30 Aug Career Paths and Obstacles
Accomplishments… skills… accomplishments… skills… I rack my mind for examples of accomplishments or personal skills that I could write about in a resume, always coming up short. The voices of past counselors repeat “well you’ve gotten this far, you must have done something right” but I can’t wrap my head around it, it feels like a lie or exaggeration. I didn’t do anything special, I just… lived. Sparked by the requirements of this internship as well as out of my own personal need, I started revising my resume. Though looking at job posts can be exciting as I read through positions that sound like the perfect fit for me, I also get an immense feeling of dread and doubt as I think of all the ways I’m unqualified, all the ways I ways I messed up my college experience, and all the things I haven’t accomplished. So much so that a simple task can take longer to accomplish as I have to battle my conscious before actually attempting to apply for the position. I begin to wonder if anyone else stresses about this as much as I do. I recall hearing that one of the reasons that men might have more success in the workforce is because they tend to apply for positions even if they don’t meet 100% of the qualifications. (All my studies and experience have taught me that problems like these are complex and multilayered so I acknowledge that if this is true, it is not the only factor responsible for the gender wage gap). My sister swears I have impostor syndrome. As much as I would love to have a detailed and thorough discussion on impostor syndrome, wage gaps, gender bias, I wanted to write this from my own experience. For me, aside from my lack of confidence there’s an added layer of obstacles regarding careers in the outdoors. Sometimes it’s just in the little things my mom says as I leave for a hike (or anywhere else really), “where are you going?” “take your brother with you” “take the dogs with you” “don’t stay out too late” (and of course, “llevate un sueter” xD). Harmless advice I’m sure, but I can’t help but notice how she never says that to my brothers. Despite all the times I have gone out on my own, these comments occasionally make me feel as if though I’m not meant to be outside, it’s not safe for me to be outside. I wonder what kind of impacts these phrases and doubts can have on other women especially in outdoor careers.

Why take my brother out camping when I can take my bird-watching, bug -loving, tree-hugging roomies instead!
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