A Millennial Working Mom with A Side of Everything

What if you are laid off?

February 6, 2026

Years ago the company I was working at had a furlough. Each of us had to take 1 week off with no pay. While most people would struggle missing a week of income, this one operator I worked with wasn’t too concerned. He was older but in great shape and wasn’t going to retire anytime soon. He loved working, at this job, and outside of his job. I learned that he had a diverse investment portfolio and side hustles that a layoff or two couldn’t hurt him. He was super down-to-earth and incredibly smart.

He became my north star in planning my future. It was like a light bulb came on in my head. It ignited a burning ambition to establish something outside of my career.

Retirement accounts are nice, but when over-funded, it becomes trapped money. You can’t do anything with it until you hit retirement age. Your trapped money also depends on the market and what if it tanks by the time you need it?

I turned to Real Estates investing as a 2nd means of planning for the future. It took so much work at the beginning. After over 2 years, I’m starting to grasp some of the concepts. Mind you, I was 40 when I started. Late? yes. But better than never? Also yes.

If you are in your 30s or 40s, start planning beyond your job now. I beg you to take this step. Your future self and your family would be thankful 10 years down the road. I’ve seen so many people in their 50s lose their lifelong careers. They have little possibility of being re-hired elsewhere. It’s heartbreaking!

My ultimate goal is to have the choice not to work when I turn 50. I’m 42 now and working hard towards that very goal.

How about you?
How to Prep for Your Interview when Changing Career

January 15, 2026

This is my 2nd installment on career change.
You can find the first post on my first post here:
https://annvm.com/2026/01/15/the-first-5-steps-in-changing-your-career/

🤔How do you interview for a role that you have no experience for?
💡Answer: Translate your skill sets!

You might not have the exact skills and experience for the role, but you are NOT starting from zero.
Think about the hard and soft skills that are transferable across industries and jobs: project management, critical thinking, strategy development, process improvement, team building, ability to learn and adapt quickly, etc.

The steps I went through to help me prepare for the interview:

📌 Update your resume
Find a clean and more modern format to showcase your experience and skills.
Use action verbs to describe what you do AND the outcomes/impacts of those actions.
Action verb + description + measurable result
Example: “Managed the laboratory upgrade project to add 2 new Titrators, speeding up the turnaround time on XYZ tests by 2 hours daily.”
Have someone provide input on your resume.
Or hire a professional to help you. The investment in yourself is never wasted. Try Jobscan.com to optimize your resume to ensure the keywords are included.

📌 Practice your 2-minute elevator pitch
The elevator pitch is all about you yesterday, you today, and what you hope to be tomorrow if given this role, NOT your whole life story. 1.5 to 2mins is sufficient.
Example: “I’m a __ by trade. In the past __ years, I’ve been working/doing ___. The experience has been ____ and i’ve learned to ____.(can expand a little more here). Going forward, I want to progress my career into ___ field. My background in (insert transferable skills that match the job description) match this role and the job description aligns with my career interest. I would love to have the opportunity to ___ and bring values to your team.”

📌 Do a mock-interview
Research the common interview questions and try answering them effectively. Have someone ask you those questions and practice the answers within 30-50 seconds in the format similar to:
– What you did + what was the outcome.
– How you solved problems + how they affected you/project/others.
– You are a good fit for the position because ___ (state professional goals + personal goals).
Allow pauses for long answers so that the interviewer can process or ask questions. Provide a high-level of the situation and outcomes unless you are asked further.

📌 Prepare questions to ask
Always ask questions. It shows you did your research on the job and your genuine interest in applying. Some suggestions:
– What are some challenges in this role?
– Is there training to get up to speed?
– What do you recommend learning that would help someone doing this job more effectively?

Good luck with your career change or transition journey!
The First 5 Steps in Changing Your Career

January 15, 2026

They say in life, we are writing our own story. Like a novel, things may not make sense along the way, but the details eventually come together.

I’ve made a few pivotal changes throughout my life that got me here today. While some of them didn’t make sense at the time, I truly appreciate the outcomes.
The question I got asked the most is how I made the career change from analytical science to marketing.

Here’s my personal experience and the process I went through.

1️⃣ Asked why I wanted a career change.
Up until that point, I was involved mostly in manufacturing & laboratory environment, doing routine work that had little visibility into the overall strategy. I wanted to see the business side and more outside the lab.

2️⃣ Asked which function I wanted to get into.
I debated among Supply Chain, Technical Sales, and Marketing. I reached out to people within these functions of the company and stated my intent. It was simply like “Hey __, I’m looking to make a career change and would love to learn more about what you do.”
I wanted to learn what their job entails, and their perspectives of what they do in general.

3️⃣ Be prepared for the advice you don’t want to hear.
Let’s be clear, you will face rejections even at this stage. People are mostly kind and supportive and you want them to be honest with you about what they don’t like. But the worst part of this stage is that they may even discourage you because you don’t have the credentials they thought you needed to break into these fields. Take notes, and perhaps take a few online training courses on what you may need. (Ex. I was told i needed an MBA for Marketing. Not true by the way).

