Looking Beyond Grades: The Importance of Doing Things that Make You Happy

Imagine interviewing a candidate who seems strong on paper—good grades, graduate school achievements, and great references. In the interview, however, they stare blankly at you when asked the typical interview question, “What do you enjoy doing?” Well, that candidate was me. When I was interviewing for legal jobs early in my career, I must have been a somewhat boring candidate. I didn’t have a lot to talk about outside my experiences as a law school student or junior lawyer. Part of this was due to messaging I received in law school and part of it was due to me not exploring my interests.

In law school, I took to heart that my value to legal employers depended solely on my grades, class rank, and the law school activities in which I was involved (the ones that really counted were law journals or Moot Court). If I didn’t excel, I would be borderline worthless to employers, and my entire legal career could be over before it began. I accepted this message without question, and my identity became tied to my law school achievements. I didn’t have the insight to think about who I was or what I cared about outside of school. In retrospect, I can now see how damaging and false this messaging is. We are far more than students, and many employers look beyond graduate school achievements to decide whether a candidate will add value to the organization. 

I found that a lot of law school involves analyzing cases and the behaviors of the people the cases are about. Law school students sit in a law class and argue whether a person did the “right” thing at a moment in time. This kind of analysis can dehumanize people because the entirety of who they are is distilled to this one moment in time and debated by people who are removed from the situation. This style of learning is meant to build objective lawyers, but the downside is that it can disconnect law school students from their empathy and compassion. Perhaps you see similarities in your graduate work where you’re analyzing data or reading information but not necessarily emotionally connecting with the people or things you’re learning about. I don‘t want higher education to take your empathy and compassion from you. If you feel this happening to you, it’s so important to find an activity that nourishes you and reconnects you to your humanity.

When I was further along in my legal career, I found that my professional accomplishments didn’t satisfy me and because I had focused solely on my professional achievements, when I was unfulfilled professionally, that meant I was unfulfilled personally. To address my boredom, I got involved in activities that excited me. I took kickboxing and dance classes, explored spirituality to nourish my inner self, and daydreamed about a different life.  Finally, in 2013, I left the legal profession to follow my dreams. I started studying psychology and the neuroscience of productivity. I woke up happy and excited about my days. I hadn’t felt this way in a long time, and it was wonderful!

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The demands of graduate school can make it easy to neglect activities that bring us joy but may not end up on our résumés. It’s these activities, however, that can nourish us during stressful times and help us remember the beauty and joy of being human. These activities also help us connect more deeply to ourselves and learn things about ourselves that we may not have ever known. They can help us build confidence, empathy, compassion, and grace, and reconnect us to our humanity when we may get disconnected from that part of ourselves due to the rigors of higher education.

As a part-time student in the Graduate Liberal Studies program, I split my time between school and running my own business. When I interview potential candidates for positions within my company, I look for values far beyond academic achievements. In fact, academic achievement isn’t as important to me as someone’s emotional intelligence, the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and recognize the emotions of those around you. Cultivating emotional intelligence is incredibly important for better relationships with yourself and others. During an interview, I want to hear about the things that a candidate is passionate about because this tells me a little bit about their emotional intelligence. Seeing a candidate exhibit emotional intelligence tells me that they can probably handle conflict and find collaborative ways to address issues that arise. 

When I look back at my career, every job or business opportunity I’ve had came from sharing what I’m passionate about—because that passion showed employers who I am and what I stand for. My GPA wasn’t the deciding factor in the offer they made me. They cared about who I was as a person and that I would be able to have courageous conversations when conflicts arose. From their perspective, I added value to the organization.

As the sociopolitical climate continues to shift in our country, we have an opportunity to tap into our collective humanity and stand for the things that are important to us. As an employer, I want to know that the people I hire can have courageous conversations about uncomfortable topics, can be open to looking at aspects of themselves that may be causing harm to others, and can be willing to change to create a space where everyone can thrive. 

So, as you navigate the demands of graduate school, remember that there is so much more available to you in the world outside of your coursework. Allow your curiosity to lead you to new places. It will be worth it both for your own development and for future employers who want employees to care about themselves, their colleagues, and the world. As you face obstacles in your academic career, participating in activities that you love or that you're curious about can reshape how your coursework unfolds. And if, like me, you face boredom in your career, relying on the personal activities you love to do can help you feel connected and invigorated by life.

AUTHOR

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Alyssa Johnson, J.D.

M.A. student, Graduate Liberal Studies

Alyssa Johnson, Esq., is pursuing a Master of Arts in the Graduate Liberal Studies program. A former practicing attorney, Alyssa now works with lawyers and legal organizations on topics related to emotional intelligence, the neuroscience of productivity, and racial literacy. Alyssa is currently writing a book on White racialized trauma.