Reflection

Career decisions are hard.

I have pivoted my career a few times now. First time was about a decade ago when I switched from academia to industry and from physics to tech. It was a difficult decision. I was leaving behind something I had obsessed over for 17 years for the complete unknown. In hindsight it seems like such a crazy decision -- I didn't know much about Palantir. I really enjoyed all my interviews (I remember the questions and the interviewers a decade since) - this was the main positive signal. And the culture (as much as I could glean from the interviews) had a lot of similarities with academia, it felt familiar.

Boy was I fortunate. The 7 years I spent at Palantir defined the professional me. It taught me so many things -- technical, organisational, traits in people one should value and much more. It gave me the opportunity to wear many hats and grow stochastically.

Palantir gave me the opportunity and the courage to try new things. Leaving after 7 years was bittersweet - it was time for something new, but I missed my home.

The last 15-16 months have been very different. I have been trying to find the thing that keeps me engaged, makes me obsessed. I wouldn't say I have found it yet, but I am working on it.