Failed in College, Rejected at Work: How I Learned to Bounce Back

Failures are not new to me. But every failure has taught me something invaluable, shaping my journey and mindset. Here’s my story of navigating professional lows and turning them into lessons that I hope will resonate with anyone facing similar struggles. It’s been difficult but whose isn’t.
If you are an undergrad at university or just started your career You might want to take look at my journey so that you will not repeat the same mistakes.

The First Job That Broke Me
After securing my first job at a startup, I was excited to begin my career. But the reality was harsh. I was constantly criticized, compared to others, and undervalued. My manager’s feedback during one-on-ones was relentless:

• “Someone else can do it in half the time.”
• “You lack ownership and proactiveness.”

Even when I completed all my JIRA tasks, it was never enough. The one-on-ones were short, dismissive, and left me feeling dejected. Despite trying to cope, it became clear that I couldn’t change his opinion of me. After six months, I resigned, having saved up ₹4 lakhs and decided to prepare for the GATE exam.

Revisiting Failure: My College Years

During my second year of college, I faced one of my earliest failures. I failed a crucial subject: Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA). It was devastating, but I didn’t let it define me. I started afresh…