Laura Stegner

I have spent a significant amount of time over the past few months pondering who I am, what I am doing with my major, and what kind of career I want to pursue. These questions are not simple to ask, and even less simple to answer, yet they are being asked over and over as I apply for co-op positions and talk to my advisors about the possibility of graduate school. I constantly feel overwhelmed with all of the possible futures that I could pursue as an electrical engineer, and the goal of this project is to mitigate the mystery that surrounds all of my choices.
 
During this experience, I worked with one of my professors to explore possible career paths that I might choose. I performed a number of informational interviews to probe more into what a particular career path might look like for me. In the end, I find myself setting out with the intention of getting a PhD. I think that I am well equipped now to continue to explore what a PhD could look like for me. I know that the more I ask questions and probe to see what options are out there for me, I will continue to find my path slowly, one day at a time.

 

Below is a sample list of questions I sough to answer about every career path I considered. These questions were the driving forces behind my exploration. They also provided me with a common base to compare my information.

• What kind of schooling would I need?

• What kinds of places could I work?

• What would I enjoy about this career?

• What might I not enjoy about this career?