A Career Teaching Internationally

By Beth Hood aka GPS Gal

Meet Shannon, a 6th grade English Teacher at an international school in Mexico who also has a Masters degree in Educational Administration. If you are interested in a career in education or have ever considered working abroad, you might want to check out Shannon’s interview below... 

GPSGal: What’s your current career or job title?

Shannon: 6th grade English Teacher at an international school in Mexico.

GPSGal: Did you have to go to college in order to be in this career? If yes, what did you study?

Shannon: Yes! I studied my BA in Spanish and Elementary Education. As of this week, I finished my Masters in Educational Administration.

GPSGal: Why did you choose to pursue a career in teaching? 

Shannon: I felt like God called me to use my gifts in the service of children. I also grew up in a family of teachers. So, I guess its a little bit of nature and nurture. :)

GPSGal: What’s the most interesting or challenging thing about your job?

Shannon: Because I'm teaching in a different country than my own, there are many cultural differences that can be both interesting and challenging. Also, working with extremely fortunate “wealthy” students can be challenging when I try to help them broaden their perspective and see more of the world.

GPSGal: Is there any part of your job that you don’t enjoy?

Shannon: I feel frustrated when I can't get through to my students. I feel like I haven't really done my job well. 

GPSGal: Do you think it’s important for women to choose a job or career that they think they will love? Did you consider this when you made your career choice?

Shannon: I think that women should definitely choose a career they will love. However, I think that its important for women to love life, first and foremost, that way, they can enjoy everything they do from being a stay-at-home to an executive. A job/career doesn't determine your happiness and love for life. 

GPSGal: Can you briefly describe what you do on an average day in your career?

Shannon: I design activities that allow students to work independently or in small and large groups. They develop their English capabilities through reading, writing, speaking and listening. I also work collaboratively with my colleagues on administrative requirements of our program and designing potential activities.

GPSGal: Do you have any piece of advice for girls in high school who are interested in pursuing a similar career?

Shannon: Remember that being a teacher isn't only loving kids. You need to be able to separate your life from your work. Remember that, in any profession, you will work with people who you don't like and you won't always agree with your boss!

GPSGal: Do you have a mission (sense of purpose) for your life? If you could put it into a mission statement what would it be?

"If you want peace, work for justice". -Pope Paul VI 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Ghandi

GPSGal: Wise words… Thank you for your time, Shannon. 

If you have a question about this interview or would like to learn more about this career, you can forward your questions to the GPS Gal.

A career that mixes design, marketing, and business

By Beth Hood aka GPS Gal

Meet Rachel, an architect who knew what career she wanted to pursue from a very young age. She offers some very practical advice for anyone who might consider a career in architecture. To hear Rachel’s story read on…

GPSGal: What’s your current career or job title?

Rachel: I’m an architect.

GPSGal: Did you have to go to college in order to be in this career? If yes, what did you study? 

Rachel: Yes I majored in architecture and graduated with a Bachelor’s of architecture and a Bachelor’s of environmental science.

GPSGal: Why did you choose to pursue a career in architecture?

Rachel: I wanted to be an architect since I was young.

GPSGal: What’s the most interesting or challenging thing about your job?

Rachel: The marketing and business aspects—keeping a project on budget and selling innovative design ideas.

GPSGal: Is there any part of your job that you don’t enjoy?

Rachel: The stress and pressure of meeting nearly impossible schedules and budgets, and making compromises of equally important features.

GPSGal: Do you think it’s important for women to choose a job or career that they think they will love? Did you consider this when you made your career choice?

Rachel: I think women should really enjoy what they do but not be too emotionally invested. I was passionate about the field but found it to be personally unfulfilling as a creative outlet. Creative people (and we all are to some extent) need to find a way to express themselves, and not expect it to happen in their job, especially when they work in a service industry.

GPSGal: I appreciate your honesty in saying that it’s important to find a creative outlet, and that you very well may find this outside of your career, not within it. Can you briefly describe what you do on an average day in your career? 

Rachel: My day is made up of: 30% written or verbal communication — emailing, phone calls informal or formal team meetings, 20% project management, and 50% design or technical research.

GPSGal: Do you have any piece of advice for girls in high school who are interested in pursuing a similar career?

Rachel: Interview a few different architects, especially women and talk with them about their experiences. Architectural education is very demanding and I think it fairly reflects the intensity of practice, but not in the same way. Business skills are vastly underdeveloped.

GPSGal: Do you have a mission (sense of purpose) for your life? If you could put it into a mission statement what would it be?

Rachel: Working on it! I am a visionary, connecting and unifying ideas to holistically create possibilities and realities.

GPSGal: I think it’s always fun to talk with someone who is doing what they wanted to do since they were a little kid. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was little, but that dream changed somewhere in high school! I wish you all the best in your career. Thanks for sharing!

If you have a question about this interview or would like to learn more about this career, you can forward your questions to the GPS Gal.

