College Experiences That Helped A Brand Manager At Riot Games Succeed
Reflecting on their undergraduate experience, the Brand Manager at Riot Games suggests a proactive approach to career exploration, advising students to "go out and discover everything" within their field of interest. This includes investigating various job verticals and revenue streams, emphasizing the importance of open-mindedness and trying "new things" to uncover unexpected career paths, as their own discovery of the video game industry exemplifies.
Career Exploration, Industry Discovery, Open-mindedness, Trying new things, Passion
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Freddy Chen
Brand Manager, Consumer Products
Riot Games
University of Southern California 2012
University of California Los Angeles MBA
Business Management & Admin
Gaming
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Explore various career paths within your field of interest. Don't limit yourself to what you already know; actively seek out and discover diverse opportunities.
2. Take classes or engage in activities that directly relate to your passions, even if you feel knowledgeable in the subject matter already. New perspectives can be gained from formal settings.
3. Maintain an open mind and willingness to try new things. Embrace opportunities to learn and grow beyond your comfort zone during your undergraduate studies.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I didn't do a lot of things in undergrad that set me up for success here. So, I'll share what I would rather have done instead.
One thing I would have done differently goes back to an earlier point: really just go out and try to discover everything. One of the things I'm glad I actually did in undergrad was take a class on the business of video games.
Even though I played a lot of video games at the time, I thought I knew a lot about the space. The reality was, I didn't know what avenues were open to me or that video games as a career was even a possibility.
So, especially in undergrad, I'd say go out and discover everything you can about any industry you're interested in. What job verticals are there? What channels interact with that industry? Find ways to understand how, if you know what you're passionate about, you can make money from it and what different angles you can take.
Just do whatever you can in undergrad to go through that discovery phase and find out about the world. I promise there is a lot more out there, and many people are making money in different ways you might not have thought of.
These opportunities are out there, ready to be explored and for people to discover. So, definitely in undergrad, find whatever you can, however you can. Just keep an open mind and be willing to try new things.
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