im a girl, but into math and all that technical analytical stuff ;p
im filipino, but can neither dance, sing or do anything art-sy
im a mathie, but don't play settlers, memorize 50 digits of pi, or spend friday nights programming.
however, i am admittedly in every way a gen y-er. i do everything with a sense of urgency and believe that i can and will make a positive impact. so when it came down to mapping out the next few years in my life, i was torn between pursuing a job that would make money versus a job that would make an impact because new grad jobs that combine the two are extremely rare and hard to come by. i was completely torn because i wanted both, but knew i had to sacrifice my happiness and could only have one.
"power without love is reckless and abusive, love without power is sentimental and anemic"i realized that change can be facilitated with power. jeff skoll and bill gates are just two examples of people that have leveraged their power (through ebay and microsoft) and shifted into the positions of changemakers. so i took my corporate job, and for a couple reasons:- martin luther king jr. (via the blue sweater)
1. i've always wanted this job
i'd been eyeing this job for a year and actually got an offer
2. corporate experience will be great experience for a social enterprise
true, i could also gain experience from starting my own social enterprise, but not the same kind of experience. my corporate job will prepare me for the business-side of social entrepreneurship. it's no secret that a number of not-for-profits fail because they're started and run with a passion for the cause and no business skills crucial to organization and decision-making. when i begin in SE, i want to have something meaningful to contribute. even if it's my privacy and security knowledge, that is something that we will definitely run into, and i think it's quite important for a SE to secure its financial and sensitive data.
3. consulting life is great exposure
i am fortunate enough to be a position where the average turnover rate is 3 years, and they don't expect you to make a career out of consulting. phew, pressure's off. deloitte is a great place to build a portfolio, to work with clients, and to have access to great mentors. i think and hope that this position will open many doors for me and help me build lasting relationships needed for a future SE.
4. people listen to people in power
i don't plan to become a partner within 3 years, but in 2 or 3 years time after i've built strong corporate and community relationships, i will have more power than i do now. credibility is never a bad thing to have.
5.i'm still trying to find my place
i don't think everyone should test out corporate life before going into social sector. after university, some people are more than ready for it and more than needed in it because they know their strengths. they know what they want to do, how they're going to accomplish it, and the means to meet that goal. for me, i'm still trying to figure it out. i'm still unsure of what my purpose is in life, where i can have the biggest "impact" and what skills i will need to use. i'm still exploring and juggling a few things in hopes of finding my calling. hehe, so cheesy. i know this summer will be life changing, and i'm going to hopefully get some answers to my unknowns.
Wow, this is a GREAT blog post and something I've been thinking about lately a lot. Read my mind! I am still a junior so have one more year to go before I graduate, but I am grappling with the same thing: corporate or non-profit? I think getting a corporate job will help me in many of the reasons you mentioned -- gaining solid experience in a competitive environment, gaining useful skills which will always come handy later on, and putting you in a position of power. I have also been thinking about how so many social entrepreneurs started out as consultants or working in other large firms.
ReplyDeleteBut the thing is, unlike you I have no interest in consulting -- I'm actually more interested in law. Yet, before I go to law school, I want to work. I have no idea if that means I should choose something in the non-profit arena, which is what I have more experience in. These things are confusing but it sounds like you've thought it through well. Hope you come back to social enterprise, though! ;)
our constant struggle, but we are finding our way there. exposing yourself to these amazing opportunities will not doubt benefit you, personally and professionally :)
ReplyDeleteyou know me. the girl stuck in a corporate world, not knowing where to go. but the past year has opened my eyes SO much, and much of that has to do with you :)
Akhila: It's such a struggle, isn't it? I think someone like you is definitely needed and ready for social entreprise! Have you thought about doing a fellowship? Kiva, Acumen Fund, anything really, or any type of internship, there are so many out there. I think it's so important that you build your strengths because that's where your contribution to change will thrive. Jacqueline Novogratz was an ibanker, leading to Acumen. Premal Shah was at Paypal, and now the President of Kiva. The other thing is...it's in a sense "easier" to make mistakes in the corporate world. Yes, we are accountable to money, but better to make mistakes with money than with lives. That is scary =\ It's so easy for me to think "I wanna do it now!", but I have to slow down and find my strengths, develop SOME sort of skills and not just go in with love. I need some power too (hopefully gained through experience). Thanks so much for the comment =)
ReplyDeletejmn: YOU are not stuck! we're both in this together and trying to find you the perfect accounting/finance/portfolio management job when you're done your CA hours. The world awaits you =)
How about we turn Deloitte into an SE - what do you say, Klugo??;)
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