India, Aug. 18 -- Sofia Jiang had landed the kind of job many graduates dream about. She had a six-figure salary, a role at Morgan Stanley and a strong start to her career. But just four months after joining the investment bank, the 23-year-old decided to walk away and pursue a very different path.

Jiang told Business Insider that she had studied business and global affairs at Georgetown University and was initially drawn to investment banking because of its prestige, high pay and job security. She had interned at Morgan Stanley during college and secured a full-time offer before graduating. Yet once she started working, she realised the role was not teaching her how to build a business, which was ultimately what she wanted to do.

Jiang...