Career Advice That Every First Gen Scholar Should Know

How is your personal mission tied to the work of NGS?

My personal mission is to empower individuals who identify as first-generation and low income to reach their full potential. I believe my personal mission aligns with NGS' work, mission, and values. From serving Little Scholars to alumni, I believe everyone who is a part of NGS is working towards empowering the NGS community.

What is one memorable interaction you have had with an NGS scholar that you feel best represents the core of NGS' impact?

There are so many! I'd have to say the most memorable are times when I've encouraged or coached a scholar to apply for an opportunity they weren't a hundred percent confident they would get. Then weeks or months later, hearing that their wildest dreams came true. I believe that represents the core of NGS's impact: transforming lives, but perhaps more importantly, transforming how NGS scholars, alumni, and community thinks about what's possible.

What are the Top 3 pieces of career advice that you think every first generation scholar should know?

1) Take risks! Oftentimes, the only risk is bruising our ego.
2) Leverage your network. Don't be afraid to ask people about opportunities. And informational interviews are gold!
3) Take risks! Haha, I had to say it again because it's so true. Don't opt out because you're afraid of someone else saying no.

What is the best career move that you have made that Scholars can learn from?

Don't be afraid to pivot or change career trajectories. I think so many people think that changing career paths equates to "giving up." A lot of people don't realize how many individuals have changed career paths or pivoted. A job isn't who we are, it's an opportunity to express how we think and how we can add value to an organization. Sometimes that organization's values shift out of alignment with our own, and it's perfectly acceptable to move on. Sometimes our own values shift. Why should we chase a dream that our younger selves created when we knew next to nothing about the professional world? We don't have the exact same tastes in clothes, music, food, friends, and love as we did when we were younger. So why should we have the same professional goals?

What is your top tip for networking and job seeking?

Networking: Most people spend 80% of their time around people they already know, and 20% around strangers. If you're trying to network successfully, flip those percentages. Spend 80% of your time meeting new people. Join clubs, organizations, or events that you've thought about attending, but never made time for. Don't be afraid to go to an event alone. Make up a story about why you're there alone, ie. "I'm waiting for a friend, I'm working on an assignment, I was next door and this looked really interesting..."

Lastly, try to get to know people for who they are and not for what value you think they can add to your life.

Job Seeking: Look everywhere! Finding opportunities is as much of the battle as applying. Don't be afraid to apply for opportunities because it's not a perfect fit. Don't be afraid to apply for opportunities because you think you're under-qualified. If you were perfectly qualified, that would make the job or opportunity a lateral move, right? Don't be afraid to apply to something at the last minute! Last time I checked, buzzer beaters are celebrated.

Sometimes, when the job seeking process is months long, it can be frustrating. Job searching and applying followed by silence and/or rejection can become repetitive and emotionally draining. Take a break for a few days or a week. Instead of looking for jobs, try to set up informational interviews with people who already have that job or people who hire for that role. Understanding how someone else got there can help shift a job seekers perspective and change their approach.