Dream job (at a local institution)

So I recently applied to a position that would be my "dream job". It's working with veterans, at an administrative level, at an institution that serves a large number of students and vets. It's a full-time, grant-funded position, but it's what I really (really, really, really) want to do. It would be like the genie or fairy granting one wish for the career path you want.

But, like most things, it has made me reflect on what I want, where I want my career to go, and what my ultimate goal is. It started with a thought: I want to work, advise, and counsel veterans in an institution of higher learning. Ok, great. That's a huge description for one person's job. And then came the doubt: can I make enough changes to effect enough people to make it my final goal? Nope, probably not. Helping even one vet would make my degree worthwhile, but helping in the large-scale would probably be the career goal. Ok, so then what is the final career goal? I probably need to be a VP of something somewhere to effect real large-scale change. Ok, well there's a scary thought. That require years of experience, ladder climbing, and at least one more degree.

Ok, back up. Stop. Breathe. First I need a job, just one, with some professional experience working with students. There is a good place to start. But I am so excited about this posting that I can't help daydreaming. It's grant-funded that means in order to keep the position around funding needs to continue. This could mean that there is grant money for several years, months, or even just days. Ok, so what about making it a self-funded position or office? How could it become self funded? Well, what if the institution held an annual conference concerning serving vets? It could offer in-person sessions as well as webinar settings, we could bring in local professionals and speakers, use campus resources, and grow each year. Or we could offer services to the community, such as discussions and panels, that could be sponsored and paid for in order to continue the program.

Oh, and that question regarding personal weaknesses? How about: a passion so big that all I can think about is how exciting this position is.

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