From coffee chat to offer — how I pivoted and joined a new team at Amazon within my first 6 months

What have I done… is the only thing I could think about as I was sitting on the floor of the bedroom I was renting in San Francisco, crying as I was realizing that… Actually, I couldn’t put my finger on it. All I know is that in the middle of the night something in my heart was echoing “I think I’ve made a mistake, I’m not happy and I don’t know what to do…”

I had been wishing, praying, hoping, preparing for a job that I wanted to leave after only 2 months in my role…

The first 90 days goes both ways

Unconventional opinion, I know. But nonetheless, a point of view that might be worth exploring. Part of the pressure I was feeling came from the fact that I had this belief that it was on *me* to prove that I met the requirements of my role within my first 90 days. But what if the other way around was also true? What if the first 90 days were also a time for employees to evaluate if the role they signed up for is up to par with their expectations? Well, regardless of the timeline, it was clear to me that my role did not meet my expectations.

Going on a discovery quest

“The way through the challenge is to get still and ask yourself, ‘What is the next right move?’ ” — Oprah Winfrey

After weighing a few options, I came to the conclusion that the “next right move” was to pivot internally. I had met the requirements to land a job at one of the world’s most recognized tech companies. I was already “in”. And that’s how I decided to go on a series of coffee chats to learn about opportunities that might be more aligned with how I wanted to do my best work.

When preparation meets opportunity

In total, more than a dozen Amazonians were gracious enough to meet with me to share their experience and help me narrow down my options. And after a few weeks of coffee chats, I received a verbal offer to join Amazon Studios. 
Now, this didn’t happen overnight. First, it happened because I put in the work and preparation required to network internally even if I was discouraged by many who advised that it was too soon for me to do so. Second, it happened because I had the right conversations, with the right people at the right time. A headcount was being freed up and I presented myself as a great candidate for the role. The timing was perfect. So I said yes to a role better aligned with my aspirations.

…

In all honesty, I’m still in awe of this accomplishment. Had you told me a decade ago at the beginning of my career that I would one day get a verbal offer for an internal transfer to move to Los Angeles and work in the movie industry, I would not have believed you. This is simply not something that I could have envisioned for myself. Lesson learned? Don’t be afraid to dare greatly, you have more potential than you think.