Career Path of a Program Manager at Film Studio
Miriam's career began with an internship at a local TV station during college, leveraging networking opportunities prevalent before social media to break into the entertainment industry. After twenty years at Fox, progressing through various departments and earning an MBA, the professional transitioned to Sony Pictures, utilizing their project management skills in finance transformation despite lacking a finance background, "taking new processes and new technologies and bringing them together".
Project Management, Entertainment Industry, Career Development, Networking, MBA
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Miriam Holzman-Sharman
Scrum Master/Program Management Office
Film Studio
UCLA
Masters of Business Administration, Loyola Marymount University (LA)
Communications
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain
Operations and Project Management
Video Highlights
1. Miriam's internship at a local TV station during college significantly aided her networking and career start in the entertainment industry.
2. Her 20-year career at Fox involved various roles and departments, highlighting the value of diverse experiences and continuous learning (including pursuing an MBA).
3. Her current role at Sony Pictures demonstrates the transferability of project management skills to different sectors, even without a direct background in the specific field (finance transformation).
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
My college and early career go back to the nineties. During my time at UCLA, I was fortunate enough to get an internship at a local TV station. I was also involved in activities that facilitated networking.
A lot of that had to be more mediated at that time because you didn't have LinkedIn or social media. So when I did graduate, I had a little bit of grounding in the entertainment industry, which was where I wanted to be. My first job in the industry was as an assistant.
This was a very different time. People were answering phones, and that was a well-known entry-level path. I spent 20 years at Fox, starting in various departments and doing different kinds of jobs, and getting my MBA along the way.
When I completed my time at Fox, I was essentially a program manager or project manager. I was working at the intersection of technology and content management. In my current role at Sony Pictures, where I've been for four years, I've primarily been working in the finance transformation area.
I don't have a finance background, but what I bring to this experience is prior project management skills. I focus on taking new processes and new technologies and bringing them together, enabling users to adopt them.
Advizer Personal Links
LinkedIn.com/in/miriamsharman