Growing up in Ukraine Darya Kulyk’s experiences were different from many children living in the U.S., and her opportunities were very limited. She excelled in her classes and was involved in the school newspaper and student government. Darya succeeded at almost everything she did but she soon discovered that having diverse talents actually made it more difficult, and not easier, to realize her true passions and ultimate career interest.
Doing many things well also taught her an important lesson about life at a young age. Darya says that she always noticed the way that others, mostly girls, reacted to her success. Being a top finalist for almost everything caused many people to act jealous towards her. And, while some kids in her position might have shied away from the spotlight to fit in or be liked, Darya just dealt with it. She kept doing the things she liked and stayed involved in the things she did well. In realizing, and more importantly in accepting, that everyone is not going to “like you,” Darya has learned to navigate life doing what she likes regardless of how others feel about it.
Can you share one specific risk that you took that didn’t go as planned, but you don’t regret?
I look at everything as an opportunity, so I don’t really regret anything that I’ve done. However, looking back I wonder how a couple of things would have worked out if had I done them differently. For example, after high school, I immediately started working for a couple of years to find out what I wanted to do. Later, when I went to college I felt like I knew everything or at least enough to make my own decisions, and so I didn’t consult with anybody about anything I was doing. In hindsight, I think now how I could have used the five years in college more efficiently if I had asked others for advice and suggestions.
Other times, I think what might have happened had I pursued science or math, instead of a liberal arts degree. When I applied to graduate schools, I thought about these things thinking that perhaps if I had a more substantial background and a different undergraduate degree; it would have been more useful. But I don’t regret studying media and communications. Working in marketing, I’ve found it very useful and important to have a lot of different skill sets. At the end of the day, I pursued what I liked – a little bit of everything. So instead of thinking about whatever “might have been,” I think that things worked out the way they were supposed to and I guess that’s what really matters.
Coming from Ukraine to the U.S. you had to create opportunities. How did you figure out what steps to take? And, what’s your advice to someone who is in a similar position?
When I came to New York, I didn’t even have a resume. One day I sat down and wrote out everything I knew how to do.
My goal was to send out 50 resumes a day, so that’s what I did. I used Craigslist like crazy. I sent my resume anywhere and everywhere, even newspaper ads, which matched positions I was looking for, even if it was just a tiny bit.
Being an immigrant doesn’t really give you a lot of time to “weigh your options” because like everyone else you have to make a living. I knew I did not want to wait tables so I started looking into office assistant positions and luckily I got one as soon as I came here after high school. It was a small office but it gave me a lot of experience with the Internet, e-commerce, working on business proposals and much more.
As a young professional woman and wife, how do you navigate focusing your attention on yourself and your career?
My husband recently decided to make a 180 in his career and go into medicine. He is going to be an anesthesia nurse. The past two years, he has been in a very rigorous program that been challenging for both of us.
I came to a point in my life when I realized that I wasn’t happy. Something was bothering me. I was becoming an accessory to what his [my husband’s] goals were. I asked myself, “If I were alone right now, what would I want to do in my life?” Right away the answer came, “to go back to school.” So I talked to my husband and realized this could be the perfect time to do it. I thought hey, we can even study together. So applied and (got accepted to) Baruch’s MS program.
If you’re not happy or something is not going the way that you would like, do something about it now. Don’t wait for better or perfect conditions, they may never come.
Do you have any tips to help anyone consistently stand out in professional situations?
Organization and attention to detail is key and extremely important. In any professional environment, which includes school, do your research. Research your boss, a professor, or the field you’re studying or want to work in. It will help you feel more comfortable in your new environment. Doing anything new is always uncomfortable because it’s unfamiliar. Having prior knowledge and feeling prepared is critical when trying something new and different.
At work, I think I stand out by being organized and prepared. This includes the little things like following up after a conversation, or reviewing emails and making notes of things I’ll look into further. It’s looking at everything because, more than likely, it’s the one little detail that can be or make a very important difference.
Do you consider yourself a competitive person? If so, how does that affect your life and career choices?
I am competitive and like competition. However, I don’t like losing [laughter]. Nobody does, but losing is part of playing any “game.” I’m learning that the more serious the “competition,” the higher the chance you may actually lose. But that’s okay, because sometimes the higher the risk – the higher the reward.
But you have to be in the game, participate and just try. While you may not win the entire match, you’ll be more prepared than you were before you tried, and you’ll have gotten something out of it because you did something you like.
In high school, I worked hard but my academic life and many other things came very easy to me. Later in life, however, I didn’t always feel “prepared” or that things came as easily as I juggled many challenges in other areas of my life and career.
Do you think you can be competitive and also supportive of your professional peers/colleagues?
Absolutely. Never be afraid to compliment someone and to tell them how good they are, even for the tiniest little thing. It may not be important to you but it can be huge to another person. Everyone needs to be acknowledged for something good. It may sound overly simplistic but it’s also smart to be kind and friendly to people.
What is the biggest lesson learned from someone’s unconventional or quiet wisdom?
Everyday I watched a former colleague demonstrate that you can be knowledgeable, but you shouldn’t throw your advice at people if they didn’t ask for it.
You might believe or confidently know more than someone else, but if they didn’t ask for advice or suggestions – don’t just give it to them. If somebody asks you for help then certainly go all out. But if not, keep your mouth shut.
About Darya Kulyk:
Darya Kulyk works full time as an account manager at Rewards Network. She is also a full-time graduate student pursuing her MS degree in Marketing Analytics at the Zicklin School of Business of Baruch College. Darya has created a successful career working for several small to medium size businesses in NYC holding various administrative and managerial positions. She is “Living on Purpose” by enjoying life’s challenges and embracing each one as an opportunity to learn. Darya has a BA in Media Studies and minor in Economics from Hunter College. Follow Darya on LinkedIn at Darya Kulyk.
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