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.
Risk Tolerance, Career Exploration, Self-Reflection, Sustainable Career, Overcoming Challenges
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
Architecture, Construction & Design, Technology
Real Estate
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Kartik's career path was influenced by his upbringing in a low-income community, initially prioritizing a safe and stable income but later recognizing his capacity for risk-taking.
2. He emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and understanding one's personality (risk tolerance) to make career choices, rather than solely focusing on background or initial major.
3. Kartik advises students to reflect early on their desired lifestyle and industry, and then find a career path that aligns with those preferences, rather than solely focusing on the chosen major itself.
Transcript
As someone who's come from a low-income community, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
Growing up, elementary and middle school were spent in a relatively low-income community in LA. When we moved to a more middle-class community for high school, I saw a stark difference between the two. My mindset and approach to a career were also shaped by these experiences.
What I initially thought was important was a safe, stable income in perpetuity. However, I later recognized that I am actually more willing to take risks for more upside. I've seen this in mentorship sessions with others and in college.
Those who come from lower-income communities or backgrounds often focus their time on building a sustainable, risk-averse career. While that may be appropriate for many, I would advise looking at your personality rather than just your background.
For example, my brother is very risk-loving; he's an entrepreneur and started his own startup. We came from the same community, but I don't have that much appetite for risk. I think I could have done more and might have chosen a different career path had I recognized that about myself earlier on.
Therefore, I'd say it's really important to do some self-reflection as early as possible to figure out what's important to you. I wish I had done more self-reflection early on, rather than deciding on a major and then just trying to do that as best as possible.
Instead, I should have understood what industry and what kind of lifestyle I was interested in, and then found something that fit that.