Significant Career Lesson From A Financial Analyst At Berkeley Lab
Calvin's most significant career lesson is discovering "what you don't like," illustrated by their experience at Deloitte, where intense work and pressure led to unhappiness. This realization highlighted the importance of identifying unsuitable work environments and making changes for a better work-life balance.
Career Exploration, Self-Awareness, Work-Life Balance, Stress Management, Career Pivoting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Calvin Lau
Financial Analyst
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
UCLA 2012
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Energy & Utilities, Government & Public Sector
Finance
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. Self-reflection is crucial for career development. Identify what you dislike professionally, as this is equally valuable as identifying your strengths and preferences.
2. Exposure to various roles and organizations provides insights into your capabilities and preferences, ultimately shaping your career path.
3. Prioritizing your well-being and happiness is essential. Don't hesitate to make changes if a role or environment is causing unhappiness, even if it is initially prestigious or challenging.
Transcript
What is one lesson you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
The most valuable lesson I've learned is understanding what you don't like. Stretching yourself with new organizations and roles is helpful, as you learn more about what you enjoy, what you're good at, what you're not good at, and what you dislike. Knowing what isn't a right fit for you is really important.
Before this, I worked at Deloitte, a Big Four accounting firm. It was a prestigious consulting company and a great learning experience. You definitely learn a lot from working on multiple projects, working hard, meeting tight deadlines, and sometimes having managers watching your every move.
Shifting from that, even during that experience, I realized I could be quite unhappy. When you take a cohesive look at your life as a whole, it's important to recognize when something isn't working out or making you unhappy, and then figure out what steps you can take to change that. So, learning what you don't like is just as valuable as learning what you do like.