College Experiences That Helped a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company Succeed
Erica, a Talent Principal at a Deep Tech Venture Company, achieved career success by maintaining a "common sense of like, Hey, you need to kind of keep the ball rolling yourself," balancing part-time work with college life, and networking strategically—even joining a sorority, which unexpectedly led to valuable connections and career opportunities. This approach, along with "being a little bit fluid, flexible, and open-minded," proved highly effective in building their career.
Networking, Open-mindedness, Financial responsibility, Career exploration, Building professional relationships
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erica Kane
Talent Principal
Deep Tech Venture Company
UCSB
N/A
Anthropology, Sociology
Electronics & Semiconductors, Technology
Human Resources (HR)
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Maintain a healthy work-life balance: Erica emphasizes the importance of enjoying college life while still being proactive about one's career. She balanced part-time work with her studies and social life, highlighting the importance of finding a sustainable rhythm.
2. Network strategically: Erica leveraged her sorority membership to expand her professional network, securing an internship at ESPN. This shows the value of networking, even through unexpected channels.
3. Embrace flexibility and open-mindedness: Erica's career path wasn't strictly linear. She took advantage of opportunities that came her way, demonstrating the importance of adaptability and open-mindedness in navigating a career path. She encourages trying new things and not closing oneself off to unexpected opportunities that could lead to valuable connections and experiences.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I was okay with money in undergrad, as I had a part-time job. My parents helped me with some expenses, but I had to pay for certain things myself. I remember thinking I had enough to get by, but I could also end up completely broke.
I generally had a common sense approach: you need to keep things moving yourself. In undergrad and college, it's important to have fun and not focus solely on work. It's a growing experience, but if you want to enjoy more, you have to supplement your income.
I learned to meet a lot of different people with varying work ethics. I would say I had a medium work ethic; not crazy, but I was pretty consistent. I never wanted to be unsuccessful and really wanted to be able to take care of myself.
For me, that meant having stable income and a job. I took steps to gain experience, get good grades, and network early on, but it wasn't my whole life. I just kept things moving.
I interned with ESPN because a sorority sister, who knew I liked sports and worked in intramural sports, heard about an opportunity through a family member. She asked if I was interested, and I enthusiastically said yes. I put the internship on my resume, and it led to other things.
Being fluid, flexible, and open-minded was a big advantage. I also want to note that I never thought I'd be a sorority person. I joined sophomore year, primarily to meet new people.
I ended up meeting some really great people through the sorority, with whom I still connect today. Many of them are quite successful. As a recruiter, I find I connect with people who have similar experiences.
My son attends a school where the PTA president went to UCSB and was in my sorority. She was a few years older, so we hadn't known each other then, but she mentioned it. It's a strange connection, but it highlights that you never know what might happen.
My advice is: don't dismiss something until you've tried it. If you can branch out a little, you never know where it might lead.
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