Career Path of a People Partner at Cisco
Carolyn's career path began with international studies and internships at nonprofits and think tanks, followed by a law firm job where they unexpectedly "fell into HR" and "loved being in recruiting". An MBA from UCLA then facilitated a pivot to the tech industry, leading to an internship and subsequent full-time role at Cisco, where they remain.
Career Exploration, MBA, Human Resources, Technology, Career Pivoting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Carolyn Wright
People Consultant - People Partner
Cisco Systems, Inc
American University
UCLA Anderson School of Management, MBA
International Relations & Affairs
Technology
Human Resources (HR)
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Carolyn's career path highlights a non-linear progression, starting with international studies and law-related pursuits, then transitioning to HR and recruiting, and finally into the tech industry with an MBA from UCLA and a role at Cisco.
2. Her experience demonstrates that a career path can evolve based on interests and experiences. She initially pursued internships in nonprofits and think tanks, then law, before finding her passion in HR.
3. Gaining an MBA at UCLA facilitated her transition into the tech industry at Cisco, highlighting the value of graduate education in career pivoting and advancement. This shows the value of further education to move to a new industry.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Do you have any internships or jobs you had before your career role?
I started my career at American University in DC. I studied international studies and I really thought I wanted to either go into international aid or law.
I did a couple internships at nonprofits and think tanks in DC during undergrad. Then I started working at a law firm.
I kind of fell into HR. I just started working a job there because I wanted to see what it was like to work in a law firm, and I thought I might go to law school eventually.
I quickly realized that really wasn't the path I wanted to take. I really loved being in HR and I loved being in recruiting.
After about five or six years, I wanted to pivot industries. So I went to UCLA to get my MBA, and that's what led me to tech.
I interned at Cisco as part of my MBA program and graduated in 2019. I took a full-time job there and I've been at Cisco ever since.