Fuqua’s Career Management Center is comprised of a dedicated team that is known to be successful in guiding students toward career paths and matching them with potential employers. They are even proud to be available to alumni years after graduation.

But what happens if you are not needing career guidance and you are invited to interview for a position? This was my situation after Term 1 of the program. With the invitation at hand, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to see what else the career team could do.

Enter career coaches Meg Flournoy and Meredith Bolon. Both women helped me prepare for the rigorous interview, and find my “theme and story” that defines me as a leader. Meg listened to my interview presentation and Meredith conducted a session of mock behavioral interview questions. They also sent me a large file of Harvard Business Review articles from authors such as Goleman and Drucker, which were a source of inspiration and helped me fine-tune my interview conversations.

When I received an offer, they celebrated with me and helped me with the decision. Meredith referred me to Ruth Chang’s TED Talk on “How to Make Hard Choices” which provided clarity on what I was deciding. It was a decision about who I wanted to be rather than a choice between two options.

It is clear that these wise women in the Career Management Center were with me for the whole journey. They were more than career coaches. They were my mentors, cheerleaders, and are now dear friends.

P.S. I accepted the offer and love my new position at Johns Hopkins Medicine!