Biggest Challenges Faced By a Budget Analyst at a California State Budget Agency
Justin's biggest challenge as a Budget Analyst at the Public Budgeting Agency for the State of California is being comfortable with the vast amount of knowledge required for the role, noting that it is "so rich in terms of context" and that it takes "a few years to get to the point where [one feels] very confident." Overcoming this challenge has been a period of growth, learning to be okay with "not knowing everything" despite prior roles where there was more experience and familiarity.
Overcoming Challenges, Career Development, Confidence, Entry-Level, Industry Realities
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Justin Hurst
Budget Analyst
Public Budgeting Agency for the State of California
UC Davis
Sac State - Master's of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA)
Biology & Related Sciences, International Relations & Affairs
Education, Government & Public Sector
Finance
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Comfort in uncertainty: A significant challenge is being comfortable not knowing everything, especially when transitioning from roles where one felt like an expert.
2. Context-rich environment: The role demands a deep understanding of context, statutes, budgetary decision-making, and evolving policies.
3. Long learning curve: It typically takes several years to gain confidence in all aspects of the role, assuming one stays in the same assignment.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge within your role?
To build off my last answer, my biggest challenge personally was to be comfortable in a space where I don't know everything. In many of my previous roles, I had ample time to learn about the position or already possessed prior experience, which made me feel confident in what I was saying.
This role, however, is rich in context, statutes, budgetary decision-making, and changing policies. I've heard anecdotally that it takes a few years to feel confident in all aspects of this work, and that's even if you stay in the same assignment.
So, for me, it was a period of growth, being comfortable not knowing everything and still being the expert, inherently, once I started this role.