see myself becoming an influential leader in our society in five years, but is this the industry that I really want to dive into?
Since that day, I actively sought relevant lectures and videos talking about passion and began thinking more deeply about my life. I also met and talked with numerous people who had similar questions. I made lists of things that I liked and disliked, things I was good at and bad at, and also things that I was most attracted to, based on my past experiences. Finally, I wrote down this important fact:
It was User Experience (UX) consulting that I was the most passionate about.
My very first internship was during my junior year in college in 2014, where I worked as a consultant at a UX consulting firm. This was a whole different world for me. I had so much fun learning about how UX professionals approached problems, and I was especially fascinated by how they created business strategies that were focused on the user. I was involved in a global audio project without even any knowledge about audio systems (I didn’t even know what a sound bar was).
But after a few months of working, I really enjoyed what I was doing. Without being directed to do so, I sought additional readings, submitted extra reports and conducted interviews with clients. I attributed part of my positive experience to my boss at the time, who was a renowned UX professional in Korea. It was such a wonderful experience to work with such a professional, who I felt I had so much to learn from.
“I usually do not say these kinds of flattering words to someone, but I should say this. I have seen a lot of interns that I have worked with thus far, but you are the best. I want you to work with us later if you want.”
I clearly remember these words even now. At the time, these words seemed like they were too good to be true. I believe that she said it because she knew how much I enjoyed my job.
As I constantly looked back upon myself and talked with UX professionals, I discovered that I truly did want to know more about this field. I liked UX because: 1) UX was not a business that existed solely to make profit, but placed its values on being user-centered and 2) It was compatible with my enthusiasm in learning new things and working at a fast pace. I also found that my abilities and personality fit well with the UX profession, particularly my love for active interaction among users, and people in general. I haven’t had such a feeling of passion in a very long time.
“Dear VP, I’m very sorry to say that I will conclude work next month.”
So I left JPMorgan. I was afraid, of course. It was a very hard decision. But I was convinced that it was my passion, and I wanted to follow it and have faith in the decision that I made. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and take on challenges when I could — while I was young, able to concentrate, and willing to invest in myself as a young professional. I thought it might be the last chance for me to make such a big turning point in my career.
So what’s next?
As my interest in UX continues to grow, I want to study UX in depth at leading educational institutions, if possible. This is what I was planning for before I quit my job, so right after I left JPMorgan, I started applying to graduate schools. It took me a few months to get prepared and submit all the required applications. After I finished applying, I had the chance to work as a consultant at an aspiring start-up, an opportunity which was offered to me from one of the managers that I worked with before. Thanks to him, I was able to experience various roles in the startup and work with intelligent people in the field. Furthermore, I was a part of a UX team, in which I was able to conduct user research and interview, perform user testing, and work with a leading UX designer.
In addition to growing my professional skills, I started to hone in on the necessary technical skills I would need in order to successfully complete graduate school. I taught myself how to use design tools and how to carry out front-end web development through books and videos. I also took some classes from a private educational institution. I even randomly messaged UX professionals through LinkedIn to see if someone would consider mentoring me. Thankfully, I was able to talk with some of them. It was such a blessing to have these people share with me their valuable experiences and skills — I would like to acknowledge them later in this article. During this time, I knew this for sure:
“I am so in love with what I am doing.”
This is something that I had never felt before. Thankfully, I received several admissions from graduate programs. After comparing the programs carefully, I chose the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI) as the next exciting chapter in my life.
The Fin.
Because my story focused on the journey I had with JPMorgan, it missed many moments filled with pain and failure. During those wandering times, it felt like I was running at full speed with blindfolded eyes, with no guidance or direction. Those were very frustrating and, frankly, depressing times in my life.
Nevertheless, do not stop until you find what you are truly passionate about.
To clarify, I am NOT saying that you should quit your current job or change your career. Mine is just one anecdote among hundreds and thousands of other inspiring stories. Again, I am simply sharing mine because I sincerely hope that you will continue to look for something or anything that you are passionate about, without dropping out in the middle of the search.
In fact, in the past two years of my wandering, I found many people who had given up on finding their passion, for various reasons. On the other hand, I also found many people who are constantly trying to find something that they are passionate about, in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or even in their 60’s and above. And some of these people greatly inspired me with these words:
“Please do not stop until you get there. If you don’t stop, you’ll get there someday.”
I am so grateful everyday because I am pursuing what I’m truly passionate about. Even though there are times when I don’t sleep more than four hours due to my busy work schedule which includes coding, designing, working, submitting assignments and taking exams, I am so grateful for this moment in my life. When I was at UX Design as well, nothing could stop me from exploring and learning more about the field.
Everyday, I am dreaming of my future as an influential designer who is constantly making a positive impact on society. Will my dream come true? I can’t know for sure, but one thing is for certain: I’ll never stop. For this is the first time that I really feel passionate about something — something that drives my life and makes it meaningful everyday.
Now, I want to ask you the same question that inspired me to take this ongoing challenge:
“… so did you find what you are passionate about? How do you see yourself in five, and even 10 years from now?”
Side Note
I had an interview one day, and the interviewer asked me this: “I saw your resume, and it seems like you’ve been moving around a lot. Why is that?” At that time, I was not confident when asked this question. I placed blame on myself, thinking, “Seriously, what’s wrong with me? Shouldn’t I be able to stick with one company for more than just a couple years?”
Looking back, I can now proudly say this to anyone who asks me the same question:
“It’s because I moved around a lot that I was able to know what I like and dislike. Through all those diverse experiences, I was able develop various skill sets that now help me to differentiate myself from others. And most importantly, it was through my journey that I could find something that I am truly passionate about. I was brave enough to take that challenge.”
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the people who have helped me along this ongoing journey. Even though they had never met me before, these amazing and inspiring people from all over the world responded to me, welcomed me, and shared their valuable experiences with me. Words cannot describe how thankful I am for all you have done for me:
@Geunbae Lee, @Jihoon Suh, @Hanna Jeon, @Khiem Nguyen, @Kai-Ting Huang, @Peter Bae, @Erina Bach @Grace Phenisee, @ Hope Londeree @Dayoung Jung, @Teresa Kim
It took me a while to find my path and calling to become a UX Designer. Because of this, I appreciate all the more the current opportunity that I find myself in, here. Day by day, my passion for UX design grows deeper. I feel so blessed to learn and work with these amazingly talented individuals and faculty here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Although I have many things to learn, I will try to live my life with this unstoppable passion as I make a constant effort in becoming a better designer and a better person. In doing so, I hope to inspire someone along the way, just as others have inspired me.
Thanks for reading and I wish all of you guys the best in your passion finding journey!