4️⃣ Keep doing your research and networking.
Don’t let anyone discourage you from your plan. There’s always an opportunity to change, to move forward. Be patient with your process to ensure you make the right choice. Let your line manager know if you are looking internally. They can be your champion. Also reach out to higher management individuals to network and express your interest.

5️⃣ Once you have decided on a field, fire up that job search!
If you find an interest internally, reach out to the hiring manager and state your intent. Believe I said something along this line: “Hi ____, I am looking to elevate my career within the company and your posting piqued my interest. Are you open to have a quick conversation with me to decide if this is the right fit for me to apply? Thank you.”
The rest was history!

It would be harder to completely change your career at a new company. I can only speak to my experience but you may need to have significant academic or training credentials.
If you are thinking of changing your career, I hope these breakdowns help you.

Next, let’s say you land the interview. How are you going to prepare for that? Stay tuned for the next post on this series.
3 Biggest Signs You Are Ready for a Career Change

January 4, 2026

I came back to work after a 5-year maternity break in 2016.
The first year I was ecstatic to be back, happily adjusting and restarting my career.
Two years into the job, I became less and less enthusiastic about the work I was doing.

Looking back, there were obvious signs I kept overlooking at the time.
And you might be, too, right now.

Here are the 3 biggest signs:
1. No longer feeling you are adding values.
Either the job is not challenging enough, or you simply became disinterested.
Even after addressing your concerns, you are not given stretch assignments.
Or, the new tasks given are not adding to your desired growth.

2. Unable to see career growth potential in the existing path.
The current next level is not exciting to you.
The idea of doing similar work for the next 5-10 years seems dreadful when your performance review comes around.
Yet you can’t identify an opportunity in the same field that would excite you.

3. Feel stuck and keep talking about it with your loved ones.
You just can’t shake off the idea of doing something different.
Almost every conversation with your spouse or trusted friends and family likely ends up on this topic of feeling restless and stuck.
Although they might give you different perspectives, it always comes back to you to decide what’s next.

If you are experiencing the same, it’s worth taking the next step.

Check out my short IG video on what you can do to start making it happen: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTEN-6nifBG/?igsh=eDh3cnk1bzlxcjU4
When was the last time you were truly happy starting a new job?

January 2, 2026

How many times in your career have you felt genuinely happy starting a new role?
Some jobs are stepping stones. Some jobs are true leaps and bounds.
I can recall exactly 3 times when I felt the happiest beginning something new. Looking back, it wasn’t all about the job that made me happy.

1. My first job after a 5-year career break to raise my young children. Gosh I was so very excited to be a working professional again, you have no idea! Staying at home with babies and toddlers is not for everyone. I’m still so grateful for the time off and I’m also thankful to be back to work. I’d always remember that genuine sense of happiness I had going to work everyday in 2016.
I was happy for change.

2. My first job in Marketing. Transitioning from being an Analytical Chemist to a Marketer in 2019 was one of the most challenging things I’ve done and I loved every minute of it! I was at a crossroad with my career and wanted something different. This role was all about pushing limits and boundaries and it made me extremely uncomfortable .But that was the exact element I needed for growth, personally and professionally. I owe this opportunity so much for who I am today.
I was happy for growth.

3. My current job that started last January. This opportunity was truly meant to be in every way! With two months left at my job at the time, the timing with everything going on in my personal life, and the whole hiring experience made it one of the best things ever happened in my career! 1 year later, happy to report that it still is!
I am happy for alignment.

By the way, I landed this opportunity through LinkedIn with zero connection. Yes, it is very possible to land your dream job on LinkedIn!

It’s been 10 years since I started working again. The one thing I’ve learned to appreciate is that happiness at work comes from many different avenues.

When your career aligns with your purpose and allows you to nourish life outside of work, you unlock extraordinary results in both worlds!

If you’re on a job search, I wish you the best and hope you land something in January that you’d be truly happy with!
POV: Your first time visiting the Statue of Liberty

January 2, 2026

I immigrated to the United States 25 years ago but I’ve just made it to NYC and the Statue of Liberty🗽for the first time last month! She is gorgeous and magnificent!
I wasn’t prepared for it, but I was strangely emotional seeing the symbol of freedom, independence, and opportunity in person as an immigrant. The journey for every immigrant is wildly different, but we all have one thing in comment: the pursuit of liberty and happiness.

Thank you, America, for giving me the chance to earn an education that paved way for a fulfilling career, to build a great family, and to even start my own business, all on this land of opportunity!

It’s 2026 and the American dream is alive and strong as ever. It is what you make of it.

Go see the Statue of Liberty if you haven’t! The emotions you feel seeing her may surprise you, especially if you’re an immigrant like myself.