Growing up in a low-income household where money was always scarce, I have always been drawn to the idea of pursuing a career at a large private corporation to make loads of money. Such a path promises financial stability for both me and my family, which is something I’ve always dreamt of. And now that I am a rising college senior about to enter the workforce full-time, the pressing question of what comes next has been shadowing over me in urgency.
I’ve faced multiple dilemmas as I attempt to find my answer. At heart, I want to make a difference. I want to help uplift the underserved communities that I grew up in. I want to give back to the communities that made me the person I am today. But the central question that I’ve been juggling around is: how do I achieve all that while becoming financially stable at the same time?
For a long time, I believed that a career in the private sector, such as consulting or working for a large company, would force me to compromise my morals and values. I feared that such corporations might not care about my well-being, background, or identity. I worried that dedicating myself to the corporate world would mean sacrificing my principles and ignoring everything I stood for. In short, I often feel like I have to choose between money or my well-being (morally, socially, emotionally). And the pressure to make the right decision and avoid making a wrong decision only added to my dilemma.
This week, our cohort had the opportunity to visit SoCalGas, aka the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility—aka a private company. During the visit, we engaged in a speed networking activity with current SoCalGas employees who were part of the company's Community of Asians & Pacific Islanders in Energy (CAPE).
Speeding Networking with SoCalGas CAPE members. CAPE is one of SoCalGas Employee Resource Group (ERG), which works as an integral part of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) efforts.
With this activity, I was able to gain more insights into the work environment and corporate culture at a private company. During my conversation with Khai Nguyen, Financial and Strategic Planning Manager, I learned that through SoCalGas he has been able to regularly participate in volunteering activities, such as Midnight Mission (an organization that provides services to the Los Angeles homeless community). I even found out that Khai and other SoCalGas members attended AJSOCAL’s (my host office) Summer Service Event where we packed over 500+ outreach goodie bags for the community. As I listened to the various ways SoCalGas members continue to participate in community and civic engagement within and outside the company, it reassured me that working for a private company does not necessarily mean I have to compromise the things that I am passionate about.
In retrospect, this experience helped me reaffirm the idea that life isn't always strictly black or white, and neither is my decision to choose between a for-profit versus non-profit world. This week’s sessions reminded me that I have time and that the career I choose to pursue straight out of college is not fixed. As Professor Dan Schnur (UC Berkeley, Institute of Governmental Studies) said in one of our previous sessions, “It's not what you do, but what you do first”. That said, I am starting to move away from the notion that I can only choose one path or the other and embracing the narrative that I can advocate and make a positive impact anywhere I go. It's not about this OR that anymore; instead, it is about finding a way to do "this AND that”. Looking forward, I am excited to explore all the ways in which I can lead and advocate in different spaces–whether that be in the non-profit, public, or private sector.
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of CAUSE or the CAUSE network.
Written by Andrea Mac, Leadership Academy 2023 Intern.
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a nine-week, paid, internship program that prepares college undergraduates to lead and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander community on their campuses and beyond.