Personal Statement

The attributes of a good systems engineer in the Gentry Lee video encouraged me to think about how capable I would be of fulfilling all of the responsibilities of that job. It also encouraged me to think about how well I work within a team to complete a project or task.

Although I meet many of the attributes, I don’t meet them all, and I believe that I may not be suitable for a systems engineering job without some alterations to my personality and habits.

 Given that I have always had an avid interest in science, I believe that I have a natural urge to ask the questions “why?” and “how?” Therefore, I believe that I contain the attribute of

“intellectual curiosity” in some respects. I often enjoy connecting small situations or groups

together

I don’t like to admit that I am wrong or that I don’t understand some sort of information, especially if others do understand it. I feel embarrassed to accept and admit to having a lack of knowledge on a given subject. However, I don’t try to impose my thoughts and knowledge onto others and give the impression that I know all the information about a given topic when I actually don’t know. I have no problem taking direction and listening to others when help is offered. I merely do not prefer to ask for help even when I need it. I understand that that is a rather unfavorable attribute.

I appreciate the process of completing a large project. Although I sometimes get eager to finish a long task to have the feeling of accomplishment, I have the patience to go through the process of getting there. What I have realized going through high school and college is that there is a lot to learn and experience as one goes through the process of completing school, and instead of just looking toward the end, one should have more focus on the process of getting through

However, not all of my team experiences have been negative or difficult. I have had experiences working with domineering people, who won’t allow anyone to give a suggestion, and people who don’t really want or know how to perform objectives necessary for the project or activity, but I have also had experiences with team projects in which my partners were very easy to communicate with and we were all compatible working together. In team situations, I usually don’t take the lead, and try to allow someone else to take the lead first. However, if I notice right away that I am the most knowledgable about the task and the most enthusiastic, I will gladly take the lead. I try to volunteer for an important job in the team because I want to feel like a significant member rather than allowing others to do the tough jobs and I just assist them.

Ultimately, my ability to work well in a team comes down to everyone’s personalities. I am an introvert and usually more passive in my approach with others. I am not domineering and don’t mind being lead by someone else who is more of a natural leader than I am. However, I don’t like to be bossed around, ignored, or made to feel insignificant to the team.