Career Day | Maegan
Now what?
This “career” of mine or whatever you wanna call it started early so bear with me. I started volunteering at my local library at 12 years old teaching English to children of refugees. I then volunteered at summer camps in my neighborhood as a junior counselor and got my first job job at 15 years old working as a busser at a Thai restaurant. I worked two hours every Thursday and made a whole $14 a week. It was pretty fucking useless, but my desire to work started young because I just liked having my own money — even if it meant I could buy like two t-shirts (and it didn’t hurt that my dad was still giving me an allowance).
I eventually went on to simultaneously work 2 jobs throughout high school; about 25 hours a week at Burger King and who knows how many hours at Youth In Action, a youth-run non-profit where I was the head of a team that taught sex ed throughout the city and was board secretary. Yup — I was managing a staff of 20 peers and was on a board of directors, all before I could even vote. I did all this (no idea how) while being a part of like every club at my high school; taking several AP classes like AP French, AP Calc and AP Physics; getting pretty decent grades; and making time to get drunk with my friends. I even made time to apply to 13 colleges & universities (I got into 11/13, #justsayin).
College was no different. My first semester freshman year, I worked 20+ hours a week at H&M, had 2 work studies on campus and was taking 21 credits since I decided early that I wanted to double major in French and Economics (there was no way in fucking hell I was paying $50k a year for just one degree). I eventually went on to have 50-leven jobs on campus: I worked in the post office, I was an RA for the majority of my time there, I worked in financial aid, I worked in the gym…all while holding executive positions in the Black Student Union and the Latino Student Union, I was an SGA representative, I planned parties on campus, somehow made time to visit my friends at different universities along the east coast, studied abroad in Paris, went on two volunteer trips (that I got the school to pay for) AND no lie, went clubbing like 5 days a week.
All of this to say, even though I’ve never followed a “career path”, my work ethic been strong. I learned how to swim as a toddler. My mom even taught me how to read at the age of 3 because I didn’t wanna have to wait around for someone to read to me — I’m a Taurus, can you tell? Since graduating from college, I’ve made a reputation for myself as being not only efficient, but more times than not, the hardest worker in the room.
What I didn’t notice until recently is that the common denominator in all of the 1,000 jobs I’ve had is that I love to help. (But forreal — I’ve had ALL the jobs — I was a housekeeper in Paris because I was broke as fuck working as an English teacher in the French projects, I managed a yoga studio on a small island in Thailand, I interned in Paris helping refugees find housing and healthcare, I’ve volunteered in hostels in both Germany & Malaysia for free housing, I was a data analyst for a government contractor in DC, I’ve been paid to lead groups of 30 across 4 different continents and I’m now a remote travel agent…all. of. the. jobs.)
Even in my personal life, I’m known as a helper and I love it. I express love through helping others and I genuinely expect nothing in return (other than a thank you, of course, or I’ll never help ya ass again). Applying for a visa and need someone to forge a flight confirmation? Das me. Looking for a new job and don’t know where to start? Das me. Been feeling depressed and not sure how to shake it off? Das me. Been beefing with your man/woman because they ain’t shit? Das DEF me.
When I originally thought about this post, I was going to write about how you can get into international hospitality and get paid to travel the world but honestly? Ya girl been there. Ya girl done that. I instead wanted to write about what’s been heavy on my mind and on my heart as of late.
Last year I decided to take a job in Phnom Penh with the intention that it would be my last employer. I knew I wanted to start my own business, but I didn’t know what I wanted it to be. While perusing Google and shit I came across an article that asked, “If child-me could see me now, what’s something that I’m not doing that would disappoint her?” I immediately knew that my answer was “helping”. More specifically, giving back with purpose.
I used to take buses for hours just to show up at protests. I’ve volunteered to teach adult-immigrants how to use computers. I helped rebuild houses in Biloxi, Mississippi after Katrina. I’ve made dinner for shelters full of women and their children. I’ve spent hours picking up trash off of black sand beaches in Bali. While my travels have been rewarding, there hasn’t been enough giving back to my fellow humans and more importantly, to the communities that have welcomed me across the world and most importantly, to the community that made me in Providence, Rhode Island.
As I transition into this entrepreneurial mindset that will define my 30s, I’m steady focused on securing the bag, but I don’t think that getting rich and helping mankind are mutually exclusive. I’ve worked directly with Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS, and since then, social responsibility has been at the forefront of my business-mind. Even with my resume design business, I design resumes pro-bono for single moms and people who’ve been out of work for health reasons.
Will I create the Warby Parker of philanthropy? The Uber of philanthropy? Is that what GoFundMe is now? All of this TBD, but either way, something great is about to happen. I know it because over the past month or so even my friends have been messaging me to create different charities and shit. The signs are there. The passion is there. The ideas are there. I’m just missing direction…for now.
Any ideas on how I should proceed? Holla at me.
