New career in tech inspires digital nomad lifestyle
by Jennifer Cloer
I spoke to Zahra one afternoon after she’d returned from being out the country, working but exploring, the week prior. She was in a Brooklyn coffee shop and we talked about what a career in tech meant for her and how she was maximizing its freedoms to live a digital nomad lifestyle. Her philosophy inspired me and resonated when she also shared how all of this is, at least in part, was the result of breaking free from a toxic relationship. Here’s part of that conversation.
Jennifer: How did you know it was time to make a career change? Why tech, why development?
Zahra: I wanted to get into software engineering when I graduated college. I took a class in my final semester on computer ethics where the professor talked about web development and I was INTRIGUED. You can do so much with tech - web development, app development, game development, robotics, VR, etc. Tech is in everything. I was fascinated by the possibilities because I have a strong love of art, design and tech.
So when the pandemic happened, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to quit my job in marketing to pursue a career in engineering. Before the pandemic, I couldn’t afford to pay $15K for a Bootcamp but found out during the pandemic that they were offering a “no upfront tuition” so that played a major factor in my timing.
Zahra Kahn
Jennifer: I know you share some of this in your blog, but how did you get started? What fears did you have to overcome to get started?
Zahra: I started self-teaching myself JavaScript in 2016. It began with the curiosity of wanting to explore the possibilities in the tech world. But my journey started in 2020 during the pandemic when I decided to attend General Assembly to pursue this career full time. I had SO many fears, especially ones revolving around not being good enough and never really “knowing it all.” I still have imposter syndrome now, too, because, with engineering, you have to step out of your comfort zone constantly, looking at problems that you don’t know but will need to figure out.
Jennifer: What do you love about your new career direction? What are you still unsure about?
Zahra: I love that I’m constantly being intellectually challenged and that there is always something new to learn. I love the fact that I am able to gain the ability to build whatever I’d like. I love that I can be as creative as I want with code or get more into the data side of things. I’m excited about the fact that you can carve your own path.
I’m unsure about what steps to take first to reach my goals. There is a wealth of knowledge out there and it’s easy to get distracted, and feel like you should be doing what everyone else is doing. So I struggle with staying focused sometimes.
Jennifer: How did taking that leap impact the way you approach life and work today?
Zahra: Taking the leap allowed me to gain confidence in myself that I didn’t know I had. This confidence allowed me to have fun with work and with life instead of stressing about things. When you are having fun with the work you’re doing, you start to excel at the tasks given to you because there’s a certain focus that comes with the headspace of enjoying your work. When you are stressed, you are blocking yourself from efficiently solving problems.
Jennifer: You’re practicing the life of a digital nomad. Tell us more about that? Why did you do it and what have you learned so far?
Zahra: Although I’m just beginning this lifestyle, I wanted to live the digital nomad life even before I landed my tech role. I knew that many roles in tech are remote and allow you to work from anywhere. Then the pandemic happened, and most companies went remote-first anyway. It was the perfect opportunity to pursue this lifestyle!
I took my first solo trip to Costa Rica in September 2021. The things you learn as a solo traveler are invaluable. It made me feel more resourceful because I only had myself to rely on. If I needed to get somewhere, I had to figure that out from point A to point B so that felt like a bit of a puzzle and problem to solve, which was fun. I’ve learned that there are many different ways to life than just one way.
The pandemic has taught us that we don’t have to be location-dependent. We can be in a beautiful destination and still be productive. It taught me that the quality of my life matters. I love New York but I felt like I was constantly burnt out living in New York. Being in Costa Rica, in a slower-paced environment, yet still working my job, felt like the dream. I’m off to Colombia next, and I’m excited to meet other nomads and learn more.
Jennifer: I know you had to break the bounds of a toxic relationship in order to really grow. How did you do it? What advice do you have for other women who feel stuck?
Zahra: I didn’t feel like there was any reason to not love myself. I had just landed a job, which required a lot of hard work. I had chosen to take the leap to switch careers and was making it happen. So it kind of just clicked and I gained this belief in myself and didn’t feel like I needed to keep a relationship that wasn’t adding any value to my life.
It was one of those things that I knew was going to end eventually, but the actual conversation is always the hard part. It wasn’t easy and the residue of that definitely didn’t make going into a new job sparkling and colorful, but it was worth it.
If at any point, you start to feel stuck, you have to remind yourself of your own journey and hard work and how much this other person fits into that. Are they adding anything to it? Are you happy? Are you upset and distracted more than feeling supported?
Making a career switch isn’t easy. Learning to code isn’t easy. So you have to give yourself credit for your accomplishments and, more than anything, tell yourself you’re worthy of happiness. You made a change for your life so no one else gets to dim that light.