After four intense years of working two jobs, and two car accidents, I made the difficult decision to step away from my full-time role at Neighbourly for personal health reasons.​

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Not long after making this decision, my mother experienced a sudden health issue, losing vision in one eye while driving. She underwent emergency eye surgery, and I became her primary carer during her recovery. The care schedule was intensive, with medication and multiple different eye drops required at specific intervals throughout the day, which made it incompatible with full-time work. ​I made the decision to pause my job search and focus on supporting my family through that period.

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Once my mother recovered and returned to work, I resumed my job hunt but this coincided with the rise in AI adoption and job displacement.

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In response to a tougher market, I took initiative and: 

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• Earned 6 HubSpot certifications within a span of 2 months

• Began using ChatGPT and Gemini regularly

• Deepened my understanding of AI through YouTube, articles, and experimentation

• Learned the principles of effective prompt writing and how AI tools can support strategic and creative marketing work

• Taught myself HTML and CSS code.

• Became a volunteer Marketing Officer for a charity.

 

This break, while unexpected, has made me a more resilient, resourceful and well-rounded professional.