Hi, Can someone review my personal statement and provide feedback.
Thanks,
"You have a great personality and you're doing a wonderful job in your current role as a Mutual Fund Processor, however, the reality is the Information Technology (IT) field is really not a field where women excel. So I'm sorry we will not be extending an offer to you for the technical support role," these were the words of the Information Technology Manager who interviewed me. As I walked back to my desk, all sorts of thoughts were running through my mind. Was I just discriminated against because I am a woman? Is the statement true, women don't excel in the IT field? I sat down at my desk and pondered more on the horrible interview experience. I was a nineteen year old single parent that had to work in order to provide for my daughter. This cannot be happening to me, so I thought. I needed the pay increase plus I was more than capable of performing the job tasks. "Women don't excel in the field of IT", suddenly something came over me and I started metabolizing the news as a challenge. I can and will excel as an IT professional, after all, I am Tamera Campbell and I am in control of my destiny. So, the job hunt begins. Two months after the disturbing news, my IT career began as an Email Support Analyst.
Six months into my new career I am doing well, working hard and learning the essence of technology at a fast pace. I was striving to be the best, closing six to seven more support tickets than my other team members. A year and half later I successfully obtained my MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) certification, a certification that most IT professionals have difficulty obtaining. I love working as an IT professional. I have excelled in my career from helpdesk\email analyst to a more rigorous role of application developer, where I am responsible for the design, development and implementation of software applications, programming in several code languages such as java and .net. I get to travel around the world, places like the United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa, just to name a few, deploying software applications, getting a firsthand glance of the effects that technology has on our society today, and how it has evolved throughout the world. While my IT career has provided me with much exposure of the depths of technology, and financial soundness, and while I am proof that women can excel as IT professionals, further self reflection have revealed that my true passion and where my destiny truly lie are not being fulfilled. My ultimate desire is to become a public servant.
In an effort to pursue my desire, I accompanied a friend to a juvenile detention center to visit her brother. The young man was in his second incarceration term for possession and delivery of drugs. As I looked around the visiting area I noticed that there were a lot of young men and women that made up the population of this center. I started to get angry; I felt there should have been something to help prevent these young individuals from ending up in detention. However, the most disturbing moment from the visit were the words from the fifteen year old boy looking at me from the other side of the table, "Why would I want to leave here, there's nothing on the outside for me, I'll just end up back here in lock up". I couldn't believe this is how he felt, a fifteen year old that had his entire life to look forward too, but he preferred to be in jail. I then realized that this is reality for a very high percentage of our youth in society today. Young adults are being faced with horrific challenges. Most live in crime invested communities where drugs and gangs plague the streets. Some are being raised by grandparents or single parents. There's peer pressure in the schools. In addition to all of the above, the school system has abolished the after school programs. Most of the boys and girls clubs that I was familiar with growing up have all vanished, leaving no alternative means for the youth. Furthermore, rehabilitation and reform centers are scarce. Where can the youth turn for guidance and support? Where's the reassurance to the youth that they can finish high school, go to college and have a successful career. Criminal behavior does not have to be an option.
Moreover, it has always been my passion to work with the youth, to help those that are facing troubled times, and to reform those that may have taken a destructive path. I have scratched the surface in this effort with my volunteer work at my local park district, working with the teen awareness program and also with my work as a youth leader at my church. I am providing guidance and mentorship to what I consider to be a few fish in a sea of millions. I want to reach more youth. I want to be able to do more for them. I want to advance my efforts and acquire my law degree. Obtaining my Jurisdiction Doctrine would equip me with the skills necessary to provide legal services to a community of citizens that are currently underrepresented. I want to assist in the establishment of youth programs that would offer reform and awareness. Partner with organizations that focus on prevention of juvenile delinquency, and aid in the reintegration to society of those that have been incarcerated. My years as an IT professional have prepared me with agility, logical thinking, and leadership skills. I have also learned to be a team player. I can contribute these skills and utilize them during my legal studies. I am excited and eager for the opportunity to partner with your school, to adapt your core values, and in addition be an extraordinary representation of those values.
