College Experiences That Helped A Chief Of Staff At Microsoft Succeed
Sonia, Microsoft's Chief of Staff, recommends leveraging college's diverse opportunities beyond academics to build valuable skills and networks; Sonia emphasized joining "as many other extracurricular clubs as possible," citing experiences like a women's business organization and even a blackjack team as crucial for developing skills and networking, which Sonia later leveraged in their career.
Networking, Extracurricular Activities, Leadership, Communication, Career Development
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. Join diverse extracurricular clubs to network and learn new skills.
2. Excel in academics while actively participating in college activities.
3. Develop networking skills by engaging in various college opportunities; these skills are transferable to professional life.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
In college, I tried to join as many extracurricular clubs as possible. My goals were to learn and to network, and I found that incredibly valuable.
I joined the Women in Business organization, and the networking opportunities from that were incredible. I also explored more off-the-beaten-path activities, like being on a blackjack team.
That was a super interesting sub-organization, and I got to meet some amazing, brilliant people there. It also helped me build up my math skills.
I would say it's just about getting out there. Your studies will always be there, and you should obviously excel and focus on them.
But college offers so many opportunities to meet amazing people and get involved with great group activities. I would really recommend taking advantage of that.
The skill sets I developed, even how I network, have been leveraged in my career. So, I would definitely focus on that while you're in undergrad.