6 Lessons from my first Full-time role

Update: The blog has undergone a language update since it was first published, but the core content remains unchanged.

As I put in my papers at my first full-time role ( I’m heading to the University of Arizona for my master’s!), I reflect on an incredible journey of growth and achievement.

• Contributing to build an awesome travel product for eight months

• Take a month-long break to realign my focus and career goals.

• Transition to the Quality Engineering department as an NLP Engineer for their Test Optimizer Solution, where my work was recognized with the UST Shining Star Award—a testament to the impact I made in just two months.

The learning curve was steep, but every challenge shaped me into a stronger engineer. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from this journey.

1.Communication is KEY!

From the job interview to onboarding, feedback, and even resignation—clear communication is everything. Know what you want, where you're headed, and make sure to communicate that always. Transparency builds trust and keeps things running smoothly.

2. Master Your Emails, CCs, and BCCs

While face-to-face communication is crucial, documentation is just as important. Always send follow-up emails summarizing discussions after meetings and calls. Keep your manager updated on your work—your progress, obstacles, and next steps. This ensures they know what to expect from you and can help remove roadblocks, ultimately benefiting the product.

One of the best things I picked up during my internship at Pramati was this habit—it played a big role in my success with the QA team.

3. Every Team Speaks a Different Language—Learn to Listen

Different departments see the product through different lenses, and what matters to one team may not be a priority for another. Listen more than you speak. Understand their perspectives before interjecting with your own. Know why they prefer certain approaches, and communicate your challenges effectively. The same applies when speaking with managers. Ask yourself: What do they really care about? How can I best communicate my message? This is where visualization shines—graphs, pie charts, and colors can work wonders!

4. Early Career Growth Requires Sacrifice, Not Neglect

I used to believe, “If you love your work, you’ll always be doing it.” But I’ve learned that passion alone isn’t enough—burnout is real, and it doesn’t make you better at what you do. Success isn’t just about working hard; it’s about working smart, knowing when to go all in and when to recharge.

That said, the early years of a career demand intensity, commitment, and sacrifice. This is the time to push limits, take on challenges, and put in the extra hours—not because I have to, but because I want to grow, contribute, and excel.

But giving more than 100% doesn’t mean running on empty. Growth also means fueling my body with the right food, getting the rest I need, and staying connected to the people who keep me grounded. Success isn’t just about how much you give—it’s about how well you sustain the pace. And I’m here to do both.

5. Great Team + Strong Skills ≠ Perfect Match Always

A great team and strong skills don’t always mean a great fit. If your strengths don’t align with the project’s vision, someone in that equation is struggling. And that’s okay—it’s just not the right match.

There’s a big difference between simply getting PRs merged and genuinely enjoying what you do. When you truly love your work, time flies, and even the late nights don’t feel like a chore—you’re often the one taking the initiative!

6. Know when to leave.

Like a relationship, recognize when things aren’t working—it helps both you and your team. And when you decide to move on, write down your reasons to reflect later.

I switched from my first team because my excitement about the product came from how AI can enhance travel in meaningful ways. However, over time, the product pipeline shifted focus toward delivering more information via APIs, which no longer aligned with my career goals. I discussed it with my manager, we gave it another shot, but when it still wasn’t the right fit, I made the decision to switch teams.

And it turned out to be an amazing decision. As an NLP Engineer, I was able to combine my AI expertise with my engineering skills to make a meaningful impact to the Test Optimizer Product. Within just two months, my contributions were recognized—a testament to how the right fit makes all the difference.

Closing notes

I completed knowledge transfer about a month ago. While I closed the project one last time, my heart was so whole! Warm, gooey, and all things wholesome. A tear escaped my eye. Though this was definitely not what I saw coming for me when I joined for my first full-time job, I was so happy looking back! Look at all that happened, how much I grew in just 11 months, of all the struggles and sweet spots, of how much I changed for the better, and I was so thankful! Thank you, UST, for the opportunity!