MEET JULIE
*Julie is a STEM woman with 10+ years of experience. Her career was on track and she was in a role she loved. Then her partner was offered an amazing job in a new city. It’s the dual-career dilemma many STEM+ women face—and as is the case with Julie—most women leave their positions to follow their partner. Julie was excited about the move because she felt she’d land something quickly, but then the pandemic hit and hiring freezes put a serious chill on those plans.
Julie took a role at a company, which she felt was a step down in her career in terms of scope and grade, to follow her partner and she wanted to get her career back on track. Julie soon realized the project she had been hired for wasn’t doable with the available data, and the manager’s expectations couldn’t be met. She wasn’t going to be able to deliver. It was a first for this top talent performer and it was incredibly stressful. Add to that the pressures of raising two young kids at home in the middle of a pandemic.
“I took the job to heart and I worked like crazy to achieve what they wanted but it technically wasn’t feasible,” explains Julie. “It was completely undoable. I had sacrificed so much of my career to be where I am. Until then, I had been successful and now I felt like I was going to lose everything.”
Julie, Gotara member and Advisor
Then she heard about gotara…
“I reached out to Gotara for advice on how to handle this situation and how to reboot my career in STEM. I was matched with a Gotara STEM+ advisor who understood my situation because she had experienced it. It was so comforting to connect with someone who had gone through something like this and had recovered from it.”
So, what happened?
Julie said Gotara’s STEM+ advisor gave her strategic tips on how to manage the situation. “It was so helpful to review my skills and goals with the Gotara advisor and to identify what job opportunities were the best fit for my skills,” she explains. “After reviewing the pros and cons of new job offers—and having the framework to make those decisions—I opted to stay with my company in a new division.”
BONUS OUTCOME
“Before I connected with Gotara, I felt so alone. I was in a new city; I only knew my new colleagues virtually. My husband was supportive, but he hadn’t experienced this kind of career setback before.”
“I know it sounds unusual that an anonymous connection with a STEM+ advisor would be so meaningful, but it was a lifeline. At first, I didn’t share enough details of my situation with her and that made it difficult for her to offer advice, but as I felt more comfortable and confident that what I was sharing was confidential, I opened up. I never felt judged; it was quite freeing being able to just say what was on my mind. It had such an impact on my life, that I’m now one of the “anonymous” Gotara advisors that members can reach out to.”
Julie, Gotara Member & Advisor
Recently I was connected with a member who was having a similar struggle between understanding where her skills and talents were best suited for the role she was being offered. It felt incredible to be able to share with her the tips and strategies I had learned that made all the difference in my life. I have always mentored others, but now I can still give back and have an impact that goes well beyond my close circle. I could be helping a woman anywhere in the world and that’s pretty cool.”
*Julie’s a pseudonym, as we keep our Gotara members’ and advisors’ identities confidential. It’s the same confidentiality they experience when they have a nano-learning session. Our nano-learning sessions are just-in-time career growth advice our members receive from advisors within 24 hours of making a request. Join today, and experience a nano-learning session. (It’s free to join, so what’s stopping you?)
