How to pivot your tech career and live a multi-hyphen life with Yassmin Abdel-Magied - Product Hunt Radio Recap

Podcast: Product Hunt Radio

Published: 2020-01-15

Duration: 55 min

Guests: Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Summary

Yassmin Abdel-Magied shares her journey from mechanical engineering on oil rigs to becoming a multi-hyphenate author, broadcaster, and social advocate, emphasizing resilience and adaptability.

What Happened

Yassmin Abdel-Magied discusses her multifaceted career journey, starting as a mechanical engineer on oil and gas rigs in Australia before transitioning to writing, broadcasting, and advocacy work. She shares how a childhood fascination with motorsports led her to study mechanical engineering, where she faced gender biases but pushed through with determination.

Her dreams of working in Formula One were thwarted by visa issues, but she demonstrated resilience by cold-emailing industry experts and securing a spot in an exclusive motorsport master's program, although financial constraints led her to take a high-paying job in oil and gas instead. Yassmin reflects on the challenges she faced in a male-dominated industry, including the biases and assumptions about women in STEM, which she had to overcome.

She recounts a pivotal moment when she was denied a Rhodes Scholarship for being 'too ambitious,' highlighting the systemic bias against women of color with big aspirations. Her time in the oil industry ended abruptly when she faced corporate backlash for publishing a book, which led to her decision to take a year off and explore opportunities in broadcasting and writing.

Yassmin's decision to move to London marked a new chapter, where she embraced a multi-hyphenate identity, working on books, television projects, and speaking engagements. She reflects on the importance of autonomy in her career choices, a reaction to the lack of safety and trust she experienced in traditional corporate environments.

She discusses the broader implications of her experiences for millennials and Gen Z, who increasingly seek work that aligns with their values and offers psychological safety. The conversation touches on the challenges of navigating career pivots and the importance of self-awareness and resilience in adapting to new opportunities.

Yassmin's current projects include writing fiction, developing a television show, and engaging in public speaking, all while maintaining a strong presence on social media. She emphasizes the value of creating a livelihood that is self-sustaining and aligned with one's personal values.

Key Insights