Networking outside my comfort zone

To be honest, my initial reaction to realizing I was in the breakout room with the corporate banker was that this was not going to be applicable to my professional future. I thought I’d finally gotten to my random placement and that I wasn’t going to receive relevant information or advice because I did not see a future where I worked for a bank. However, I quickly realized I was wrong and found myself intently listening to Terrence Shelton and taking notes on his career journey with Golden 1 Credit Union. I was simply unaware of the job possibilities in the corporate sector that focus on people, community connections, and investment in social services.

During his 18-minute session, I learned how and where my skill-set could fit into the corporate world and it expanded my awareness of opportunities in the entire for-profit sector. While my intentions are to pursue a career in education, this networking event pushed me to reflect on the wide range of opportunities in my future. This type of networking experience is a vital navigational tool for young professionals. Members choose to serve with City Year at different points in their educational journeys and I love how City Year embraces this by providing us with the people, resources, and experiences we need to plan our next steps in life with confidence and excitement.