Strike One

During my most recent job interview, one of my interviewers asked me “Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are your career aspirations?” I told her that I hoped to be the director of communications or public relations for a large corporation. I also told her that in 20 or 30 years from now I would love to own my own public relations firm. I could tell from her facial expression that she was not pleased with my response—strike one. She then asked me where else I had applied. I told her the truth. I have learned from experience that people appreciate honesty if it’s genuine. I listed a public relations agency and a few commercial corporations. From the speech she gave me about how I needed to “find myself,” I could tell that she, once again, was not pleased with my response—strike two.

I’m sorry, but when did being multifaceted become a bad thing? I think many of the people in positions of leadership have become complacent. Sometimes I worry the world is not ready for my generation and the younger generations. I look at my peers and we are young, eager, opinionated, aggressive and competitive. I want diverse professional experiences. In school I learn about so many aspects of public relations and, naturally, I want to do it all. Life does not always have to be about choosing one or the other. I told the interviewer about my dreams and aspirations, none of which is set in stone. Yes, I want to handle media relations, internal relations, community relations and investor relations. Yes, I want to develop and implement campaigns, plan events, write speeches and public statements. Being versatile does not mean that I am lost.