Jobs are very important in our lives today. It gives us money to buy food, shelter, and other necessities of life. Some people love their jobs, some people hate their jobs. Some have no job at all. I interviewed my mother to find out how work life is like for her.
What do you do when you work?
I work on mid-range sized computers, specifically UNIX systems. UNIX is an operating system. Windows is another type of operating system. I write programs to make processes more efficient and I work on disk subsystems and fiber-optic switch systems to group servers and disks together.
How would you describe your work environment?
Most of the time I work alone. I get requests from other people to do work. I also have to keep track of my hours so I know how much to bill my clients. It’s a casual environment that is located close to the computer data center of a hospital. I also work from home.
What are some hardships you face during work?
Working with people who can’t understand the concepts or technical aspects. It is frustrating when management has the power to make important decisions but lack the technical knowledge. Also when trying to resolve a problem many people get involved to ask for the status of the situation and take up my time from resolving the issue.
Why did you decide to do your job?
I enjoy working on computers and I have a knack for resolving technical issues.
How does your job impact your life?
When it gets busy, the chores at home need to be delegated. However, they are not done to the high standards that I am used to. They are not done as completely as I would have liked. Many of times I need to work in the middle of the night or on weekends which impacts my sleep schedule and the time I want to spend with my family.


What were your interview experiences?
My interviews were during college and graduate school. They questioned my background and school work but did not ask any technical questions. The interviewers were very friendly and personable made me feel at ease.
What training in college did you require for this job?
I have a bachelors and masters in electrical engineering.
What advice would you give to people going through college?
Work hard. Interview with as many companies as you can. Join clubs to round out your life, and DON’T PARTY HARD! Hang out with smart and hard working people.
Did you see yourself doing this job when you were younger and why?
No. when I was younger, I wanted to be an astronaut, and when I was in high school, I wanted to be an optometrist.
If you could do any job you wanted, what would you do, and why?
I would like to be an optometrist. I am fascinated with the eyes. I really enjoy learning about optics and how light reflects and refracts, and how the eyes can see images and how the brain translates it to something we know and recognize.