Thanks,
"You have a great personality and you're doing a wonderful job in your current role as a Mutual Fund Processor, however, the reality is the Information Technology (IT) field is really not a field where women excel. So I'm sorry we will not be extending an offer to you for the technical support role," these were the words of the Information Technology Manager who interviewed me. As I walked back to my desk, all sorts of thoughts were running through my mind. Was I just discriminated against because I am a woman? Is the statement true, women don't excel in the IT field? I sat down at my desk and pondered more on the horrible interview experience. I was a nineteen year old single parent that had to work in order to provide for my daughter. This cannot be happening to me, so I thought. I needed the pay increase plus I was more than capable of performing the job tasks. "Women don't excel in the field of IT", suddenly something came over me and I started metabolizing the news as a challenge. I can and will excel as an IT professional, after all, I am Tamera Campbell and I am in control of my destiny. So, the job hunt begins. Two months after the disturbing news, my IT career began as an Email Support Analyst.
Six months into my new career I am doing well, working hard and learning the essence of technology at a fast pace. I was striving to be the best, closing six to seven more support tickets than my other team members. A year and half later I successfully obtained my MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) certification, a certification that most IT professionals have difficulty obtaining. I love working as an IT professional. I have excelled in my career from helpdesk\email analyst to a more rigorous role of application developer, where I am responsible for the design, development and implementation of software applications, programming in several code languages such as java and .net. I get to travel around the world, places like the United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa, just to name a few, deploying software applications, getting a firsthand glance of the effects that technology has on our society today, and how it has evolved throughout the world. While my IT career has provided me with much exposure of the depths of technology, and financial soundness, and while I am proof that women can excel as IT professionals, further self reflection have revealed that my true passion and where my destiny truly lie are not being fulfilled. My ultimate desire is to become a public servant.
In an effort to pursue my desire, I accompanied a friend to a juvenile detention center to visit her brother. The young man was in his second incarceration term for possession and delivery of drugs. As I looked around the visiting area I noticed that there were a lot of young men and women that made up the population of this center. I started to get angry; I felt there should have been something to help prevent these young individuals from ending up in detention. However, the most disturbing moment from the visit were the words from the fifteen year old boy looking at me from the other side of the table, "Why would I want to leave here, there's nothing on the outside for me, I'll just end up back here in lock up". I couldn't believe this is how he felt, a fifteen year old that had his entire life to look forward too, but he preferred to be in jail. I then realized that this is reality for a very high percentage of our youth in society today. Young adults are being faced with horrific challenges. Most live in crime invested communities where drugs and gangs plague the streets. Some are being raised by grandparents or single parents. There's peer pressure in the schools. In addition to all of the above, the school system has abolished the after school programs. Most of the boys and girls clubs that I was familiar with growing up have all vanished, leaving no alternative means for the youth. Furthermore, rehabilitation and reform centers are scarce. Where can the youth turn for guidance and support? Where's the reassurance to the youth that they can finish high school, go to college and have a successful career. Criminal behavior does not have to be an option.
Moreover, it has always been my passion to work with the youth, to help those that are facing troubled times, and to reform those that may have taken a destructive path. I have scratched the surface in this effort with my volunteer work at my local park district, working with the teen awareness program and also with my work as a youth leader at my church. I am providing guidance and mentorship to what I consider to be a few fish in a sea of millions. I want to reach more youth. I want to be able to do more for them. I want to advance my efforts and acquire my law degree. Obtaining my Jurisdiction Doctrine would equip me with the skills necessary to provide legal services to a community of citizens that are currently underrepresented. I want to assist in the establishment of youth programs that would offer reform and awareness. Partner with organizations that focus on prevention of juvenile delinquency, and aid in the reintegration to society of those that have been incarcerated. My years as an IT professional have prepared me with agility, logical thinking, and leadership skills. I have also learned to be a team player. I can contribute these skills and utilize them during my legal studies. I am excited and eager for the opportunity to partner with your school, to adapt your core values, and in addition be an extraordinary representation of those values.