As early as my second year of college, I already had a strong conviction that my calling was to pursue clinical psychology. My life immediately post-graduation was clear to me even then -- I’d gain work experience at a clinic while studying for the psychometrician boards, and I’d eventually apply for Master’s programs in psychology. But of course, like with most everyone, the ensuing pandemic last year threw a wrench in my plans. With the lockdown cancelling the boards and slimming down prospects for clinical work, I found myself unsure of what my next step should be.
It was during this period of aimlessness that I stumbled on a Facebook post looking for an intern for a self-employed consultant. At first, I glossed over it thinking, “There’s no way I’d ever go into anything that’s even remotely corporate.” After all, I had zero interest in the one industrial/organizational psychology class that I took during college, and anything related to HR was the first type of job I ruled out when looking for work. But the more I read up on what the internship entailed, the more I found myself intrigued by the woman behind Elizha Corpus Consulting. Because while her work was heavily absorbed in the corporate world, it was evident she was grounded in a human-centered purpose -- to develop individuals and the teams and workplaces they belong to. At the end of the day, all I really wanted was to work somewhere that strived to make a difference in people’s lives. So I did something I thought I would never do: I applied for a corporate internship.
While most people often view corporate as a soul-sucking industry, my experience working with Elizha couldn’t be further from that. For one, even though I wasn’t exactly doing what I thought I’d be doing post-graduation, I felt like I was engaged in equally meaningful work when helping Elizha develop organizations in big and small ways. From moderating webinars on psychological safety in the workplace, to organizing a virtual conference on Diversity & Inclusion, I saw the multitude of ways that a role in HR can significantly impact the lives of so many people, especially given how much of our time is actually spent in the workplace.
Additionally, it wasn’t just the work itself that made my internship experience meaningful. Personally working with Elizha was such a value-adding experience in itself. She really showed me the kind of person that every boss or employer should strive to be. Because while I was thrown into new situations constantly, I felt Elizha’s support and guidance every step of the way. She always maintained an open and honest line of communication with her interns, balanced supervision with giving us the freedom to explore what we wanted to learn about, and above all, cared about our personal development as much as producing results. Suffice it to say that being Elizha’s intern has set the standards for me for the kind of treatment I (and really, everyone else) should expect from a supervisor. And I’m grateful to be able to say that I’m walking away from this having found a mentor in someone who’s incredibly wise and downright inspiring, and whose insights and counsel I really value.
While I don’t see myself going back into corporate any time soon, my experience working with Elizha has definitely given me a new perspective and a deeper appreciation for the industry she’s in. Her work is a true testament to how crucial it is for HR professionals to help companies create a work environment that is safe and compassionate towards every employee. And it was a privilege for me to be able to contribute in my own small way to Elizha’s mission to serve in that way.
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