Hannah Maruyama says she wouldn't be nearly as happy — or successful — at work as she is now if she followed any of the career advice she was given in her teens and 20s.
Teachers told her she "wouldn't get far" without going to college and getting a bachelor's degree.
For a while, she thought her career options without a college degree would be limited to low-wage jobs or becoming an entrepreneur.
Now on the cusp of turning 30, Maruyama is making $100,000 working in AI without a bachelor's degree.
The 29-year-old says she landed her "dream job" as the head of operations at Neo License, a startup that builds AI software, in 2021 by ignoring one common piece of career advice: don't apply for a job if you meet almost none of the requirements.
Persons:
Hannah Maruyama, wouldn't, Maruyama, Ryan
Organizations:
Teachers, Georgia Southern University, Neo
Locations:
Savannah, Houston