College Experiences That Helped A Director Of Operations At Linqia Succeed
Melanie, a Director of Operations, prioritized using college to "enrich [her] mind and stretch [her] brain," focusing on developing crucial soft skills like navigating diverse team dynamics and building professional relationships—seeing professors as "a proxy for senior leadership." This approach, rather than solely concentrating on technical skills, allowed for a smoother transition into the workforce where "open creativity and critical thinking" proved more valuable than specific job training.
Relationship Building, Critical Thinking, Teamwork, Problem-Solving, Creativity
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Melanie Archer
Director of Operations
Linqia
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
N/A
English, Writing & Education, English
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Melanie focused on learning and self-discovery during undergrad, viewing college as a chance to enrich her mind and explore different ways of thinking.
2. She emphasizes the importance of learning how to navigate professional relationships, using group projects as a real-world example of teamwork dynamics and challenges.
3. She believes that companies provide on-the-job training, making open creativity and critical thinking—skills honed in college—more valuable than specific technical skills.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
As an undergraduate, I really focused on learning what I wanted to learn from school. Knowing this might sound silly, I understood I wasn't necessarily going to learn what I needed for a job. Instead, I expected to learn how to be a full-time worker by being a full-time worker.
I had a lot of fun using college to enrich my mind, stretch my brain, and challenge myself to think in new ways. It provided exposure to things I wouldn't have encountered otherwise if I hadn't gone through a university track.
During that time, I figured out what dynamics felt comfortable for me in relationships with professors. I saw professors as a proxy for senior leadership in a company. I also learned how I wanted to engage with peer relationships with fellow students.
Group projects are a real thing in the workforce. You will work with someone not pulling their weight, or with people who are challenging on a personal level. I felt college was my training ground for these types of relationships.
Most of the learnings I took from school were more like life experience and exposure. These made my entry into work feel a lot more natural. I believe most companies will train you in the specific tasks you need to do.
The best things you can bring to your workplace are open creativity and critical thinking. I think these are all challenged and grown in a college environment.