Passent ElSherif/ Krystal Cano
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Krystal Cano, a former tech recruiter who upskilled in AI while recovering from a car crash. Her past employment and enrollment at MIT have been verified. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I was laid off from my job as a senior technical sourcer at DoorDash in August 2022 and decided to take a break.
I saw it as a chance to disconnect after a difficult period of supporting people in tech who lost their jobs in the mass layoffs and caring for my mom, who was battling cancer.
Once she was better, I knew I needed to look after myself and unplug, so I traveled to El Salvador, Miami, and Aruba for a few months.
When I returned home to Orange County, California, in March last year, I got into a bad car crash. I was driving on the freeway and saw a car speeding behind me. Seconds later, he rear-ended my car. It was really frightening, and I felt shocked but also lucky to be alive.
The next morning, my body was in a lot of pain. I couldn't walk for three weeks and had a bunch of injuries.
It was a really difficult time because I felt like I lost my independence and needed to rely on others for help. I started to get into a state of victim mentality. I barely left my house for two months and was experiencing depression.
Because I had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in my knee, I started getting some physical therapy, acupuncture, and seeing a chiropractor who told me it would take a year to recover. My world shattered when he told me that, and I felt hopeless.
I didn't feel able to work, and luckily, I had savings to fall back on, so I tried to focus on my recovery instead and use the time to upskill. I didn't fully recover until this summer.
During that time, I thought of Kobe Bryant. In the NBA, he suffered a knee injury, yet he had a "Mamba mentality," pushing himself to get through it and come back stronger.
I started watching webinars on AI to work on my personal development to prepare for future work. I signed up for LinkedIn Learning courses, attended AI conferences, read up on everything happening with AI, and continued to learn.
I thought, "What can I do now to help me have a stronger foundation?"
I remember when I spoke to an Apple manager who had offered me a job in the past and told me, "It's harder to get into Apple than it is to get into MIT or Harvard, but you'll be hiring all the Harvard/MIT people, and to get in, they will have to go through you."
That sparked an idea to look at what AI programs those institutions offered. I set my sights on studying at MIT and applied for its professional certificate program in innovation and technology.
I started crying when I learned I had been accepted into the program in June because it was a dream come true. The course requires students to complete 16 or more days of "short programs" at MIT over three years. I funded the program from my savings.
I started the course in July. Over the next three years, I plan to use what I learn at MIT to build a career coaching business that uses AI and neuropsychology to help individuals upskill.
I've also applied for AI recruiter roles while building my business. Hopefully, I can work and support myself while studying and building my business.
If it wasn't for losing my job and the car crash, I don't think I would have reached this point in my life where I feel so strong. It showed me that being resilient and pursuing my goals despite adversity paid off.
I'm grateful for the dark time I went through, even though it was painful, because it's helped me realize what I want for my professional life, and I've turned it into a positive.
