College Experiences That Helped A Software Support Manager At An Influencer Marketing SaaS Succeed
Jarred's undergraduate success stemmed from prioritizing internships, even if initially not perfectly aligned with career goals; the experience gained proved transferable, highlighting a philosophy of "do and try as opposed to plan and then fail to do anything," leading to a successful transition into their first post-graduation role.
Internships, Career Exploration, Action-Oriented Approach, Translating Skills, Experience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Jarred Velazquez
Software Support Manager
Mi-Size Influencer Marketing SAAS Company
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
N/A (Currently at UCLA Anderson, no other Graduate degree)
Engineering - Electrical
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Cyber Security and IT
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Get internships early in your college career, even if they aren't exactly what you want to do. The experience will be valuable.
2. Prioritize taking action over detailed planning. It's better to gain experience from doing than to be paralyzed by planning.
3. Learn to translate skills gained from various experiences to make yourself a suitable candidate for different roles and career paths.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I would say, getting those internships was quite serendipitous for me. It ended up being the path I took going into my first job out of school.
I would say, just do and try as opposed to planning and then failing to do anything with that planning. Maybe I'm just the unconscientious type who doesn't have a plan that they stick to, but everyone's got their own kind of style.
I would err on the side of doing, even if it means it's not perfect. The first two internships I had were perhaps not what I wanted to do, but they gave me experience I could put down on paper.
I can translate those experiences if I wanted to pursue a different career. I could find ways to translate them into more particular skill sets for that new job, whatever that would be. So, I would say err on the side of action.
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