College Experiences That Helped a Product Manager at ChargePoint Succeed
To prepare for a product management career, Kevin recommends a liberal arts approach, "taking all sorts of courses outside your core major," even if it means initially struggling with subjects like finance, as this broadens skills and allows for future pivots. Further, Kevin emphasizes the value of diverse social experiences, such as joining a fraternity, to build networking skills and gain exposure to different perspectives, exceeding the limitations of one's academic major or usual social circles.
Career Exploration, Networking, Communication, Resilience, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kevin Chung
Product Manager
ChargePoint
Cornell University 2011
UCLA MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Energy & Utilities, Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, LGBTQ, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Take a liberal arts approach and explore courses outside your major to broaden your horizons and gain diverse knowledge. This can help you in pivoting your career in the future.
2. Don't be afraid to try subjects even if you don't excel at first. Repeated exposure and further learning can lead to mastery.
3. Get involved in social clubs and activities outside your comfort zone. Networking and developing social skills are extremely valuable in your career, regardless of your major or area of focus
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
There are many ways to set yourself up for success in a future product management role. I really took my liberal arts education to heart by taking courses outside my core major.
I know it's tough. Recruiters want you to have a specific major and act like you know everything. But you should try exploring subjects without failing or getting too low a GPA.
For example, I took finance courses. I didn't do well initially, but I did fine in business school. This proves that with familiarity, you can still succeed.
I'm in a business-facing role now. Just continue to experiment. Maybe you didn't do well in a first class, but you might realize later that you know much about the subject.
Expanding your horizons early on, before your job puts you on a track, is beneficial. You never know when that learning can be useful for a future career pivot or midlife crisis. This is one way to prepare yourself.
Socially, getting out there and meeting people outside your core communities is also important. I was in a fraternity, and people were surprised. I did it for that reason – to gain experience in a very different area.
This gave me networking skills, especially during the rushing phase. It's something I still find helpful. It doesn't have to be a fraternity, but join social clubs you're interested in and go for it.