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Freida, IT Manager at Industry leader : Advize Career Interview

Freida, an IT Manager at an industry leader, took an unconventional path starting with philosophy, emphasizing logic and systems thinking, before landing in IT consulting.

Now, change management, especially concerning AI, is central to their role, which includes bridging the gap between complex technology and diverse audiences.

A typical day involves leading IT and compliance initiatives, such as SOC 2 preparation, and enhancing cybersecurity training. Empathy is considered paramount, surpassing even technical skills, for effective teamwork and customer service.

The exciting blend of creativity and logic in the evolving tech landscape, coupled with the ability to uphold ethical standards and protect individuals through cybersecurity and compliance, fuels their passion.

Challenges include conveying the manipulative aspects of technology to non-technical audiences. Key traits for success in IT are curiosity, collaboration, adaptability, and resilience.

Learning that interpersonal skills are vital for driving policy and change management was a critical lesson. For students, a help desk position offers valuable entry-level experience.

Documenting everything clearly is essential for accountability and historical reference. Logic and argumentation, cultivated through philosophy, provide a strong foundation for critical thinking.

Support from other women in tech and allies helped navigate the male-dominated field. Lastly, networking is key for social science students seeking their first job in the field, emphasizing the value of who one knows.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Freida Kreitzer

IT Manager

Industry leader

UC Berkeley

​

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Philosophy

Technology

Cyber Security and IT

Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School

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Career Path of an IT Manager at a Leading Company

Freida, an IT Manager at an industry leader, took an "unconventional career path" starting with a philosophy major at UC Berkeley where they focused on logic and systems thinking. After college, the speaker "got pretty lucky" landing a consulting role, despite not having had internships during college, an experience they now advise students to pursue.

Career Path of an IT Manager at a Leading Company

Main Responsibilities Of An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

As an IT Manager, a significant responsibility is change management, specifically navigating the complexities of the evolving AI landscape and training staff on new technologies, even when it means transitioning them "from technologies that they might love, into technologies they might not love." To ensure effective implementation of security policies and adoption of new technologies, a core part of the role is breaking down complex technical concepts into easily understandable terms for diverse audiences.

Main Responsibilities Of An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

A Day In The Life Of An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

Freida's day-to-day as an IT Manager centers around leading IT and compliance initiatives, particularly "SOC two" preparation for companies to be customer-ready which entails building scalable IT infrastructure and managing vendor relationships. Freida also specializes in onboarding and help desk flows, with a passion for enhancing cybersecurity and IT training to make it "better and more enjoyable."

A Day In The Life Of An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

Most Important Skills for an IT Manager at a Leading Company

As an IT Manager, Freida believes that "empathy" is the most crucial skill, even more so than technical expertise, because it enables effective teamwork and treating end-users as valued customers, ultimately leading to greater career success. In Frieda's experience, a lack of empathy hinders success regardless of technical certifications.

Most Important Skills for an IT Manager at a Leading Company

Favorite Parts of Being an IT Manager at an Industry Leader

Freida enjoys being an IT Manager because the ever-evolving tech landscape allows for a blend of "creativity with logic," which is something they consistently strive for. Furthermore, the role allows one to specialize in compliance and security and pursue a goal of handling technology "as responsibly and ethically as possible," holding companies to higher standards and implementing ethical regulations, especially in emerging fields like AI.

Favorite Parts of Being an IT Manager at an Industry Leader

Biggest Challenges Faced by an IT Manager at an Industry Leader

As an IT Manager, the biggest challenge is translating technical concepts to non-technical audiences, particularly regarding the manipulative nature of technology and social media; having worked at Meta, it is difficult to help people "protect themselves" and disconnect from strategically engineered applications increasingly geared towards AI replication of human interaction, making "authenticity" crucial.

Biggest Challenges Faced by an IT Manager at an Industry Leader

Favorite Parts Of Working In The IT Industry As An IT Manager

Freida enjoys the ability to help people through cybersecurity and compliance, unexpectedly finding passion in the latter because it "imposes regulations on companies" to protect both employees and individuals from data breaches that could have severe consequences. Ultimately, Freida's enthusiasm stems from the chance to keep teaching people how to protect themselves, thereby "helping people at the end of the day."

Favorite Parts Of Working In The IT Industry As An IT Manager

What Type Of Person Thrives In The IT Industry According To An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

Freida, an IT Manager at an industry leader, believes that people who thrive in IT possess empathy and value collaboration by being curious and open to others' ideas rather than assuming "you're the expert." The industry demands adaptability, resilience, and the ability to work through ambiguity and pressure, as the stakes can be high, particularly when considering IT infrastructure in critical environments.

What Type Of Person Thrives In The IT Industry According To An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

What An IT Manager At An Industry Leader Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The IT Industry

Freida wishes someone had emphasized the critical role of interpersonal skills in IT management. While often perceived as a solely technical role "where we hide behind computers," Freida found that successfully implementing policy and driving change management requires strong connections with people, demonstrating how new policies will "make their lives easier" and building trust through genuine support, making people-facing skills 90% of the job.

What An IT Manager At An Industry Leader Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The IT Industry

Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring IT Managers

An ideal entry-level IT position for students is "help desk," which Freida notes helped them get through college and evolved into an independent consulting job. This role, accessible to virtually any business, offers valuable experience, as demonstrated by Freida's anecdote about offering to fix a coffee shop's internet for free coffee, highlighting the universal need for IT support.

Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring IT Managers

Significant Career Lesson From An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

As an IT Manager in compliance, one significant lesson Freida learned is the crucial importance of documenting everything in writing for "clarity, accountability, and...historical reference," especially when working with both technical and non-technical teams, because it is a critical leadership tool in tech. Establishing a company wiki is also essential as a reference point, and keeping track of actions taken is vital for navigating the technical landscape.

Significant Career Lesson From An IT Manager At An Industry Leader

College Experiences That Helped an IT Manager at a Leading Company Succeed

As an IT Manager at an industry leader, studying philosophy in college, especially logic and argumentation, set Freida up for success by creating "a good pathway for critical thinking". "Always looking at things from multiple perspectives" and a desire to help people, carried from college to now, are also essential qualities for success.

College Experiences That Helped an IT Manager at a Leading Company Succeed

How Identity Has Influenced an IT Manager's Career at an Industry Leader

Freida's career in IT as a woman has been significantly impacted by the male-dominated environment, especially early on where there was a desire "to be treated like a man." Finding support from other women in tech, acting as a mentor, and having supportive male allies helped overcome challenges like "imposter syndrome" and made Industry leader's voice heard, reinforcing the importance of diversity in creating a more collaborative and inclusive environment.

How Identity Has Influenced an IT Manager's Career at an Industry Leader
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