What a Mergers and Acquisitions Integration Program Manager at Google wishes they had known before entering the tech industry
Brett, a Program Manager at Google, advises aspiring professionals to approach the industry with humility, seeking guidance and experience before forming opinions, and to then use that experience to "challenge the status quo" and drive impactful change. The importance of consistently producing high-quality work, building a strong professional brand, and taking "pride in all the effort" is also highlighted as crucial for career advancement.
Project Management, Professional Development, Challenging the Status Quo, Building Your Brand, Continuous Improvement
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Brett Rothberger
Program Manager, M&A Integration
University of Arizona
N/A
Business Management & Admin, Entrepreneurship
Technology
Cyber Security and IT
Scholarship Recipient, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Be humble and seek guidance from experienced professionals; don't assume expertise straight out of college.
2. Challenge the status quo and look for ways to improve processes; those who drive change have the most impact.
3. Take pride in your work and strive for high-quality output in all projects to build a strong professional brand and reputation among colleagues.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would've told you before you entered the industry?
Great question. If I were advising my younger self, I would say it's really important to be humble and seek guidance from those with more experience. Reiterate to yourself that you're not going to come into an industry and be an expert just based on your college experience.
It's really important to gain experience through work before forming too many opinions. Once you do have some of those opinions, a great practice is to challenge the status quo. It's very easy to follow the status quo.
When you get to a new job, you'll learn the basics of what you're supposed to do. But then, in order to grow, it's really important to figure out how to improve something. People who challenge the norms and drive change typically create the most impact.
So, once you have experience and form opinions on how you can improve something, please challenge the status quo. The last piece of advice is to take pride in all the effort you put into your work product.
Whether or not it's something you enjoy, every project or task you complete is an opportunity to build your brand. You always want to be seen in the highest regard by your colleagues. Everything you produce at work will have your name next to it.
So, it's really important that you're diligent and take extra care over your work product.
Advizer Personal Links
linkedin.com/in/brettrothberger