College Experiences That Helped a Product Manager at Levi Strauss & Co. Succeed
Kanika, a Product Manager at Levi Strauss & Co., advises undergraduates aspiring to similar roles to proactively take initiative, improve time management ("starting things early, not waiting until the last minute"), and overcome shyness by practicing public speaking and presentation skills in low-stakes environments—all to prepare for higher-pressure workplace scenarios. This active approach, Kanika suggests, fosters success far beyond academic grades.
Initiative, Time Management, Problem-solving, Public Speaking, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kanika Kapoor
Product Manager
Levi Strauss & Co.
Punjab Technical University
UCLA Anderson school of management- MBA
Engineering - Electrical
Apparel, Beauty, Retail & Fashion
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Took Out Loans, Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Take initiative and don't wait for others to lead.
2. Develop strong time management skills by starting projects early and avoiding last-minute work.
3. Practice public speaking and presentation skills in a low-stakes environment like college to build confidence for future career demands.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success?
I would say that there are things I wanted to talk about, things I didn't do but should have done. Those actions could have set me up for success. So, as you are in your undergrad program, don't just focus on grades and clamming everything up.
If you want to be a product manager, you want to be the kind of person who takes initiative. Don't be in a learning group where you let other people take the lead. If you're a shy person, push yourself to take initiative, even if it's just a slight step. Work on your homework earlier and don't leave it to the last minute.
Be better with your time management. These are things I didn't do, but they are applicable to a real-life job like a product manager. Starting things early, solving problems early, not waiting until the last minute, and not submitting assignments last minute are very similar.
If you start doing those things early in your career, even in undergrad, they will set you up for success. You'll become less shy and better at presenting to leadership later. If you start doing that in undergrad yourself, as opposed to waiting for someone else who you think is better at public speaking.
If you feel shy, take that step now because it's low stakes. You won't lose anything now, but when you go into the workforce, it's almost expected that you'll do presentations for the C-suite or executives.