10th Grade Career Day
We were able to get the opportunity to shadow a professional of our choice for a day. This year, I chose a graduate student from San Diego State University. He works in an evolutionary lab at the college and focuses his work on huntsman spiders. This is my dream career and getting a chance to learn about it and experience it with a professional was incredible. Before my time at the lab, I was asked to prepare for it in class. I wrote about all of my expectations and how I was hoping the day would go. The day itself lived up to these expectations and I was able to get a lot out of my experience. We had a packet of interview questions that we were supposed to ask our mentor to answer. His answers helped and guided me for future plans.
What in your educational background most prepared you for this job?
He believes his biology and taxonomy classes best prepared him to take on this profession. It is the main focus of his work and what he usually takes his information/experience from.
What specific skill training helped you prepare for this job?
Biology, taxonomy, and writing are pivotal skills you need in order to perform the tasks he does.
How do you interact with other people during your work?
Since he is a graduate student, he shares his lab with other students. They are friends, which makes his lab a much more comfortable, expressive space.
To what extent do you find work interesting?
He loves what he does and couldn't imagine himself doing anything else. He is very interested in his work and plans to be a professor in the future, teaching others the same thing.
What are the most important rules or practices that you must follow in order to be considered a dedicated and responsible professional?
You must be a responsible, dedicated worker. You should love what you do. You should always be serious about your work and how you get your work done.
Is this a typical work day for you? If not, what is a typical work day?
Unfortunately, I did not come on a typical day. He had just completed his experiments and plated all of his work. All that was left was inputting the data into trees and other forms. Most days are much more exciting as he is able to go in the field and collect, as well as extract DNA.
What is the best advice you can give me if I plan to pursue this career in the future?
My mentor, along with all of his lab mates, had told me a few points of advice. Those being for college and beyond. They all had the same answer which was to not stress over plans for the future. Although it is important to have a basic plan, they told me I'd figure everything out in the future and make the right decision. They emphasized the fact that if I have a passion, I should follow it, no matter the consequences or money.
I had all of my questions answered that I needed. This is the career that I dream of and I am now sure it is what I will do for the future. This was a fantastic experience and I am glad I decided to shadow someone who could help me as much as he did.
What in your educational background most prepared you for this job?
He believes his biology and taxonomy classes best prepared him to take on this profession. It is the main focus of his work and what he usually takes his information/experience from.
What specific skill training helped you prepare for this job?
Biology, taxonomy, and writing are pivotal skills you need in order to perform the tasks he does.
How do you interact with other people during your work?
Since he is a graduate student, he shares his lab with other students. They are friends, which makes his lab a much more comfortable, expressive space.
To what extent do you find work interesting?
He loves what he does and couldn't imagine himself doing anything else. He is very interested in his work and plans to be a professor in the future, teaching others the same thing.
What are the most important rules or practices that you must follow in order to be considered a dedicated and responsible professional?
You must be a responsible, dedicated worker. You should love what you do. You should always be serious about your work and how you get your work done.
Is this a typical work day for you? If not, what is a typical work day?
Unfortunately, I did not come on a typical day. He had just completed his experiments and plated all of his work. All that was left was inputting the data into trees and other forms. Most days are much more exciting as he is able to go in the field and collect, as well as extract DNA.
What is the best advice you can give me if I plan to pursue this career in the future?
My mentor, along with all of his lab mates, had told me a few points of advice. Those being for college and beyond. They all had the same answer which was to not stress over plans for the future. Although it is important to have a basic plan, they told me I'd figure everything out in the future and make the right decision. They emphasized the fact that if I have a passion, I should follow it, no matter the consequences or money.
I had all of my questions answered that I needed. This is the career that I dream of and I am now sure it is what I will do for the future. This was a fantastic experience and I am glad I decided to shadow someone who could help me as much as he did.