The Mathematics of Character: When the Job Hunt and Pandemic Coincide
By Catherine Lori
Catherine Lori is a senior at Davidson College. She hails from Long Island, NY. Cat is passionate about the intersection of technology and social good. Next year she will be joining Google as a Cloud Technical Resident in Atlanta, GA.
The leap from undergrad to a first full-time position is a unique and exciting transition for most students. For many, it also comes with moments of confusion and defeat. In my experience, and that of all students who are graduating this year, the job search coincides with a global recession and pandemic—yet another obstacle in what is commonly recognized as an already bumpy road. In the face of adversity, we, as future leaders, must call on the values that being a student of mathematics has taught us—namely resourcefulness, awareness, patience, and resilience. In my job search, prioritizing these values allowed me to face the highs and lows with grace and mental soundness. Below, I share a few takeaways from my experience.
Lean in to your community
Having a connection is a great way to find out more about a company or position. It can also help distinguish an applicant by adding a human experience to a resume. Using LinkedIn or an alumni network provided by your school is a great way to make a connection to someone who shares an academic or extracurricular interest. Networking was actually a really fun and insightful experience in my job search. I found that the large majority of Davidson alumni were thrilled to have a conversation with me and were eager to help in any way that they could. Sometimes I would leave a conversation and realize that I was really uninterested in the career that was described to me. And, of course, that is valuable too.
Be a diligent and confident advocate for yourself
In networking calls and interviews alike, having a keen sense of self and your abilities is a great way to make connections and convey professional aptitude. Advocating for yourself is an important skill to practice, even beyond the context of job searching. Being able to concisely and clearly articulate what you are good at and what you are passionate about are crucial in order to be a strong self-advocate. This doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and like most other talents, requires practice. Networking calls are a great low-stakes way to practice this skill before formal interviews.
In my experience, I felt most overwhelmed by the sheer amount of material that could come up in a technical interview, which requires either hands-on-keyboard programming or verbal communication of a technical topic, such as web application development. To combat this discouragement, I chose to change my perspective by dedicating myself to one certain topic that I felt most called to, becoming proficient in that area largely by reading digital textbooks and watching informational YouTube videos. For example, in interviews where I knew I could be tested on any aspect of web technology, I doubled-down my preparation on search engine optimization since I thought it was fascinating, and I could relate it to my mathematical background. In interviews I could speak confidently and robustly on this subset of the information. And, when asked a question about something tangential that I did not know how to answer, I did my best to carefully relate the question back to the information I was proficient in, and then candidly tell the interviewer that beyond what I had already shared, I wasn’t totally sure, and I looked forward to learning more about that topic. The combination of diligence, passion, and willingness to accept when I did not know the answer not only shows professional skill, but also moral character.
Perspective is key
If nothing else, the greatest takeaway from my job hunt is the importance of taking a step back from the process to celebrate how far you have come and to enjoy your last year of school. Particularly when the pandemic has taken away so many other aspects of “normal life,” looking for a job can become an all-encompassing activity, both timewise and emotionally. In my experience, I received about 50 noes from jobs that I applied to. I joked with my friends that every morning I woke up to a new email that began with “I regret to inform you that…” It was only partially a joke. Given the world’s circumstances and how much I enjoyed my experience as a mathematics student, I was at peace with that. Fast forward a few months, and I was deciding between three exciting offers that would all lead me down incredibly different paths as a mathematician. I have just accepted an offer that even pre-pandemic Catherine would be thrilled about.
Best of luck to all the wonderful mathematicians who are taking the next step in their lives! Remember to call to action your resourcefulness, awareness, patience, and resilience.