Note to Self: My Experiences Are Valuable
By Susana Camacho, Beta Cohort Member
I moved to Quincy, Washington from Mexico when I was 13 years old. Since then, I worked in agriculture during the summer. My first summer in the United States I worked picking cherries and thinning apple trees with my parents. I worked in agriculture every summer throughout high school, and after graduation when I went off to Central Washington University (CWU). For the four years I was at CWU, I still held an agricultural job every summer because as an undocumented student without DACA those were the only jobs I could get. Although I learned a lot of great skills and met amazing people working agricultural jobs, my job opportunities were limited. I felt at a disadvantage compared to other students pursuing similar career paths. But I was wrong about this. My experiences were not disadvantageous but different compared to the experiences of others.
I was blessed to have enough scholarships to pay for school so having a paid job was not a necessity during the school year. Although I could not get paid internships, I obtained unpaid clinical and research opportunities that would help me become a competitive professional after graduation. I was a research assistant in a biochemistry laboratory and volunteered at a free clinic in Ellensburg, Washington for three years.
As a junior at CWU I applied to medical school, and during that process I learned that getting admission into a US medical school as an undocumented student was extremely difficult. Most schools would not consider me for admission due to my legal status. Finding funding for medical school seemed even more impossible. I was greatly disappointed by this knowledge, and almost gave up on my applications. Unsurprisingly, I did not get into any of the five medical schools I applied to at the time.
After graduation, I returned home to Quincy, Washington where I lived with my parents and continued to work jobs in agriculture. As an immigrant, I was grateful for the income because I am aware that many do not have the opportunity to find employment. As a recent university graduate, I was disheartened that I could not get a more career-related job even though I had a B.S. in biology and a B.A. in philosophy. I often heard immigrant parents talk about their hopes for their children to get an education, so they did not have to work the same backbreaking jobs as their parents did. My parents had the same hopes for me. Knowing that my parents’ hopes were disappointed was more painful than my own feelings of frustration with my lack of opportunities.
However, I learned that there was value in all the jobs I worked. Working in agriculture I met and befriended some of the most hard-working people I know. The first-hand knowledge of how hard the people in my community work just to get by, and their resilience despite all the difficulties they face, inspires and strengthens me.
During the summers I was employed by Stemilt growers in their orchards and warehouses. Eventually, I ended up working in the department of Quality Control and Receiving. This was a seasonal position for the harvest of cherries and apples, and it involved more administrative work. I was out in remote locations documenting the receipt and condition of the fruit as it was hauled in from the orchards. In this position I learned about the connections between orchards, transportation, storage, processing, and distribution companies.
After eleven years I finally gained the ability to legally work in the US. This meant that two years after graduating from CWU I could look for career related jobs. I considered jobs in the medical field, but they required certifications. I decided to go for a research position since I had experience as a research assistant. But as my mom says “el tiempo no pasa en vano” (time does not pass in vain). I felt I was outcompeted by recent graduates because they would be considered to have fresher knowledge, and by those who also graduated two years ago and were able to get research experience. My assumption was that my work experience, although valuable for my personal growth, did not count as relevant experience the way research experience would. I decided to include my work experience on my resume anyway, since I could highlight transferable skills from there.
To my surprise, I landed a position different from what I had envisioned. I was hired by a laboratory in Pfizer to receive and manage their samples. My experience in Quality Control and Receiving at Stemilt was quite relevant for this position. I went to this interview ready to discuss my knowledge of different laboratory techniques but was surprised to spend most of the interview talking about my role at Stemilt. I kept getting asked follow-up questions, and one of the interviewers said they were curious because my experience sounded very similar to the position’s responsibilities. I was offered this position and found that it involves a lot of the same skills, which helped me complete the training stage sooner than expected. My work experience in agriculture was not disadvantageous as I had believed. Working different agricultural jobs was useful for my position at Quality Control and Receiving, and that experience gave me an advantage for a role with a prestigious pharmaceutical company.
As a first-generation graduate, I was not ready for how difficult career job searches could be. It took me some time and a lot of applications to find a position. Thankfully, I was greatly helped along the way by the First Generation Cohorts program. My mentor especially, helped me improve my application materials and provided moral support. It was an amazing opportunity to be part of a group of other young professionals and learn from their experiences. It was also helpful to have a source of support and inspiration to get through the hard times.
Throughout my job search, I learned that it is vital to have a support group for when I had submitted a lot of applications and was not hearing back from any of the jobs. The application process can feel overwhelming and discouraging. When I felt like this, I turned to my support group and asked for ideas on how to move forward. I now know that it is important to go into the job search prepared with patience, lots of confidence, strong self-care habits, and flexibility in job choices. It is important to be open to positions that are not 100% what I thought I would end up doing. And from now on I will remind myself that all my experiences are valuable, relevant, and they matter just as much as the experiences of others. This knowledge empowers me as I continue working on my plan to attend medical school and become a physician.
