College Experiences That Helped a Senior M&A and Partnership Integration Manager at Zillow Group Succeed
Greyson's proactive approach to career exploration, including "doing the due diligence and having a personal interest in the direction of career," significantly propelled their career. This involved networking extensively, "going to career fairs, talking to people," and maintaining professional relationships, demonstrating that early career self-investment and relationship building are crucial for success.
Career Exploration, Networking, Proactive Career Development, Professionalism, Self-Motivation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Greyson Gardlik
Sr. M&A and Partnership Integration Manager
Zillow Group
University of Arizona
N/A
Business Management & Admin, Entrepreneurship
Real Estate, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Business Strategy
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Proactively research and explore career paths that align with your interests.
2. Network extensively with professionals in your field of interest; attend career fairs, connect with professors and alumni, and build relationships with people you meet.
3. Develop strong professional skills by putting in the work and doing research. Maintain a professional demeanor while networking, as you never know who could help you in the future.
Transcript
What did you do in your undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
This is a good question. I think one thing that set me apart from many of my peers and helped me advance relatively quickly in my career was doing the due diligence and having a personal interest in the direction I wanted my career to go.
Nobody in your undergraduate career will tell you the direction you need to go or point you there. You have to make those decisions for yourself. You need to spend time thinking about what you like to do and which components of business interest you.
I definitely took the time to talk to people and learn about potential career opportunities. I got on the phone with family friends who did all sorts of different jobs just to understand what was out there.
Being personally invested in your own success is critical. If you don't take the time to do it, it just won't happen. Once you are an undergraduate, you are an adult. Your parents can help direct you if they are around, or perhaps a friend with a job can offer guidance.
But at the end of the day, nobody will be there to help you if you stumble and fall. You really have to spend time figuring out what you want to do. It's not always fun, and it takes time to figure it out.
If you do put in the effort, you will reap the benefits later by setting yourself up for success early. I definitely feel that was one of the strong suits that helped set me apart from others in my undergraduate cohort.
This involved doing the less exciting work, like going to career fairs and talking to people, and networking as much as possible to get my foot in the door and start conversations.
The networking piece is really critical because you never know who you might meet. A professor, or someone you meet in a coffee shop, could potentially offer you a job at some point in your life. Always keep those connections.
Always try to carry yourself with a level of professionalism as you go through that process. It will definitely set you up for success. I know plenty of friends who met someone at a bar or concert, and two years later, ended up getting hired by their team.
The social aspect goes a long way alongside the academic exercise of putting in the work and doing your own research.
Advizer Personal Links