College Experiences That Helped a Sr. Director of Operations at Tend Succeed
Mark's undergraduate experience instilled a strong work ethic—"maintaining good grades while working, while partying"—and a growth mindset, seeking out respected professors and absorbing information. This translated to a career where they actively sought mentors, emulating their strengths and learning from their weaknesses, while also highlighting a wish for earlier acquisition of technical skills like Excel proficiency, crucial for navigating the professional world.
Work Ethic, Growth Mindset, Information Absorption, Technical Skills, Learning from Others
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mark Pesin
Sr. Director of Operations
Tend
University of California, Santa Barbara
N/A
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain, Technology
Operations and Project Management
Took Out Loans, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Develop a strong work ethic: Maintain a balance between work, academics, and personal life. Prioritize tasks effectively to achieve success across all areas.
2. Cultivate a growth mindset: Actively seek out opportunities to learn from respected professors and mentors. Embrace feedback and continuously strive to improve.
3. Acquire technical skills: Develop proficiency in software such as Excel and data analysis tools. This can provide a significant advantage in many professional fields.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
Two things. I developed a work ethic, I think, the same way that I kept myself accountable to maintaining good grades while working and partying. There's room for everything in your life, but the work ethic I had to make sure I could do what I wanted to do for fun, while still doing what I had to do for business and school.
This built a work ethic that has translated to my career, leaving a lasting impression on people. They know that I'll put in the work and absorb everything they say.
Even though I studied something completely different from what I work in now – I studied media and work in tech – I learned that I have to put in the work and absorb as much information as I can from everybody. In college, I used this by absorbing information from my professors, trying to take courses with professors that I really respected and valued.
When they built that respect and value on my end, I was willing to do whatever it took to be successful in that course. In your career, it translates to the exact same thing. You find the people you can learn from and want to interact with.
Early in my career, I had a vice president at Uber who I really respected. I tried to find any opportunity to be in a meeting with them so I could learn. When there was an all-hands meeting and they were speaking, I was at the front, ears perked, ready to learn from what they did well, and even from what they didn't do well.
I think in college I set up that work ethic and that growth mindset. You didn't necessarily ask me what I learned in college that helped me, but I'll also point to what I wish I learned in college that would have helped me.
That would be picking up more technical skills. I know that even if it doesn't relate to your role, most companies function on Excel, use some sort of software, or pull some sort of data. These three things, in my opinion, are the perfect marriage of hard skills that I wish I had started learning in college. I ended up learning them in the field, in my career.