How Identity Has Influenced a Brand Manager's Career at Diageo China
As an international student, career choices involved navigating a "trade-off between what you really want to do and what can make you stay" in the U.S. This impacted career decisions, as industries like fashion and luxury goods, which were personally appealing, often did not sponsor visas for international students, unlike other sectors.
Career Exploration, Job Search, Overcoming Challenges, Industry Realities, International Students
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sharon Tsai
Brand Manager
Diageo China
National Taiwan University, 2012
UCLA Anderson School of Management, MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Communication and Marketing
International Student
Video Highlights
1. Sharon's experience highlights the importance of considering visa sponsorship when choosing a career path, particularly in industries like fashion and luxury goods that may be less likely to sponsor international students.
2. Her journey demonstrates the potential trade-offs between pursuing a passion and ensuring career stability, especially for international professionals.
3. The challenges Sharon faced as an international student offer valuable insights into navigating career opportunities and the impact of identity on career choices in a global context.
Transcript
As an international student, how has that impacted the way you navigate your career in the United States?
That's a very good question. As an international student, I think the biggest impact is having to make trade-offs. You have to choose between jobs in industries you're passionate about and those that are more realistic for you in the US.
First, you need to figure out your goal: do you want to stay in the US? If you do, there are certain industries that are more open to sponsoring visas for international students.
However, other industries are more restricted and tend to hire local, domestic students. For myself, I've always been passionate about fashion, luxury, or consumer goods industries.
Unfortunately, those industries don't often sponsor international students, especially for marketing roles. Companies in the US also tend to hire local or native speakers who are fluent in English for marketing positions.
So, you have to make this trade-off between what you really want to do and what will allow you to stay here.