I quit what I honestly thought was my dream UX design job after only 9 months—and yeah, that decision came with a huge emotional and mental battle. In this video, I walk you through the context: why I wanted that company so badly, how much research I did upfront, and why I still respect the brand and the UX team there. On paper, it checked all the boxes—culture, benefits, talented designers, and a massive design org—but real life doesn’t always match expectations. I also make it clear: I’m not here to bash the company or specific people. My goal is to normalize that leaving a job in less than a year can be completely normal, and sometimes it’s a mix of wrong fit and bad timing. For me, I didn’t feel set up for success—between company culture, virtual onboarding, product team restructures, and manager support—and I reached a point where my feedback felt like it was falling on deaf ears. After leaving, I reflected on the guilt (feeling like a “quitter”) and reminded myself I made a calculated decision—I thought about it for months, made a diagram, and lined up my next role first. I also talk about how having ~3 years of experience gives you more options, and I share what I’m doing next: joining Starbucks as a contract UX Designer, leveling up from UX Designer 2 to 3, and getting a pay bump.