Christine Cruzvergara used to sit in her office — decorated with a plaque that read, “Allergic to mediocrity” — and dole out advice about ambition.
Ms. Cruzvergara ran the campus career service centers at George Mason University and later at Wellesley College, a campus whose competitive culture was reflected in the way students approached their job searches. When they talked about openings that seemed to check various boxes — purpose, prestige, paycheck — she heard a common refrain: “This is my dream job.”
