Career Path of a Chief of Staff at Microsoft
Sonia's career journey began with a pre-med track in college, followed by internships that revealed "that was not really for me," leading to a pivot to economics. After further internships at Deutsche Bank and a small marketing firm, a Microsoft interview led to an 11-year career, exceeding initial expectations of "two years max," with diverse roles within the company.
Career Exploration, Job Search, Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sonia Dara
Chief of Staff
Microsoft
Harvard
N/A
Economics
Technology, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Sonia's career path highlights a willingness to explore different fields, showcasing adaptability and self-awareness. She initially pursued pre-med but realized dentistry wasn't for her after shadowing professionals, and later, a stint in investment banking confirmed it wasn't the right fit. This highlights the value of internships in career exploration.
2. Her pivot to economics provided a transferable skillset that opened up various career options. This emphasizes the importance of choosing a major that offers flexibility and career adaptability.
3. Sonia's decision to join Microsoft, even though it was a departure from her previous experiences, shows her openness to new challenges and opportunities. This underscores the importance of embracing change and stepping outside one's comfort zone for career growth. Her 11 years at the company demonstrate the benefits of finding a workplace where one can develop a long-term career and grow within an organization.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I went to Harvard College for my undergraduate degree. When I first started, I thought I would go into dentistry, so I began as pre-med. I took the initial pre-med courses, a lot of biology. That summer, I completed an internship shadowing various dentists, including a periodontist and an orthodontist. I realized dentistry wasn't for me, so that internship helped me understand what I didn't want to do.
When I returned for my sophomore year, I switched my major to economics. I felt economics provided a transferable skillset and allowed me to explore different career paths. One summer, I interned at Deutsche Bank in investment banking. I learned that wasn't my cup of tea either; it was really cutthroat. That was in 2012.
I also had a separate internship with a very small company that worked for tire banks. I interned for her, and that was my first experience in marketing. I helped launch her book, "Model Land," and began to understand guerrilla marketing and digital marketing.
After graduation, I was deciding whether to accept the Deutsche Bank offer or continue interviewing. I had an opportunity to meet with Microsoft, who came to campus. I interviewed with them, which was during the old-school Microsoft era, before Satya Nadella joined. I was nervous, but I felt they were in a renaissance period and it would be interesting to try it out. Also, I had always lived on the East Coast, so I thought it would be great to gain experience on the West Coast.
I moved to Microsoft in Seattle. That's where my career has been since. I've been at Microsoft for 11 years now. I just celebrated my 11th anniversary in early July. I initially thought I might be there for two years at most, but it stuck. I've had many different experiences and roles during my time at Microsoft.