College Experiences That Helped A Firmware Manager At Zoox Succeed

I'd say there are a few things I did, and a few things I wish I had done. One is, I didn't fully appreciate, at least initially, how important GPA was. I had a decent GPA of 3.4 in undergrad, but at the time, the industry was a little harder to get into. A 3.4 to 3.5 mark was a huge deal. They'd say, "Oh, if you had over a 3.5, we'd hire you, but a 3.4, we don't."

Unfortunately, in the technology world, there's a significant emphasis on GPA. I think that's something to pay attention to. It's actually more important for your major courses. I hate to say it, but my general education courses don't really help me today, whereas my major courses are what helped me get my jobs. Those were my focus. I wish I had spent a bit more time in those areas.

One thing I did that set me up for success was going to grad school. I wasn't having much luck getting a job after undergrad. As soon as I was almost done with grad school, people were suddenly knocking down my door. I thought, "It's only been a year. I'm not that much smarter than I was a year ago. What's the difference?" Well, people like that graduate piece of paper. So, that was a significant component.

I think it's a challenge if you've only been a student since kindergarten. It's hard to understand that element because once you're not in school anymore, you're in a completely different world. I was also getting a little burnt out by the end, as it's hard to maintain focus on school with homework, a part-time job, and other commitments.

However, I do think having that strong push near the end to be as successful as possible in that environment will help you get a good start to your career.