A few months ago, I met Lia, a woman who has done what I think is a very sensible thing with her career - fulfilling her desire to make a difference in the world in the context of working for a large company - so I thought I'd share her story here.

When Lia chose to transition from the non-profit to the corporate sector, she wanted to continue to be actively involved in the philanthropic causes she had passion for. Beginning in college, Lia had directed and produced three large charity fashion shows for the Ronald McDonald House, a children's bereavement center, and an organization devoted to raising cultural awareness and ending prejudice.

Taking a job at insurance powerhouse Aetna, Lia was concerned about when she would find time outside of work and commuting to volunteer. But Aetna solved this problem for her, providing employees with opportunities to volunteer either during the work day or as part of company initiatives. While working in the Connecticut sales office, Lia volunteered at two Catholic charity golf events and was the team captain for the Light the Night walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And because Lia now has a more flexible schedule and is able to work from home several times a week, she has been able to start working for her local chapter of Hospice. She visits patients during her lunch hours, or right at the end of the work day.

A sense of social responsibility is of the utmost importance to Lia, and she's not alone. In attracting and retaining today's twenty and thirty-somethings, companies like Aetna are wise to support volunteer programs and flexible scheduling to ensure better work/life balance. As for Lia, she has the best of both worlds. She's able to make a good salary working at a prestigious Fortune 500 while living her dream of philanthropic service.

The lesson? Instead of lamenting how tragic and soulless it is to work in Corporate America, look around you for opportunities to do something meaningful. They might be right in front of you.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.