Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

This interview with 26-year-old Tara shows that age has nothing to do with Career Intensity. She knows exactly where she stands, where she wants to go, and how she can get there.

What is your job title? Science Educator/Research Scientist.

What do you do? I study marine evolution at a natural history museum, and I am a science educator through a local university.

What are your career goals for the next year? To gain a higher-level position in the science education outreach field.

The next five years? To enter a doctorate program in science education research.

The next ten years? To enter a post-doctoral position and lecture at a major university in my area. Possibly to co-author a book on my research and opinions about the state of science education in the U.S.

The rest of your life? To be an educator and advocate for education reform in my state, to continue research about the public perceptions of science, and implement solutions for creating a new generation of people who both feel confident about, understand, and support scientific research and thinking.

Wow! Look at all those goals! Does anyone else feel as certain as I do that Tara knows how to make these things happen and will take the steps necessary to realize all of her goals? How much clarity do you have about your path, and how determined are you to get what you want?

In your work, what unique value do you offer? I am enthusiastic and eclectic. I bring new interests and perspectives since I work with such a diverse set of people (from grade school students to research scientists and college professors). I am a fairly objective person and try to see all sides of the story. I try to be the buffer between people in my lab and workplace.

Tara solves problems. She helps other people maintain productive business relationships. The skill of facilitating harmony and productivity in the workplace is a valuable one. Use your unique strengths to make your office a better place to work. Everyone will appreciate you for that.

Do you evaluate your progress in achieving your goals? I write prioritized lists to see where I have been and where I am going to go. I set goal dates on my calendar and try to meet them before the actual deadlines of my projects.

Tara evaluates her past work, sets targets for the future, and works hard to exceed her own demands of herself. What a great example of continuous improvement.

Do you use relationships to help you in your career? If so, how? Absolutely! I have mentors, and I am a mentor. I teach and support others in their career goals. My passion and ambition is for the future students, and my work is part of a legacy of colleagues who inspire me to do more for society.

She is very much in touch with her peers, her support network, and the bigger picture. Where do you fit into your company? What is your role, and how can your relationships with others in the company help you move more quickly and efficiently toward success?

How are you perceived by your coworkers and supervisor? I think they perceive me in a positive light. I think they see me as hard working and industrious. I also see them viewing me as a typical Asian American female, as a hard-working, “over-achieving” person who naturally is inclined to “work hard”.

I encourage Tara to identify the elements of her personality that she wants to highlight in creating her personal brand. How can she use her reputation as a hard worker to propel herself forward? Think about the impression your business partners have of you, and cultivate those elements that are most meaningful to you.

What is the single most important thing you can do to maximize your career success? Be more confident and learn the idiosyncrasies of politics. Be more democratic about my co-workers and their academic and career goals even if I do not agree with them. I need to learn to be less angry with the system and learn to make change within it, slowly but hopefully permanently.

Most of the individuals I’ve interviewed recently have commented on their need to develop confidence in their careers. They’re right—believing in yourself wholeheartedly is a tremendous catalyst for lifelong improvement and growth. Tara also identifies the need to handle business relationships with professionalism and diplomacy. Since business is all about people and relationships, we could all benefit from learning to be more graceful in difficult situations.

Filed under: Goals
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