Career Roadmap
Paul's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Business, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Westchester
Bachelor's Degree
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
University of California, Los Angeles
Graduate Degree
Operations Research MBA
University of California, Los Angeles
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Retired Program Director:
Bachelor's Degree: Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Graduate Degree: Operations Research MBA
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Went back to school for MBA, Engineering not a fit.
2.
RAND sent me to DC for a year, and them closed the office. I stayed changing jobs.
3.
Went to work at Dept of Defense in Cost Analysis Dept in the Pentagon. Quickly learned a poor fit, but great learning experience.
4.
Went to work for another not-for -profit consulting firm primarily for the Military
5.
Branched out from cost analysis to resource analysis in transportation. Learned same principles apply.
6.
Took off 2 years to work internationally and then returned to my previous company. Became "overpaid" program director.
7.
Assisted company to explore international consulting. They decided funding was unstable and not their area of expertise.
8.
Was first Program Director to start different new areas of expertise, train new leader and move on.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Figured out I did not like being an Engineer, went back for my MBA.
How I responded:
My last class in my Engineering Major was Economics and the Professor intrigued me saying we should all get an MBA and work in the "real world".
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
As a boy, my family wanted me to go to College. I was good in math in HS, so counselors steered me to engineering. I did not have other resources, so that became my goal. By Junior year I knew this was not a fit but sunk costs kept me there.