Career Roadmap
Cynthia's work combines: Environment & Nature, Writing, and Communicating / Sharing Stories
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Sociology, General
Pitzer College
Graduate Degree
Environmental Studies
California State University-Fullerton
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Public Relations and Fundraising Managers:
Bachelor's Degree: Environmental Science
Graduate Degree: Environmental Science
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Going to college after a bad car accident left me injured and unable to work for a while.
2.
Took as many jobs as I could to test out different careers. I kept getting bored so I kept going.
3.
Kept finding new jobs but was also systematically narrowing down what I loved and hated-work wise.
4.
Found a comfortable job I thought I would like but ended up getting bored.
5.
I decided I could live in a cubicle the rest of my life, complacently or take action.
6.
Asked myself what I was truly passionate about--and then decided I would work towards a new career.
7.
Applied and got in to grad school--as a career change--which WAS NOT easy, but I wanted a new life!
8.
Studied things I loved and felt happy and "right" and found a great hybrid job!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Friends:
You'll never make money helping the environment. You shouldn't have given up a nice, well-paying corporate job for this. Passion is for hobbies, not careers. You have too many interests and requirements for work-you'll never be happy.
How I responded:
Focus in on who you are. What makes you tick, what makes you happy, what moves you? Take that and try to match it to a "role" (not a job, as it may not exist) and imagine yourself doing that--do you like it? Is it attainable? If you like it, then it is attainable. A job is part of who you are--it consumes so much of your spirit that it should be a natural extension of who you are.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was living off practically nothing, never sure if I could make rent but somehow things fell into place when they needed to--as long as I never became greedy or solely money focused, things worked out.