Corporate Climber + Social Reformer = Ideal Candidate

Dharmesh Mistry has lived it all; he's been national president for one of the largest student communities in the UK (NHSF), he's worked for some of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, living the high life; he’s also managed charities and social projects, and he’s spent months, if not years, at a time in some of the most deprived slums in India. In a world where graduates seem to think that caring for the world and pursing a professional career do not mix, he explains the opportunities for amalgamating the two to make a positive change for all.

You've made it. Graduating (or soon to be) from one of the best universities in the country, no doubt soon you will find yourself on a lucrative career path with some of the best global companies. Over time you will understand the culture and structure of the company and industry. You will learn to apply yourself to deliver on the projects you have been assigned, and may even rise to positions which will define the company itself!

And of course that process involves the arduous assessment process. This may include 'hypothetical' problems to solve such as "How can you help a slum village to raise capital?" or "Apply your knowledge of engineering to a rural community; what would you do to generate electricity?" But these aren't hypothetical; millions of people in deprived climates face these challenges every day. And they don't theorise it; they live it. Whereas an assessment centre looks to see how you apply your knowledge, social entrepreneurship helps you live it. It sees if you can apply the knowledge you've obtained completing cash flows and balance sheets to a woman living in a slum start a vegetable enterprise.

Solving such challenges has the ability to make a significant impact on the lives of those around us that are less fortunate. This really will try the depth of your understanding as the norms you are used to may not apply.

It is through such challenges that you truly realise what it takes to add value. I am not suggesting that you give up the fancy office, and the lifestyle it affords, forever. I am not saying that success is any less earned in a comfortable and familiar environment. What I am urging you to do is to push yourself during the early part of your career, to really test what you know and what you have learned. Searching for solutions in such conditions will imbibe attitudes, values and skills that will allow you to succeed anywhere. These include (but certainly aren't limited to) resourcefulness, tenacity, relationship management, personal leadership, empathy and in today's world, a global understanding of how the other 90% live. There is no company that would not value such a person!

Internships and volunteer opportunities do exist with many social enterprises around the world, especially here in the UK. However, these organisations rarely come to you. They will not come to your university and give polished presentations and hand out branded stress balls. Simply the process of finding the right opportunity is a valuable learning process in itself, as you will discover a whole world that remains largely untapped. You will also discover a lot about yourself; the issues you care about and what you are willing to give your time to.

Those that drive social enterprises realise that their efforts can protect the earth, have social impact and still earn a profit, allowing them to grow. How appealing would it be to have a job that doesn't mean you constantly have to make a trade off between profit and values?

So, at a time when there is even greater competition for roles with the best companies, what is going to set you apart? What evidence do you have that you possess what it takes to deliver or that you have the vision and drive to bring something new to the team?

And at the end of it, maybe because of your advice and encouragement, a woman is able to send her children to school because her vegetable business is thriving. A solar energy system you developed may allow children to study under a lamp at night. A child in a rural area may be able to connect to a wealth of knowledge and information from around the world. And, at the end of it all, you've contributed to something bigger than yourself. This emerging path may just lead to a brighter career.

Dharmesh Mistry