Career Path of a Senior UX Designer at a Property Management Software Company
Jeanmarie's successful career stemmed from extensive undergraduate involvement in extracurricular activities like being a resident assistant and participating in associated student groups, building strong networks and providing interview stories beyond academic achievements. This exploration, coupled with self-reflection on academic interests—a shift from pre-med to political science—demonstrates the importance of "being really honest with yourself about what your interests are" and trying different things to find the right fit.
Networking, Career Exploration, Self-Reflection, Extracurricular Activities, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Jeanmarie Levy
Senior UX Designer
Property Management Software Company
UC Santa Barbara
University of Southern California, Masters of Education in Higher Adminstration
Political Science, American Studies
Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Jeanmarie's involvement in extracurricular activities and leadership roles provided valuable networking opportunities and interview stories.
2. Trying different things and shifting career paths (from pre-med to political science) showcases the importance of self-reflection and exploring various interests.
3. The ability to identify what keeps her in a "flow state" highlights the value of understanding personal interests and aligning them with academic and professional pursuits.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
I feel I've had a successful career because I was deeply involved as an undergraduate student. Being a resident assistant and involved with associated students, as well as participating in and leading various clubs and extracurricular activities, gave me the opportunity to have many stories to speak to during interviews. This was more impactful than the actual classroom academics.
Getting involved in the university space is so important. It provides networking opportunities. Tons of people I work with to this day know me from when I was their RA or when we worked together in college. That level of relationship building was crucial.
I was also able to try out a lot of things and be okay with not having everything figured out after year one or year two. I came in as pre-med but left with a political science major, a very different shift. I don't think I would have made that change if I wasn't curious about other classes.
It's important to be reflective about what academically and professionally you could do for hours. For example, can you read about history or science for hours? What are the things that keep you in that flow state? Involvement and being honest with yourself about your interests are key.