When I first joined Hashnode as a new blogger, I was just exploring by clicking through communities, reading trending blogs, and diving into interesting articles like any curious hashnoder would. Then, almost by chance, I stumbled upon the Challenges section. One title instantly caught my eye: the Women in Tech Challenge.

In that moment, it felt like the challenge was speaking directly to me. Without a second thought, I added it to my to-do list.

Breaking in to my first big project..

I started my IT career soon after completing my four-year graduation. My first company put us through six months of training, and once we cleared it with the required scores, we were assigned to projects based on our performance in different modules.

I was placed on a banking application project for a leading UK bank. We built applications for the loan department i.e internal tools that tracked every loan and its payments. I worked on this project for about a year, under some truly talented leads. They weren’t just great at coding and debugging, but also at mentoring. I was lucky to learn from them ,not only about technical skills, but also about staying focused on my career and finding motivation in what truly interests me.

Lessons I look back on:

• Focus on self-learning. I wish I had invested more time in it back then. It was tough in the early 2000s when there was no cloud and every setup required budgets for licenses for Visual Studio, Windows, lots of RAM, and hosting everything locally. Still, self-learning would have made a big difference.

• Be more initiative. Looking back, I wish I had been braver in my 20s and taken more initiative instead of waiting for the right moment.

• Be social. Introduce yourself to teammates, build connections, and stay in touch, at least during your time in the same company. Networking starts small, and it matters.

From debugging to designing and coding

After spending three years at my first company, I moved on to another role where I was introduced to SharePoint Intranet. It was a game changer, it cut down the time needed to build and deploy enterprise-wide applications. I started coding in HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, creating reusable templates that made things even smoother.

One of the highlights from this time was being recognized as the Best Employee of the Quarter for sharing new ideas that impressed our client. That recognition gave me the confidence to keep speaking up, even if my ideas weren’t always perfect. I learned that simply putting your thoughts forward is what really matters it opens doors and builds trust.

Of course, this journey wasn’t just about work. Life was happening, too. I was navigating my role as a Senior Developer while also being a wife and preparing to become a mother. It was overwhelming at times. I noticed that many of my male teammates were more free to dedicate extra hours, while I often felt like my career was being pulled back by circumstances beyond my control. Still, I chose to stay strong, hold onto my opportunities, and give my best.

During one appraisal, I was told I wasn’t spending as much time at work as others. That feedback shocked me. The reality? Many stayed late because they took long breaks during the day. I wish I had spoken up in that moment. That taught me an important lesson: stand up for yourself and make your point at the right time, because once time passes, it never comes back.

Later, I was given the chance to lead a project with four developers. Out of fear of failing, I declined. Looking back, I regret that choice. The truth is, nobody starts out knowing everything. You only discover what you’re capable of by stepping up and trying.

Lessons

• Speak up for yourself, your perspective matters.

• Don’t let fear stop you from taking opportunities.

• Time is precious, use it wisely.

• Balance is tough, but strength comes from not giving up.

Travelling to other side of the world

After working for six years in my home country, I moved to the U.S. for personal reasons. My first thought was, what’s going to happen to my career? I was determined to apply for a work visa as soon as I arrived but that’s not how it really works. For many reasons, I ended up being out of work for two years before I finally got my visa and could start job hunting.

After a long search and a lot of effort, I finally landed a job. But it came with weekly travel and being away from my family, including my 5yr old daughter. It was overwhelming, and I felt guilty for being so career-focused.

Still, that year turned out to be one of the most intense and rewarding in my career. I worked with ReactJS, SharePoint Online, Azure, and DevOps all within just twelve months. The fast pace of agile software development pushed me to grow quickly. And while being away from family was tough, it also gave me the space to fully focus on my work. I learned so much and even earned appreciation from my client for handling an entire module on my own.

Lessons

• Take risks. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.

• Never doubt yourself. You’re capable of more than you think.

• Sacrifices pay off. Hard work always leaves a mark.

• Balance matters. With strong family support, you can manage both career and home with confidence.

Transition from lead to management

I kept looking for opportunities that allowed me to stay close to my family. I actually turned down several offers from Bay Area startups before finally saying yes to one that felt right. Did I miss out on something by doing that? Maybe. Maybe not. But at that time, in that mindset, I knew my daughter needed me more. My husband was a huge support, but still I wanted to be there.

Once I started working, I quickly realized I was performing at the top level in my team. I was confident, took initiative, delivered on time, helped when others needed it, and even guided team members. Honestly, all of this came from my earlier experiences it built me up to where I am today.

At first, I was working as a contractor. But eventually, I was asked if I’d like to join full-time. I didn’t hesitate. I said yes.

Since then, I’ve picked up so much: IAM, project management, people management, communication with executives. Today, I’m managing three teams. And honestly, I’m just excited for what’s ahead the adventure continues.

Lessons

• Be flexible. Don’t limit yourself to what you already know. Keep learning and stay open to change.

• Be reliable. Build trust with your team—nothing matters more.

• Be intentional. Don’t grab every opportunity just because it’s there. Think about whether it aligns with where you see yourself in five years.

• Network. Stay active on LinkedIn and connect with people.

• Show your work. Even if something feels small to you, share it—you never know how big of an impact it might make for others.

I hope this resonates with you in some way. Maybe it inspires you, or maybe it just connects with where you are in your own journey.