Where do you want to be in 5, 10, or even 15 years? / Development and personal growth Tweet

Where do you want to be in 5, 10, or even 15 years?

If you are like many college students, you may not have settled on an answer to this question yet. Sometimes, we can benefit from other´s experiences when we approach important life decisions.

Approximately 30 years ago, a young single mother named Christine King was were you are today, contemplating the "where do you want to be" question while taking college courses. She decided that a career in teaching would be the best route to freeing herself and her young son from dependence on welfare. However, King's life took a different turn when, without giving the matter too much thought, she took a few elective courses in engineering. She quickly learned that she had a natural talent for this subject and, upon completing 2-year degree, was hired as a technician at the IBM laboratory in East Fishkill, NY. Over the next four years, King worked diligently to complete a bachelor's degree in engineering, while maintaining her full-time job at IBM and raising her son.

The intelligence and creativity King brought to the computer industry, along with her personal work etic, enabled her to steadily advance through the ranks at IBM. When she left IBM in 2001 after 23 years of service with the company, she held the position of vice president for semiconductor products. King accepted the position of CEO (chief executive officer) at AMI Semiconductor in Pocatello, Idaho. When she took over the reins at AMIS, she became the world's first female CEO of a semiconductor company.

Predictably, King's track record at AMIS has been studded with successes that have benefited both the company and the employees. Moreover, King has become a powerful spokesperson for her new hometown and hopes to help the area become one of the top technology corridors in the United States. Christine King's story shows that goals are important, but remaining open to new experiences can also be critical to success.

Read in: The World of Psychology p. 593-4

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