"I immigrated to the U.S. when I was really young with my mom and sister from Taiwan. It was challenging for my mom to be able to provide that kind of guidance to us just because she didn’t have that same experience. I think there are a lot of nuances and differences in terms of career development and academics that differ between others countries and the United States.
"My classmates had parents who could provide them guidance on career choices, types of classes, and questions to ask when you are looking at your options after high school, and so on. Many of my classmates also had parents who were well connected and could help them get their first internship or job. This access to connections that matter is called social capital. I didn’t get a lot of guidance or those same built-in opportunities. It was really up to my sister and me to figure out our own way, what needs to be done, and how to do it.
"This is a really common challenge that's often part of the immigrant experience. While it was challenging, this is not insurmountable. Not having social capital through your family means that you may have to work harder to build it in other ways. Being in an area like northern Virginia provides access to social capital. That’s also where organizations like Liberty’s Promise can come in. My internship through Liberty’s Promise helped me gain experience, exposure, and I have no doubt, helped me get accepted to the College of William and Mary, leading me to where I am today."
Michelle was one of the first interns placed when the program started in the summer of 2006. We caught up with Michelle and here is what she had to say:
“I heard about Liberty’s Promise through my career development center and interned at the DC Mayors Office of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs. I had a really good experience; it was a great introduction to the work environment and invaluable exposure. It was my first time pulling together a resume and going through a formal interview process.
"I encourage students and young professionals to take advantage of the services Liberty’s Promise and what your high school’s career services can offer for an interview and resume prep. It is very helpful to get feedback and guidance when building your resume. It helps you to understand what the expectations are, what potential employers are looking for, and gets you used to the process for other opportunities in the future because resumes are now requested by everything from scholarships to study abroad opportunities. It is also helpful to have someone to run through interview questions so you are prepared to talk about your resume during your interview. Beyond just getting help on these tactical items, working through these channels will also help you as you learn to navigate networking and find new opportunities because the staff at Liberty’s Promise, your high school guidance office, career services, etc will also have their own network and will know of other programs, internships, scholarships that you may be able to take advantage of.
