semperfiona (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
semperfiona) wrote2002-08-23 04:07 pm
semperfiona) wrote2002-08-23 04:07 pm
Friday Five
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not?
Computer programming. Yes, I chose it. There was a period around 1997 while I was working for the St. Louis Police Department's Information Services Division when I was very dissatisfied with my job, and considered a complete career change, but I could not think of anything else I preferred to do (within the constraints of time, talent and money), so instead of changing careers, I changed employers. I've been mostly happy with my new employer since I feel appreciated and successful here.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be?
The closest approximation is probably "renaissance woman" or "professional student". I would love to spend my time learning new things, following whatever interests appealed to me at the time.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices?
They're both missionaries, now, but my mother was an inorganic chemist and my father started out in computer programming and then moved into management. It's actually my mother that had a greater effect on my career choice, though.
First because she was a woman in science before there were very many women in science.
Second because I started studying computer science in order to qualify for the scholarship offered by Sigma-Aldrich to the children of employees. Recipients were required to be studying "a science". I had originally wanted to major in linguistics--at one time during high school I actually considered becoming a missionary!--but decided to do a double major in order to get the scholarship. By the time I actually went to college I no longer wanted anything to do with the mission field, but I was still interested in linguistics, and foreign languages in general. I ended up with three majors: linguistics, Japanese, and computer science.
And third because when I graduated I got a job at Sigma-Aldrich myself.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family?
No, and as a single mother I have to have both in order to provide for my daughter.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why?
I really don't know. I guess I'd have to go with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tafkar here and say that anything requiring physical coordination and grace would be the hardest job in the world for me.
Computer programming. Yes, I chose it. There was a period around 1997 while I was working for the St. Louis Police Department's Information Services Division when I was very dissatisfied with my job, and considered a complete career change, but I could not think of anything else I preferred to do (within the constraints of time, talent and money), so instead of changing careers, I changed employers. I've been mostly happy with my new employer since I feel appreciated and successful here.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be?
The closest approximation is probably "renaissance woman" or "professional student". I would love to spend my time learning new things, following whatever interests appealed to me at the time.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices?
They're both missionaries, now, but my mother was an inorganic chemist and my father started out in computer programming and then moved into management. It's actually my mother that had a greater effect on my career choice, though.
First because she was a woman in science before there were very many women in science.
Second because I started studying computer science in order to qualify for the scholarship offered by Sigma-Aldrich to the children of employees. Recipients were required to be studying "a science". I had originally wanted to major in linguistics--at one time during high school I actually considered becoming a missionary!--but decided to do a double major in order to get the scholarship. By the time I actually went to college I no longer wanted anything to do with the mission field, but I was still interested in linguistics, and foreign languages in general. I ended up with three majors: linguistics, Japanese, and computer science.
And third because when I graduated I got a job at Sigma-Aldrich myself.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family?
No, and as a single mother I have to have both in order to provide for my daughter.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why?
I really don't know. I guess I'd have to go with
tafkar here and say that anything requiring physical coordination and grace would be the hardest job in the world for me.