College Experiences That Helped An Assistant Store Manager At Amazon Succeed

The ultimate college experience can be broken down into three things. When it comes to professionalism, the first is opportunity. In college, you'll encounter many opportunities, and your job as a student is to try as many as possible.

For example, even if you don't enjoy STEM subjects like physics or science, taking one science class could change your perspective. You might join a club to gain leadership experience or a fraternity or social club to put yourself out there and meet different types of people. The biggest thing for sure is opportunity.

The second thing I want to emphasize is relationship building. In college, you're surrounded by many people, and you have the freedom to talk to whomever you choose. This is a significant opportunity, especially when talking to professors and networking.

Networking might sound intimidating, and while schools talk about elevator pitches, putting that much pressure on yourself isn't always necessary. It can be as simple as reaching out to a professor you enjoyed and asking about their career path or what led them to teach the class. These small conversations can be very vital.

Building connections is important because people will share insights when you need them most. It's not about approaching a professor for a transactional request like an internship. Instead, conversations should be genuine, with a desire to get to know them as a person.

When you build relationships with classmates, professors, or faculty, you'll receive the right advice at the right time. I remember being scared to start my manager role at Amazon at 21, but I was fortunate to have professors I'd built good relationships with. They encouraged me to take the job, assuring me I would learn a lot. Their confidence and support were what I needed.

Hearing from them motivated me to do my job better and encouraged me to take the position at Amazon. Building those relationships is incredibly important.

Finally, while opportunity is crucial, you must try everything and say yes to opportunities. I was a political science major who thought I had to go into law. However, I had a growth mindset and wanted to explore different areas.

I took classes in film school, philosophy, and marketing, sampling various subjects to understand the real world better. By trying different things and putting myself in diverse social settings, I gained a better understanding of how the world works.

You don't get as many opportunities in the real world as you do in college. You can hang out with friends, take classes across different subjects, hold a leadership position in a club, work full-time, and intern simultaneously, all while graduating on time with a good GPA.

While I mentioned three things, if you don't have an internship, it's not the end of the world. Other leadership experiences are equally, if not more, important. I didn't have an internship for my first two years, and only had three total, but I still landed a job at a major company.

I believe this is because I invested in leadership opportunities on campus. I was president of the South Asian Student Association, hosted a radio show, was an orientation leader for three years, a tour guide, and a volunteer. These experiences made my college journey impactful.

Work experience isn't limited to internships; on-campus leadership roles also go on your resume. Make sure you're working on something you're passionate about. Whether it's a job, internship, or another opportunity, it can make a significant difference.

I was passionate about building a better South Asian community on campus and became heavily involved as president of the club. This taught me so much about leadership and organizing. When I discussed it in interviews, my passion was evident. Interviewers can tell if you're being authentic.

These are my tips for success. Follow your passion, especially in college. Try everything, say yes to every opportunity, and get involved on campus. This will make you a stronger candidate when applying for jobs.