I'm Changing: The Analysis of a Career Changer

[I've decided to start a mini-series of posts based on my current plight in life...CAREER CHANGE.  My motivation for doing this is mostly selfish in the sense that I am hoping that it will help define my mission, highlight my progress and help me to identify and validate where I'm going...but I also hope that it may help anyone who may read this.]

Growing up?

(Point of view taken from up until 2000, dating myself and assuming that not all that much has changed.  Also note: these are statements on public school- I am fully aware that privileged private schools may be different; however a majority of people do not have this as an option.)

 

There's something inherently wrong with our public education system, grades 0 - 12.  It's rigid and far too based on "core curriculum" with not enough opportunity for personal discovery. You've got your standard math, english, science pathways with some elective-like courses thrown in here and there (I'm looking at you middle school band, home ec (WTF), and if you didn't grow up in a small town in Virginia, maybe computer science). Yes, I'm exaggerating to some extent on course diversity, but I do feel feel strongly that this is no way to introduce students to discover what they are passionate about, excel at and how they may be able to contribute.  Sure, I excelled in school and graduated from a major university with a biology degree.  How did I get to that point?  My mom,who also graduated with a degree in the biological sciences, was a partial influence.  Other influences were classes I enjoyed in high school.  But not really.  I would have rather had 10 creative writing/film classes as compared to my courseload of organic chemistry, calculus, biology, etc...  I took these classes because I had to- literally.  Unlike college, there was no flexibility in creating a "major."  I took a course path based on what the state of Virginia thought I should take.  OK, cool.  I was 18 and kinda just accepted that because I thought that was "the way" or something.

Enter college and beyond:

The way our system is set up, every class, test, standardized test (lame) a student takes leads up to making a decision on a college, and even finer in detail, a major/minor.  Because I thought I excelled in biology, I landed on a biology degree at the University of Georgia...which I really enjoyed once I got the "core curriculum" out of the way and jumped into the biology stuff.  OK, cool. I excelled, graduated and now was expected to go out and find a job.  I landed at a major biotech firm in SF which was a great experience, moved to NYC and landed another gig at a major pharmaceutical company...but something wasn't adding up.  This 'something' I began to identify back in college.  As time passed, I realized that my personality may not be the best fit for the discipline I now had spent the last 10+ years involved in.  As more time passed, I began to sincerely despise the work and industry I was involved in.  There could have been multiple reasons for this, but the major issue could be summed up in one question and answer: WAS IT FULFILLING?  NO!  The area of work I had chosen was not fulfilling. The people I worked around were nothing like me.

...and then an amazing thing happened: I was laid off!

Next Post:  Big. Scary. CAREER CHANGE Part 1:  The Initial Concrete Internal Analysis.