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.
Collaboration, Problem-Solving, Resilience, Communication, Project Management
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. Collaboration is key: Success in this industry hinges on teamwork and working effectively with others.
2. Persistence and resilience are vital: Be prepared to face setbacks and rejection; a willingness to persevere through uncertainty is crucial.
3. Technical understanding is secondary to project management: The role focuses on development and project management rather than deep technical expertise in areas like quantum physics or GPU design.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
That's a good question. I think the people who do well in this industry are inherently collaborative and willing to put in the hard work.
It's not like we're doing quantum physics or highly specialized Nvidia GPU design. We're focused on development, more like real estate development work.
If you can work well with people, hear "no" often, and thrive in murkiness and uncertainty, you can do very well here.