Our mission here at The Muse is simple: to help you find your dream job. So, there’s nothing we love more than hearing about it when you do!
Today we chatted with Sara Isaac, a go-getter whose passion is to create positive change for students and young adults. As an Area Director at Galileo, she gets to organize community summer camps that are both educational and fun for all ages—and for her, too!
Read below to learn more about Isaac’s story, then check out Galileo’s offices and see how you can land a great new gig of your own.
Tell us about yourself!
I’m a mother of two, and I’ve always been passionate about education, research, design, and innovation. I’m an LA native and love seeing all the growth and development in the city over the years. I attended UCLA as an undergraduate and graduate student, focusing on educational research and statistical methods. Since then, I’ve had the chance to work in academia and do research in the public sector, including program evaluation at Los Angeles Unified School District, and consulting in the private sector in market research, product design, and product innovation.
What’s your role as Area Director, and what are you doing day to day?
I’m the Area Director in North and West Los Angeles, which means that I oversee all development and implementation of anywhere from four to seven camps in areas north of the 10 freeway and east of the 101 freeway.
There’s never a “typical day,” and my focus shifts throughout the year—whether it’s reflecting and debriefing on the summer season, planning for the next year, seeking new sites, learning about our new themes and curriculum, hiring and vetting camp staff, partnering with schools, families, and neighborhoods, or launching into summer.
What were you doing before you landed your new job?
Prior to working at Galileo, I worked at a brand design and innovation company. As the SVP of Research, I would bring the family and user POV to brands to help create new products and package design. I also taught graduate-level courses at USC and UCLA and worked for the Program Evaluation and Research Branch at LAUSD, where I would visit school administrators, teachers, and students to determine the efficacy of new school curriculum and technology.
As I considered my next role, I was looking for a job where I knew that I was truly having a positive impact on youth. I wanted to work at a company that supports innovative thinking and collaboration, and has the well-being and development of its employees in mind.
What attracted you to Galileo when you found it on The Muse?
I loved seeing the real stories and “day in the life” scenarios from current employees—whom I get to work with now! The Muse was an excellent site to learn about companies, types of positions that are gaining traction, and people who are currently working there. Everything from the photos of the bright, positive office space at Galileo to the company mission and growth made me want to apply as soon as I could.
What’s your favorite part so far about working at Galileo?
If I could only choose one thing, I would have to say that Galileo allows me to be fearless. I’m not scared to make a mistake, and I know that if I do, I will be supported and will be able to bounce back and learn from it. Galileo welcomes redesign, so we always make sure to include time for reflection and collaboration to help improve our personal and company-wide practices.
Success from this has also changed my perspective as a parent and helped me develop on a personal level as well. It’s a mindset that I hope my children can adopt to help with building friendships, colleagues, and self-confidence.
What would people find surprising about working at Galileo?
While we have a very dedicated team that takes its work seriously, we are not shy about dressing up, playing games, and jumping into a skit at any time in the year. That means my boss showed up to the first day of camp wearing a pink wig!
Learn More About Working at Galileo
Is there anything you did during your application process that helped you stand out and land the job?
Rather than applying for lots of jobs, I pursued only a couple that really spoke to me. I invested time in learning as much as I could about the company to help assess if it was the right fit, and when I knew it was, I simply spoke from the heart.
What advice would you have for someone who is stuck in a difficult job hunt right now?
Be patient. It’s worth investing time now to find the right job that’s a perfect fit, rather than finding a job that’s “good enough.” If you start to get frustrated or impatient, try to take a break or do something nice for yourself, or else it will affect your personal life, current work environment, and even worse, any potential opportunities, such as at networking events or interviews.