What if the job you think is a dead end is actually your biggest career asset?

In this episode, Tom's cousin Pete joins the pod to talk about why grit beats polish, what he actually looks for when reviewing grad school applications (hint: it's not your GPA), and the real tradeoffs of taking the scenic route in your career. Plus, Lorenzo opens up about how getting DOGE'd has him rethinking his own path.

If you're stuck in a job that feels like it's going nowhere — this one's for you.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – Meet the "Better Barry" (and the Brady Bunch intro)

2:01 – Who is Pete? Woods Hole, Birkenstocks, and cracking gas

5:06 – Why geology? Field trips, fossils, and finding your thing

9:00 – Everyone went to grad school... except Pete

11:06 – The odd jobs era: valet, babysitting, and gas station hot dogs

13:00 – "Soul-crushing": what the field technician job actually looked like

15:41 – Day one: "Here's a broom, start sweeping"

17:18 – How hating your job becomes the best motivation

19:08 – The last-minute call that changed everything

22:15 – Plot twist: the dead-end job got him into Scripps

23:45 – What Pete looks for when reviewing MIT applications

26:48 – Reality Gap #2: Passion vs. building the "perfect" resume

29:42 – Antonia's passions: travel, food, and doing the dirty work

33:09 – Pete's brother, studying abroad, and 40 countries later

36:52 – Lorenzo reflects: what Pete's story means for his own path

39:28 – Getting DOGE'd and learning to see setbacks as opportunities

43:00 – 100 applications, 99 rejections: Pete's real journey to tenure

45:13 – The tradeoff no one talks about: starting a family at 40

48:00 – Pete's advice: why you should travel while you can

53:11 – Grit over polish: final thoughts

55:02 – Shameless plug for The Search + wrap-up

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Watch Or Listen On: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

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#TheRealityGap #CareerAdvice #CareerChange #NonLinearCareer #Grit #GritOverPolish #JobSearch #CareerJourney #FindingYourPath #WHOI #MIT #AcademicJobs

Before you update your resume. Before you start networking. Before you apply to a single job. You need to answer one question first: Who are you?

In Episode 3, Tom walks Lorenzo through nine self-reflection questions designed to help you understand what you actually want from your career—and what makes you valuable to an employer. These questions map to the three pillars of a job they defined last episode: economic security, personal fulfillment, and learning & growth.

The 9 Questions:

1. What do you like doing?
2. What do you not like doing?
3. What energizes you?
4. What drains you?
5. What feels meaningful even when it's hard?
6. What are you good at?
7. What are you not good at?
8. What do you want to get better at?
9. What do you want to learn next?

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome back
00:13 – Recap: the three parts of a job
01:05 – Why nine questions (formerly eight—math is hard)
02:47 – Have you ever done this kind of self-reflection?
05:07 – The quintessential DC experience: Hill internships
06:52 – The nine questions, listed
07:46 – Personal Fulfillment questions begin
09:02 – Q1: What do you like doing?
14:23 – Q2: What do you not like doing?
19:51 – Q3: What energizes you?
23:27 – Q4: What drains you?
32:54 – Q5: What feels meaningful even when it's hard?
38:24 – Economic Security questions begin
39:29 – Q6: What are you good at?
48:27 – Q7: What are you not good at?
54:56 – Growth & Learning questions
1:06:43 – Q8 & Q9: What do you want to get better at / learn next?
1:08:38 – How to use your answers: identifying industries and roles
1:10:57 – Tips: Be honest, non-judgmental, do it with a friend
1:14:27 – Next episode preview: Research

Write to Us social@realitygappod.com

Try the nine questions yourself—then tell us what surprised you. What did a friend see in you that you didn't see in yourself? We want to hear from you.

Follow Us:

• TikTok: @TheRealityGapPod
• Instagram: @TheRealityGapPod
• LinkedIn: The Reality Gap Pod
• YouTube: @TheRealityGapPod

Watch Or Listen On: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Interested in advertising? social@realitygappod.com

Learn more at https://realitygappod.com

Note: We may earn revenue from some of the links we provide.

The Search by Reality Gap Pod is a production of Signal + Pattern LLC. Registered trademark.

#TheSearch #JobSearch #KnowYourself #CareerAdvice #SelfReflection #RealityGap #CareerPodcast