A “Recession Proof” Job in Medicine

By Beth Hood aka GPS Gal

Meet Noelle, an internal medicine physician from Indiana. She advises our readers who are interested in a medical field, “Don't go into it for the money. The money is good, but if you don't enjoy the work it would be miserable.” If you are interested in having a career in medicine, check out Noelle’s interview….

GPSGal: What’s your current career or job title?

Noelle: Internal medicine physician. I see patients and I teach at the medical school

GPSGal: Did you have to go to college in order to be in this career? If yes, what did you study?

Noelle: Yes. I studied biology, but you really only need about 1.5-2 years of prerequisites to get into medical school. I attended a liberal arts college and didn't declare a major until late sophomore year.

GPSGal: Why did you choose to pursue a career in medicine? 

Noelle: I knew I wanted something that involved science yet involved people rather than a lab, etc. I also felt strongly that a career in service would be most fulfilling to me.

GPSGal: What’s the most interesting or challenging thing about your job?

Noelle: Sometimes it is like being a detective—there is a mystery in a patient’s symptoms or presentation to the hospital. I like that the job never gets old—medicine is constantly improving and changing as we learn more.

GPSGal: Is there any part of your job that you don’t enjoy?

Noelle: I don't enjoy the paperwork. I spend almost as many minutes documenting on the chart for each minute I spend with a patient.

GPSGal: Do you think it’s important for women to choose a job or career that they think they will love? Did you consider this when you made your career choice?

Noelle: Yes. I can't imagine doing anything else. I love my career. For women who have a choice, of course choosing a career that they love is ideal. If you need to support a family, I can understand making different choices. One thing I probably did not appreciate when I was younger was the importance of work-life balance. I love that I can work predictable hours and spend time with my kids.

GPSGal: Can you briefly describe what you do on an average day in your career?

Noelle: I spend three days per week seeing patients in the office. I work at a VA hospital as the medical director for the women's health program, so I see about 50% men and 50% women. As you might imagine, most of colleagues are men and most of my colleagues don't see many women patients. Periodically, I take my turn rounding in the hospital on our patients which is a nice change in routine. The other two days a week I work in the medical education office giving lectures, developing curriculum for residents and students in training.

GPSGal: Do you have any piece of advice for girls in high school who are interested in pursuing a similar career?

Noelle: It would be good to spend some time shadowing a doctor or two in different settings. Don't go into it for the money. The money is good, but if you don't enjoy the work it would be miserable. It is a great time to enter any medical field - nursing, x-ray tech, speech therapist. There is a huge need for people with this training, and the jobs are “recession proof”.

GPSGal: Thanks for all the great advice!

If you have a question about this interview or would like to learn more about this career, you can forward your questions to the GPS Gal.

A Great Career for a Creative, AND Organized Mind

By Beth Hood aka GPS Gal

Meet Jamie, a marketing specialist who inspires us to, “Give your opinion even when you are nervous. If no one else agrees with your opinion, you will learn something…” If you are interested in getting the inside scoop of marketing or are curious what you might do with a business degree, check out the following interview…

GPSGal: What’s your current career or job title?

Jamie: I’m a Marketing Specialist.

GPSGal: Did you have to go to college in order to be in this career? If yes, what did you study?

Jamie: I went to college and received a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing and Management.

GPSGal: Why did you choose to pursue a career in marketing?

Jamie: Actually my career path chose me. It was never clear to me what I was meant to do, so it was more about trial and error. I enjoy working with creative minds and organizing projects and keeping things on track.

GPSGal: What’s the most interesting or challenging thing about your job?

Jamie: Making sure all the pieces (copy, photos, itineraries etc...) are all collected and organized on time for the designers.

GPSGal: Is there any part of your job that you don’t enjoy?

Jamie: I enjoy bigger projects that take longer to complete. I don't enjoy the small jobs as much.

GPSGal: Do you think it’s important for women to choose a job or career that they think they will love? Did you consider this when you made your career choice?

Jamie: Absolutely. I think it is more important than ever because previous generations worked to support families but it didn't matter if they liked their job, it was just a way to put food on the table. Now, because we spend more time at work than we do at home, it is more important than ever for that job to be fulfilling and enjoyable.

GPSGal: Can you briefly describe what you do on an average day in your career?

Jamie: I work with clients to find out what they want to sell, I organize the information (with cruising, I organize the sailing dates, itinerary, itinerary map, copy about the region of the sailing, photos that depict that region etc...). Then I find out how the piece will be used (online or print). If printed, I find out what kind of quantity they want and get quotes from printers. Then I go on press checks to make sure it prints the way I want it.

GPSGal: Do you have any piece of advice for girls in high school who are interested in pursuing a similar career?

Jamie: It is important to be diplomatic and professional. Even when someone you work with isn't. This is how you will gain a reputation of someone that is easy and pleasurable to work with. Make sure you are organized. Give your opinion even when you are nervous. If no one else agrees with your opinion, you will learn something about the brand and this will help you as you grow in this career.

GPSGal: Do you have a mission (sense of purpose) for your life? If you could put it into a mission statement what would it be?

