I come from a family of academicians — my mother, uncles and aunts were all deeply rooted in teaching. In many ways, the inclination to teach and explain was almost … in my epigenetics. I went on to pursue my master’s degree in biochemistry and during my hostel days, something interesting kept happening. I found myself naturally drawn to helping my peers — explaining complex concepts, simplifying topics and making learning easier for others. At that time, I didn’t realize that there was an entire field built around this — learning and development (L&D).

My L&D Career Journey

After completing my master’s degree, I stepped into research and began my Ph.D. in biotechnology. Those years were deeply fulfilling. I was immersed in scientific inquiry, publishing papers in reputed journals and contributing to the academic world. On paper, everything looked perfect. But somewhere within, I felt a sense that something was missing. I completed my Ph.D. and moved into postdoctoral research at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, through a Department of Biotechnology (DBT) program. Around the same time, I was also expecting my first child. Due to health reasons, I had to step away from work. It was not a planned pause — but it became a defining one. After my delivery, I joined a healthcare startup as a senior medical writer. My role involved working with oncologists in Bangalore — studying their case work and writing research papers for publication in medical journals. It was intellectually stimulating. I was still close to science, still writing and still contributing. But the work environment lacked the culture I needed to grow. I knew I needed a change — but I didn’t know what yet. And then came a call from a consultancy. They asked if I would be interested in an instructional designer role at Accenture. To be honest, I had never even heard of the term before. Curious, I quickly searched online. The only thing I could really find was the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) Model. I read about it, tried to understand the basics and walked into the interview the next day.

During the interview, I was asked what I knew about instructional design. I could have tried to frame an impressive answer — but I chose honesty. I said, “I learned about instructional design just yesterday. But I have spent years simplifying complex scientific concepts, publishing research, ghostwriting for oncologists and creating patient education materials through stories and infographics. While the term is new to me, the essence of it is something I’ve been doing for years.” I didn’t try to impress. I just spoke my truth, and that made all the difference. I got the job. Accenture became my foundation. Everything I know about instructional design today started there. It was my first real exposure to:

• Structured learning design
• Business-aligned learning
• Creating impactful learning experiences

It was where my scattered experiences finally found direction. From there, my journey continued across organizations like Walmart and Allstate, and even into freelancing. Every role, project and stakeholder interaction enhanced my understanding.

I learned that learning is about behavior change, not just content; good design is not about aesthetics — it’s about impact; and experience, more than anything, is the greatest teacher.

A Nonlinear L&D Career Path

Looking back, my path into L&D was anything but linear, but it taught me several valuable lessons. First, your past is never wasted. Everything I did — from research to medical writing — helped prepare me for a career in instructional design. Second, you don’t need to know everything to get started. Sometimes, knowing just enough and being willing to learn is all it takes to take that first step. I also learned the power of honesty. That one honest interview changed my career. Most importantly, careers don’t always follow a straight line. Growth often happens in the unexpected turns, and the experiences that seem unrelated today may become the foundation for opportunities tomorrow.

If you’re considering a shift into L&D:

• Don’t be intimidated by the terminology.
• Focus on what you already do that aligns with learning.
• Start small — but start.
• And most importantly, trust your journey.

I didn’t plan for an L&D career. But today, when I look back, it feels like everything I did was leading me here. And if my story can reassure even one person that it’s okay to start from scratch, pivot or take an unconventional path — then it’s a story worth sharing.