Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Last week I had a job interview wherein I was asked that age-old question: where do you see yourself in 10 years?
At the time I fudged a terribly evasive and awkward answer. Later I began to think: does anyone really have the luxury of anticipating this far in advance anymore?
(I also thought, "holy crap, in 10 years I'll be 40.")
I've since crafted the most honest -- yet still somewhat evasive -- answer that I can give.
While I was working in New Jersey I realized I can either live in Cleveland, or I can use my MLS, but the odds are against me that I can do both. (And now there's the somewhat complicating dimension of going car-free.) I chose Cleveland over my professional career path because I feel responsible for giving back to the place where I came from. If I can find a position that suits me and that allows me to develop that professional career path, then that's great. But if I can't, then I've decided to adapt my skill set to the needs of this local economy (particularly those employers in public transit-friendly areas, mainly University Circle), whatever those needs might be. So you can see that it's hard to anticipate exactly where I'll be in 10 years.
Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
At the time I fudged a terribly evasive and awkward answer. Later I began to think: does anyone really have the luxury of anticipating this far in advance anymore?
(I also thought, "holy crap, in 10 years I'll be 40.")
I've since crafted the most honest -- yet still somewhat evasive -- answer that I can give.
While I was working in New Jersey I realized I can either live in Cleveland, or I can use my MLS, but the odds are against me that I can do both. (And now there's the somewhat complicating dimension of going car-free.) I chose Cleveland over my professional career path because I feel responsible for giving back to the place where I came from. If I can find a position that suits me and that allows me to develop that professional career path, then that's great. But if I can't, then I've decided to adapt my skill set to the needs of this local economy (particularly those employers in public transit-friendly areas, mainly University Circle), whatever those needs might be. So you can see that it's hard to anticipate exactly where I'll be in 10 years.
Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
posted by Christine at 6:19 AM
9 Comments:
If I was asked that question in an interview, I'd give some b.s. answer about working my way up the corporate ladder at a company like theirs. (Feel free to vomit.) Nowadays, staying with a company five years should be cause to get the gold watch. Ten years is practically unheard of.
In reality, I hope to be able to be living completely off of book writing, freelance writing, and teaching writing in ten years, heck even five years from now.
I think the question in interviews just tries to see how good you are at showing you have a general path in mind. At least that is how it was used when I was Dun and Bradstreet trained.
And I dont' even wanna think about how old I will be in ten years. One thing I know -- I will still be working lol.
Ugh, that question used to make me want to weep. I would talk about loyalty and career progression. I felt horrible.
Until one day, I told the truth: I want to be a writer. I'm marking time at this job until I've saved up enough to take a good long time off to work at my writing. And I'll be moving on from here in two years, unless you can give me an exciting opportunity that will entice me to stay; but ultimately, here is not where I want to be in ten years' time.'
and of course, nowadays the person asking that question isn't going to be there in 10 years, either. The job world has changed. No one is going to be a "lifer" in their jobs anymore ... maybe they'll stay in a career-type, like librarian or teacher, but not at the same institution. I've been in the nonprofit world for 12 years now ... it seems most people get itchy feet within 3 years and jump to another institution.
Though once I did figure I had nothing to lose so when someone asked me where I saw myself in 10 years, I just looked them in the eye, smiled, and said, "in your position." I did actually get the job, but I'm sure not there now!
I actually like your answer about your choice between using your degree or living where you want.
Whenever people ask me why I'm vegetarian, I tell them it's because I'm a librarian, and I can't afford both to eat meat and be a librarian.
I think dedication to a community is fantastic. I'm sick of people telling me I need to "broaden [my] horizons" when what they really mean is leave NEO -and- be a class traitor.
hopefully where i'm at now, i guess.
In ten years I want to to be the person people call when they ask - what was it like when LeBron was young and hopes were high?
I've got a lot of catching up to do here. So glad to have found you. By the way, did not Google you or find you through Nex-Librarian; you were on a blog roll somewhere. Can't remember which site.
are you going to get back into the regular posting habit? i love what you've posted in the past. i'd hope to see more new content soon!!
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