How Identity Has Influenced An Account Manager's Career At ELREPCO
Aman's experience as an immigrant heavily influenced their career choices, pushing them to take risks and pursue "something extraordinary" rather than settling for a conventional path. This "immigrant mindset," born from leaving family and familiar life for the "land of opportunity," emboldened Aman to prioritize passion and ambition over safety, leading to a more fulfilling, albeit unconventional, career trajectory.
Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories, Risk-Taking, Immigrant Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Aman Sheth
Account Manager
ELREPCO
Purdue University Class of 2019
Currently pursuing MBA at UCLA Anderson
Engineering - Mechanical
Electronics & Semiconductors
Sales and Client Management
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Aman's journey as an immigrant significantly shaped his career decisions, pushing him to take risks and pursue extraordinary opportunities rather than settling for a comfortable path.
2. His experience highlights the impact of an immigrant mindset—a willingness to take risks and pursue ambitious goals despite being far from family and support networks.
3. He emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and aligning career choices with personal values and long-term aspirations, rather than solely focusing on immediate stability or security.
Transcript
How has that affected the way you navigate your career?
I was born and raised in Dubai, spending about half my life there. My family is from India, and we moved back when I was in high school. I lived in Mumbai for about four years.
Then, I moved to the US at 17 for college as an international student. Coming to the US as an immigrant has had a huge impact on the decisions I make and the career trajectory I'm pursuing.
I had never been to the US before moving here in 2014 as an undergraduate. I came here with a dream and an image of what I wanted my life to be like. There's a sacrifice in leaving your family, friends, and familiar life to take a risk in this country, a land of opportunity.
That mindset has significantly influenced my decisions. For instance, when I went to Purdue, I had no idea what the Midwest was. My dream was to be in California, perhaps at UCLA, or in New York City. I had no idea what Indiana was.
When I showed up and did my co-op and received full-time offers in the Midwest, I started to question why I came to this country. Were all the sacrifices for me to just play it safe and take a comfortable path, which was very much within reach?
I graduated from a good school with a good degree and the right experiences. I could have taken a standard engineering job and had a traditional career path. However, I had to remind myself that I came to this country to do something extraordinary.
I'm here to "swing for the fences." If I'm not super excited about a particular opportunity, then that's not what I'm here to do. That's not what I was born for, and that's not my American dream. I'm going to push for something incredible and really push the limits of what's possible here.
That philosophy has been with me ever since and has opened doors. I feel if I were born and raised here, I might have become complacent and not taken big risks. Part of me thought, "Hey, I have nothing to lose."
My family and loved ones are back in India or Dubai. I don't really have anyone here. I'm okay with couch surfing for a few years if a risk doesn't pan out. I don't have an ego telling me I need a stable life right now.
I came here to make it big. I think having that immigrant mindset and experience has really impacted how I approach my career decisions.