College Experiences That Helped A Product Manager At Creative Production Succeed
Evan's most impactful undergraduate activity was conducting informational interviews, "reaching out to people...and asking them just to talk about their job," to gain a clearer understanding of various career paths and "test assumptions" about their own potential. This proactive networking significantly shaped their career trajectory by revealing unforeseen opportunities and bolstering confidence in their abilities.
Networking, Informational Interviews, Career Exploration, Self-Marketing, Understanding Industry
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Evan Bradshaw
Product Manager
B2B SaaS Marketplace for Creative Production
UCSB
UCSB: Engineering School, Master of Technology Management (MS)
Psychology
Technology, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Network with professionals through informational interviews to learn about different career paths and roles.
2. Cultivate curiosity by asking questions and engaging in conversations to better understand the industry and potential career options.
3. Challenge your assumptions about your capabilities by speaking with professionals and discovering your potential for success
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
The number one action that set me up for success was networking. Specifically, this idea of informational interviews: reaching out to people in your desired career, role, or industry and asking them to talk about their job.
As a curious student, this really helps with your career. The perception of a career as an undergrad is often incomplete. You feel like you know what you're thinking, but you don't truly know until you talk to someone doing it.
This is why I think advice is brilliant. There are so many roles and specialized career paths out there that there's no way everyone knows what's available or what they truly want to do with certainty. You need to test your assumptions and market yourself.
You might be better skilled or positioned for something than you even think. Talking to people and doing what you might want to do has to be the most successful thing you can do to understand your career path and achieve success in it.
Staying super curious leads to conversations where you ask questions like, "What do you mean by that?" and "Could we talk about this over coffee?" Going to your professor's office hours is a good example of this in academia, but you can do the same with professionals.
That's what I mean by an informational interview. It's not an interview for a job; it's an interview for understanding the industry. If you think you can't do something and talk to someone who's gone above and beyond, they might say, "No, you're just like me."
They might support you and help you believe in something you never thought was possible. I think realizing your potential by talking to others is the largest success driver within your career. So that's my advice.