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#16 | The Power of Random Connections | Tech Education

Personal:

The Power of Random Connections.

I want to share a personal story today.

In 2020, I was on a flight to Dubai when I met a young lady, a first-year student, sitting next to me. We started talking, and I shared my career journey. We exchanged contact details, and I told her she could always reach out to me for career guidance.

To my surprise, she followed up. She sent updates about her life and internships. She secured an internship in London and asked to meet in person again.

When her university hosted a tech conference, she invited me to be a speaker, and I couldn't say no.

We formed a mentor-mentee relationship, all because of her intelligence, persistence, drive, and very specific asks.

Now it's 2024. She's finishing university. She received an offer from a top global investment firm. This offer bypassed the usual investment banking position. I am proud of her and know this is just the beginning!

Why am I sharing this story? You never know who you'll meet and how they can impact your life. Be curious, brave, ambitious, and never be afraid to ask for help! People are generally willing to help if they feel a) they can b) you have specific asks c) it won’t take a lot of their time d) you make it easier for them to help you e) you are nice and value their time.

You can achieve anything!

Be in the right environment when you are motivated to act and GTD (get things done). Avoid negativity and toxic people who bring you down.

App:

I am passionate about education, specifically about tech education for kids and teenagers. I believe that the earlier kids get involved in tech, the better and faster we can innovate. This could also inspire young entrepreneurs to launch their companies earlier! So, if you want to talk about tech education or brainstorm some ideas together, please reach out!

Having a degree is an achievement, but knowing what you want to do next and gaining some experience in a specific domain to get noticed is another story...

So it has always been tough for young people to start their careers or at least get a taste of what their potential "dream job" should look like.

  • Own Academy: Gain real-world experience from the best professionals. It's great for next-gen leaders starting from school.

  • Forage: Free Virtual Work Experience. It is a great company backed by a VC Lightspeed Venture Partners.

How it works:

  • Job simulations replicate work at top companies, and connect students to the companies themselves. In only 5-6 hours, learn relevant tools and skills necessary to complete tasks that replicate an employee’s work day.
  • No applications or experience required
  • Learn highly relevant skills in your own time, at your own pace
  • Your talent matters more than your connections

Media:

Again, I have been traveling a lot lately, hence a lot of flight time and some Netflix to de-stress:

  • Hunger. It's not a "light" movie to watch, but it's a great exploration of social issues through the culinary world. For me, it was not only about that, but also about the cost of success.

Learning:

I'm still experimenting with the last section of my newsletter and appreciate your feedback! It varies for now, from learning materials to events to inspirational quotes. Please ping me with suggestions!

  • The Curricula: Search for something to learn. This website offers a range of topics, from cybersecurity to critical thinking, statistics, communication skills, and much more.

I'm Yana, crafting this awesome newsletter every Sunday in my spare time. Support my writing by becoming a paid subscriber here for the price of a coffee!

I'm always excited to hear your feedback:

Published by:

Yana Abramova