So, tell me about yourself

the first interview question

Ah…the most frequently asked interview question that we should all know and love by now, but do we actually and nail the answer every time?

Hey friends, it's really nice (and kind of scary!) writing to you all; I honestly didn't expect so many people I've never met to subscribe. My original plan was to kick things off by sharing why I named this SOAR, but since we might not have met, I'm switching things up and starting with the question we're often asked first - tell me about yourself.

I was in an interview last week where small talk ran longer than usual and it was 15 mins before the recruiter asked me this question. I feel like most people answer chronologically (which I personally avoid) or through some framework; as much as I love a good framework, I just try to focus on two things:

• What's my story?

• And why should they care?

Regarding this newsletter, here's part of my story to keep in mind as you read SOAR in the coming weeks.

Why I'm on a job hunt

While my last company was planning its reorg, someone kindly told me that I was being considered for a role that would not be the best move for me personally (I’ll go into what I’m looking for another time). As such, I asked them to keep me where I was or let me go instead of assigning me to that role. The latter happened, so here I am(!), feeling super grateful to try and find something I’m truly excited about.

I'm not a crazy rich Asian

My dad came to the States on a student visa in 1978 and my mom joined him a year later. They lived off a stipend of $280/month, but really only $4/day after paying rent. Later on, they raised my siblings and me off of government salaries.

Their hard work and sacrifice allowed me to grow up much more comfortably, but the challenges they faced still influence some of my choices today. I live in a studio, drive what I jokingly call 'my baby Corolla', and am a pro at not letting food go to waste. Life decisions like these have afforded me some time as I figure out what's next.

What fuels my optimism

Having seen where my parents grew up, I've always been grounded in gratitude and grit. Still, I worried about everything as a kid. Somehow, while worrying about things that could go wrong, I discovered an ability to see what can happen when everything goes right. Being able to visualize and articulate possibilities while operating with gratitude and grit has led me to some unexpected and fulfilling opportunities. It’s hard not to feel optimistic as a result.

On writing a newsletter

The day after announcing that SOAR would launch, we lost eight lives - seven of them women / six Asian - in Atlanta. Yesterday in Boulder, we tragically lost even more. The exhaustion I felt last week as I juggled freelance work, interviews, and AAPI-related conversations was truly next-level; it honestly makes me question what I've gotten myself into re: this newsletter since it’s sure to be a helluva time commitment. I'm sharing this because my priorities will always be health and family first, and everything else second; should there be an unusual week when you get a short post, or perhaps none at all, please give me grace.

While I’m asking for grace…this is my first time writing a newsletter (or anything of the sort), so I'm definitely learning as I go. I intentionally chose Substack to avoid going all marketer-crazy on y'all; for example, I kept branding to a minimum and only asked for your email (vs. name, location, and birthday). By doing so, there’s a lot that I don't know about you, so feel free to share via comments if you'd like; just click into the newsletter and it'll take you to the website where you can do so.

Lastly, a friend asked me the other day what I hope will come from writing SOAR. Two things:

• Some people have assumed that because I'm figuring out what’s next, I'm desperate, sad, or ready for this period of my life to be over, but that's just not me. I'm not 'dealing' with a job hunt; I'm just on one. I don't have to wait a year from now to look back and see how amazing this time is; I feel that way today (though admittedly not every day). So while I hope to eventually commit to a full-time role, I'm currently having fun in a way that's still professionally productive and personally fulfilling. Now, I’m well aware that not everyone job searching feels the way I do, but I’d like to encourage a different mindset by hopefully reframing a few things.

• More importantly, though, the time I put into SOAR will be well worth it if I can convince you to reply to a stranger's message on LinkedIn, send a referral link, forward a resume along to a hiring manager, make an introduction, and/or mentor our next gen. I didn't grow up with the same level of access that many of my friends and peers have, which is why I'm so focused on extending it to others. It only takes one person to make all the difference in a job hunt (at least for every one of mine so far) and I've heard stories from friends and C-level execs who each have one person to thank for changing the trajectory of their careers. All I ask is that you repeatedly choose to be that person if you can.

Again, welcome to SOAR and thanks for reading.

-C