I had 4 jobs in 4 years and mastered the Pivot

• Megan Lieu, 28, has worked at four companies in the past four years.
• Lieu increased his salary as he changed jobs and learned new skills.
• After being fired from her last job, she started her own business and will earn more than ever.

This essay as told is based on a conversation with a 28 year old Megan Lieu. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider verified his identity, employment and salary rates.

I remember telling a coworker one of my first days at my college finance job that I could see myself sitting there and retiring.

Looking back, it was such a naive notion. How was I supposed to know that this was the only job for me if I hadn’t experienced anything else?

I stayed at my first job for about two years and moved every year or so since then. In the last four years, I have worked at four different companies.

I sought out the first two role changes myself. Then I was fired from the third company, and at my last job I was fired. At that point, I decided to create my own business, where I am set to earn more annually than I did with any of my previous jobs.

As someone who quit and lost their job, I realize that there can be good things and bad things in your career. But the key is to adapt.

Here’s how we made the most of each pivot.

Finding salary

Two years into my first job, the pandemic was coming to an end and everyone and their mom was getting a tech job.

During that time, I discovered data analytics and data science. As someone who had never experienced anything outside of finance, it felt like a world of possibilities – and that’s where the job came in for me.

When I moved on to my second job out of college, I got about a 20% raise and felt like the possibilities were endless. I stayed at that job for nine months and got a $5,000 raise during my time there before moving on to my third job.

From my second to third job, I got about a 20% raise and stayed there for about a year and a half before being laid off. That’s when the job market started to slow down and it became all about hanging on to your current job.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to find another job quickly or one that paid the same, but I ended up finding a new role within three weeks, and from that I got almost a 50% pay rise. In a matter of weeks, I went from $125,000 to $185,000.

While it wasn’t necessarily a job hop, I framed my mindset so that even if you’re not actively job-hopping, there are always better opportunities out there.

Working in different roles has helped improve my skill set

It wasn’t just the salary explosion for me, it was the ability to get various skill sets that I wouldn’t have if I stayed put.

If you only stay in places you are familiar with, you will never grow.

By some people’s definitions, my tenure with these companies may seem short. But I didn’t feel challenged and I was ready for the next thing.

Each pivot exposed me to different colleagues, mindsets and cultures. In addition, I maintained some continuity in my roles and each position provided background knowledge for the next. For example, I was a data analyst at my second job, which was a prerequisite to becoming a data scientist at my third job. Now, I create technical content for data and technology companies, which I can do because I was a data science practitioner first.

After months of being unhappy at my last job, my manager put me on a PIP which I very much welcomed. There had to be some kind of change in my role or I was ready to go because I was stretched so thin. The PIP I was put on had me acting as a salesperson, which was never in my job description and was not something I was capable of or willing to do.

After back and forth disagreements, I was eventually fired from the company.

At that point, I was able to step into my contracting side of the business full-time and put effort into something I’ve been passionate about all along. Creating technical content for companies was something I started dabbling in after I was laid off and realized I couldn’t give all my power to one employer. It was a very smooth transition and one that I was very happy to make.

Since the beginning of 2024, I have signed almost $200,000 worth of contracts for my business.

I would say that changing jobs has paid off not only in terms of increasing my earnings, but also my mental well-being. Now I report to no one but myself and I finally get to make a living on my terms.