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Kartik, Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft: Advize Career Interview
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, offers a compelling career journey from entrepreneurial ventures and geotechnical engineering at AECOM to managing multimillion-dollar data center projects.
The interview reveals a dynamic role overseeing global telemetry deployments, requiring early morning to late night collaboration across time zones, mastering incentive alignment, and navigating the challenges of achieving buy-in within a large organization.
A passion for the explosive growth of the data center industry, coupled with a focus on clear communication and networking, shines through.
The emphasis on building relationships, both professional and personal, alongside the importance of choosing a manager wisely, provides invaluable advice for aspiring professionals.
Kartik's experience, particularly navigating a path from a low-income background, offers inspiring lessons on career trajectory and the significance of self-reflection.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kartik Atyam
Senior Technical Program Manager
Microsoft
UCLA
UC Berkeley
Engineering - Civil
Technology
Real Estate
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
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Career Path of a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft
Kartik's career journey began with entrepreneurial ventures in high school and college, progressing through diverse roles in geotechnical engineering, including "field work...construction observation, and report writing," culminating in project management at AECOM. This experience, coupled with an MBA and software product management, ultimately led to their current position as a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, managing multimillion-dollar data center projects and global telemetry deployments.
Main Responsibilities of a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, manages the global deployment of "electrical, mechanical telemetry systems," overseeing approximately one hundred concurrent projects. This involves creating "reporting templates," streamlining onboarding processes, and ultimately automating systems to improve efficiency and gain executive buy-in.
A Day In The Life Of A Senior Technical Program Manager At Microsoft
Kartik's role as a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft involves a globally distributed workload, with "early morning meetings" and "late night meetings" to accommodate European and APAC teams, interspersed with local meetings focused on "process improvement" and cross-functional collaboration. The job prioritizes clear communication and effective follow-up to ensure project success and alignment on "North Star goals."
Most Important Skills For A Senior Technical Program Manager At Microsoft
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, emphasizes the importance of "incentive alignment"—understanding the goals and motivations of all stakeholders (including themselves, partners, and vendors) to find overlapping work that contributes to the overall project and corporate objectives. This skill, Kartik suggests, is crucial for efficiency and could have saved significant time and effort earlier in their career.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Senior Technical Program Manager At Microsoft
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, most enjoys the collaborative environment and working with "driven, intelligent, empathetic people" in a growing organization; this aligns with their career philosophy of seeking roles within "a rising tide" where the overall industry and company growth fosters positivity and a strong team dynamic.
Biggest Challenges of a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft
Kartik's biggest challenge as a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft is achieving "buy-in" from every team member for new processes, illustrated by the difficulty of creating a simple dashboard due to conflicting views on data accuracy between subject matter experts and other team members; this highlights the constant negotiation and compromise required in a large organization to achieve common goals.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Data Center Industry As A Senior Technical Program Manager
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, cites the "explosive growth of the data center industry" as a favorite aspect of the field, highlighting its diverse facets from "construction and design to finance and land acquisition." This rapid expansion, coupled with the opportunity to "develop things for the benefit of humanity" by addressing limiting factors, makes it a compelling career path.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Tech Industry, According To A Microsoft Senior Technical Program Manager
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, highlights collaboration and perseverance as key traits for success in the tech industry, stating that "the people that do well...are inherently collaborative and willing to put in the hard work". The work, "real estate development work more than anything else," requires navigating "murkiness and uncertainty" and accepting frequent setbacks.
What a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Tech Industry
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, emphasizes the critical importance of thoroughly assessing a manager's "personality, capability, and support" before accepting a role, highlighting the significant impact a manager has on job satisfaction and overall happiness, noting the stark difference between "truly awful managers" and "amazing managers" in their own career.
Entry-level positions for aspiring Technical Program Managers at Microsoft
Entry-level positions in Kartik's field are abundant but often found in smaller companies, not "the Microsoft, the Amazon, um, Google," because smaller firms offer more "flexible learning opportunities" and are actively seeking talent to meet the huge demand, especially in data center operations where "millions and millions of jobs" are projected.
Significant Career Lesson From A Senior Technical Program Manager At Microsoft
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, learned the critical importance of precise writing through experiences as a civil engineer and in their current role. The impact of poorly worded emails, as illustrated by a project delayed "by three months" due to unclear phrasing, underscores the significant role clear communication plays in a successful career.
College Experiences That Helped A Senior Technical Program Manager At Microsoft Succeed
Kartik, a Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, emphasizes the significant role extracurricular involvement played in career success, stating that joining clubs like the American Society of Civil Engineers "built a network that's gonna carry you for the rest of your career." This networking, he explains, led to unforeseen opportunities, including roles created specifically because of existing relationships, highlighting the importance of building connections during undergraduate studies.
How Identity Has Influenced a Senior Technical Program Manager's Career at Microsoft
Growing up in a low-income community in LA shaped Kartik's initial career focus on a "safe, stable income," a common approach among peers from similar backgrounds. However, Kartik later recognized their own capacity for risk-taking and advises self-reflection early in one's career to align career choices with personal preferences and desired lifestyle, rather than solely focusing on a chosen major.
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