How Identity Has Influenced a Group Vice President Strategy's Career at Huge Inc
Sarah, Huge Inc.'s GVP of Strategy, credits a multidisciplinary undergraduate education—majoring in psychology and minoring in business—"pursuing what you're passionate about"—as crucial to her success. This diverse background, combined with further education in HR and business school, allows Sarah to leverage "both of what I learned in undergrad" in her current role, which involves talent development and strategic client opportunities.
Psychology, Business, Human Resources, Strategy, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sarah McMains
GVP, Strategy
Huge Inc
USC, 2006
CSULB, MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology; UCLA Anderson, MBA
Psychology
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Business Strategy
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Pursue your passions: Sarah emphasizes following your interests, even if you're unsure of the immediate career path. Her diverse background in psychology and business demonstrates how seemingly unrelated interests can create a valuable skillset.
2. Interdisciplinary approach: Combining psychology and business provided Sarah with a unique perspective, useful in understanding both people and business strategy. This highlights the value of a multidisciplinary education.
3. Continuous learning: Sarah's progression from psychology and HR to business school shows the importance of ongoing learning and adapting your skills to changing opportunities. This underscores the need for continuous professional development
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
Majoring and minoring in complementary subjects set me up for success. I majored in Psychology and minored in Business, and I've always used both backgrounds.
I still use them today, along with my first Master's degree. While I appreciated HR for a bit, I then went to business school for something different. So much of my job involves thinking about the infrastructure of work and developing and investing in talent.
This allows us to take advantage of opportunities we identify for our clients, and I've really leaned back on all of that experience. At the end of the day, you just have to pursue what you're passionate about.
Know that it will always manifest in some value down the road. I was just really interested in both subjects at the time and wasn't quite sure where it was going to go. But because I had the interest and passion, I'm still using it today. I'm still seeking employment and job opportunities that allow me to utilize what I learned.
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