A 31-year-old woman in the US has shared how leaving her stable job on a gut feeling and later taking up an unpaid internship unexpectedly led her to her dream career.

Jackie Garcia-Morales was working as a publishing associate when she experienced an unshakable sense that something was wrong. “One minute, I was joyfully dealing with Netflix celebrities. Next, my instincts were screaming that something was wrong. I couldn’t explain it, but the feeling haunted me until I did something reckless,” Jackie told Business Insider.

“I quit my job. I put in my resignation, and in the morning, that feeling of doubt was gone,” she added.

Not long after, her former company shut down, reinforcing her belief that she had made the right decision. But the move also left her searching for work in a tough hiring environment. “The job market was frozen, and ghost jobs were on the rise,” she said.

As applications yielded little progress, Jackie began looking beyond traditional roles and came across an unpaid internship at a literary agency. After completing assignments and interviews, she secured the position. “So, at 31 years old, I became an intern,” she said. “I had to rely on freelance gigs and seasonal jobs to make ends meet.”

The experience came with moments of self-doubt, especially when she found herself working alongside colleagues much younger than her. Yet she soon realised she admired the curiosity and confidence they brought to the workplace.

“Listening to them at the agency, I discovered how guarded I had become as an adult navigating corporate environments. Witnessing their mindset changed me. I wanted that energy,” she said. Instead of seeing the internship as a step backwards, Jackie embraced what she called an “intern mindset”, focusing on learning, asking questions, and building connections.

Over the course of two months, Jackie reached out to 145 professionals and held more than 80 networking calls. “People were genuinely interested in my background, my unusual career path, and my confident networking,” she said.

By the time the internship ended in 2026, her efforts had paid off. Jackie received several job offers and ultimately landed a role as a literary agent. “I have a happy new beginning,” she concluded.

Disclaimer: This article shares an individual’s personal career journey and experiences with professional transitions. While inspiring, career and financial choices should be made based on your own unique circumstances, financial stability, and professional goals. The strategies mentioned here are personal anecdotes and do not constitute professional career or financial advice.