Jamie: Do what makes you happy. I like what I do, but in my time off, I garden and cook because that is when I truly feel happy. It's all about balance.

GPSGal: I think finding balance in your life is definitely one of the keys to being happy. Thank you so much for your insight and for sharing the inside scoop on being a marketing specialist! 

If you have a question about this interview or would like to learn more about this career, you can forward your questions to the GPS Gal.

A Passion to Build Affordable Houses

By Beth Hood aka GPS Gal

Meet Elizabeth, a Construction Project Manager who tells us, “Don't be intimidated by the thought of being a woman in an industry that is male-dominated.” If you are interested in learning about the ins and outs of working in a construction field or just want to be inspired by Elizabeth’s love of her work and her mission to create affordable housing, read on…

GPSGal: What’s your current career or job title? 

Elizabeth: I’m a Construction Project Manager

GPSGal: Did you have to go to college in order to be in this career? If yes, what did you study?

Elizabeth: Some people work their way up from being a construction laborer or carpenter, then a Superintendent. Others go to college for an architecture or construction management degree. I went to college for Urban Planning but then spent some time doing construction work in the field also.

GPSGal: Why did you choose to pursue a career in library science?

Elizabeth: I was always interested in building and went to college intending to be an architect. After volunteering with Habitat for Humanity a lot in college, I realized I was much more interested in building buildings than designing them. After college, I spent 2 years building houses for Habitat for Humanity through the AmeriCorps program and realized I wanted to make construction my career.

GPSGal: What’s the most interesting or challenging thing about your job?

Elizabeth: Working with a lot of different kinds of people. Managing building construction brings me into contact with subcontractors, architects, city inspectors, neighbors, superintendents, engineers, people looking for jobs, etc. It's a pretty diverse crowd, with a wide range of backgrounds and personalities. Also, every project is very different. We usually bring a team of people together for 1-2 years to build a project and we work pretty intensely for those 1-2 years. Depending on the building, the owner and the team make-up, my job could be completely different from one project to the next.

GPSGal: Is there any part of your job that you don’t enjoy?

Elizabeth: Sometimes I feel pressure to work long hours to get all the work done. I worked for a city government for a couple years and the workload was very different...if I couldn't finish a task at the city job, I would just leave it until the next day. Often that's not an option in construction where if I don't get all of my work done, it could delay the construction project.

GPSGal: Do you think it’s important for women to choose a job or career that they think they will love? Did you consider this when you made your career choice?

Elizabeth: It's absolutely important to find something that you love. I actually had trouble coming up with something that I don't enjoy about my job for the previous question. If you find something that you love to do, that brings you satisfaction, it makes the rest of your life so much better. In the past when I had a job that was unsatisfying, it affected my whole attitude about life, not just my attitude at work. In my case, I'm a passionate supporter of affordable housing and so I chose to work for a company that specializes in building affordable housing. I definitely considered this when I chose both my career and my current employer.

GPSGal: Can you briefly describe what you do on an average day in your career?

Elizabeth: As a construction manager, I am in charge of managing everything that goes on at a building project. I choose the subcontractors and write contracts for their work, work with the architect and building owner, manage all the finances of the project, monitor safety at the jobsite and generally make sure the project gets construction on schedule and on budget. On most projects, I have a Superintendent who is in charge of the day-to-day operations on the jobsite and a Project Engineer who helps make sure the project is being built according to the plans and specifications.

GPSGal: Do you have any piece of advice for girls in high school who are interested in pursuing a similar career?

Elizabeth: Don't be intimidated by the thought of being a woman in an industry that is male-dominated. I truly believe that being a woman in construction has helped me countless times, and only been detrimental once or twice. In my experience, people are more willing to share their technical knowledge and open up to me as a woman than they would be if I were a man. I also feel that as a woman I can sometimes relate to owners and architects better than some men in construction can. Also, guys in the field are more helpful and respectful to me than they are to my male colleagues in many instances.

GPSGal: Do you have a mission (sense of purpose) for your life? If you could put it into a mission statement what would it be? 

Elizabeth: I’ve seen first-hand how important it is to have a safe, decent place to live. In this current recession and with the housing market crunch, more people than ever are homeless or fighting eviction. I decided a long time ago that creating affordable housing is a mission that I believe in and so I aligned my career with that goal. My mission is to work every day to help solve the housing problem and to build projects that I am proud of. There’s nothing wrong with having a job to earn money and pursuing your passion outside of work but for me, combining my passion with my work has made my life more complete. I don’t have a mission statement so much as a mantra: Figure out what you are passionate about and do then pursue it whole-heartedly. If your passion changes, change your life to follow your new passion.

GPSGal: Wow! I can’t imagine getting any better advice than that! Thank you for sharing about your career world and your passion for building affordable housing. I totally agree with you about aligning your career with your main mission in life, and I hope that your words will inspire more girls to align their career paths with what they passionately believe in. 

If you have a question about this interview or would like to learn more about this career, you can forward your questions to the GPS Gal.