Let’s try this again

I was looking through my old drafts and found a post that was not yet finished. However, it still has a lot of meaning.

I have one more year left of my MBA. I am really excited about graduating and implementing all the knowledge that I have learned.   As the amount of courses I take begin to dwindle, it is time think about the next chapter of my career transition.

When I was in undergrad, I spent a lot of time planning my career and very little time planning my life. Prior to going to back to receive my advanced degree I spent some time analyzing life after college. I had many ups and downs and when I was 21, I never really thought about the kind of life I wanted to have when I became a women. When I turned 25 years old, I started to feel really uneasy about my life and where it was heading. I was constantly at work feeling physically ill and really unhappy. I thought about leaving my job every week after being their for 2 years. I just did not like the direction of where my life was heading. Thus, my body gave me signs that it was time to move on, but I did not recognize it until I went to the doctors and she suggested I get another job.  Eventually, I did get another job and I did feel better. However, at every job I always felt a sense of anxiety. That it was not a right fit for me. At this time I already was accepted in two MBA programs and decided to attend Fairleigh Dickinson University.

I will admit when I started my MBA, I was not sure exactly what I wanted to do with it. I knew I wanted to become a business leader, an executive and that I dreaded desk jobs.  I knew that I had to be in front of the scene as well as behind. However, my desired occupation or industry I was not sure of. Now, I realize that it is normal to feel that way. I want to do things differently than I how did things the first time I graduated college.

 

I did it… Life after MBA

I woke up one day this week and realized, I have not written a blog post in over a year. Now that school is over, I can focus on my passions again. I really love blogging and communicating with people online. I have been able to speak to many people about experiences that  we all share.

Recently, I graduated with my MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. I am extremely proud of myself and look forward to all the opportunities that are coming my way. The last 2 1/2 years has been challenging. I went from not having a career to moving into Human Resources.

This is the most excited I have been in a really long time. I am looking forward to revamping my blog as I have grown so much over the last two years.

Love,

Samah Juana

 

Worst Interview Ever

Have you ever gone on an interview and the person clearly does not know how to perform an interview? Well, that happened recently. I went on an interview for a position that I was so excited about. I got to the interview and the person interviewing me was less than inviting.  She gave a phony handshake and did not seem authentic. In addition, she was late and did not apologize.

Even though I knew position I was interviewing for, she choose not to reiterate what the position was about and the exact responsibilities that she was looking to be completed. She did not explain what her position was and how if she would be supervising.

I answered the standard interviewing questions and she made rude statements such as educated people like your self believe life will easy for you. That I should have stayed at my last job and paid my dues. What I thought was shocking was I never said anything about my education or explained the reason why i left my last job. I felt extremely judged and realized this was not going to be the best place for me to work. I ended up not getting the position, but was grateful that she decided to pass on me.

Have you every gone on an interview and felt like the person really did not know how to conduct an interview?

MBA WOES

Being in graduate school has its ups and downs. I talk more about the ups and not really the downs.

1. It is always more expensive than what you think it will be. There is gas, books, printing, faxing, scanning and other expenses. That are not included in tuition.
2.  You never have enough time to get everything done the right way. I wanted to get all A’s in class, but I realize that would require so much work and that I did not have the time to get A’s in every class.
3. Focus on networking and getting internships more than getting A’s in class. Make sure you making getting a great career and not a great job during your masters program. I am in my last year and I realized I need to focus more on career goals and not just on finishing class.

I hope anyone who is reading this takes this into consideration prior to going back to school.

Faith in Crisis

I went to church today. It was really so engaging. I have to force myself to go to church most of the time now a days, but when I get there I never regret going. I always make such amazing realizations about my life at church.

Prior to church and for the past couple of months, I had been feeling bored with church. I would go to church related events and feel so empty. I started really questioning my beliefs. How do I feel about gay marriage? How do I feel about the Ten Commandments?  I started really questioning God’s role in my life.  When I went to church my pastor told me it is normal to question God and that it was okay. I really needed to hear that.

Have you ever questioned your religious beliefs and God’s role in your life?

 

 

 

Being grateful is to be content?

 

In Philippians 4:11, Paul said, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am in therewith to be content.”

I am grateful for the success that I have, but am not content. There  is so much more to do. More people to meet, things to learn and explore. I constantly feel the need to improve and top myself. However, I find my self in situations where people will tell me to be grateful for what I have. The issue is I am grateful, but I am not satisfied because there is always more room to grow. Unfortunately , it is hard to communicate that to people without them judging you.There is always someone who is worse off and better off than you are. That is always the response I get. As if it solves the way I feel.

The Only One

I am the only minority in my business program. ONLY ONE. It was not that way when I first started the program. It was two Asians and me. That has changed people have dropped out or joined other cohorts. I am left as the only minority in my cohort. Yay, me! I am being sarcastic.

All these thoughts ran through my mind when I began to take in the fact that it was only me. Did I have to represent all minorities or specifically Black people? Did I just represent Black women? Did have it easier not being a Black man in graduate school? I decided to not let it bother  me and to not focus on those thoughts. I also began to wonder why I was curious about being the only Black and minority in my cohort. I guess what I was experiencing was just what many Black people feel when they are the only one. There is a sense of having to represent that I often have not felt before until then. Of course I try to ignore my feelings, but I also think it is okay to explore why I feel the way that I do.