College Experiences That Helped a Head of Transformation at Optum Succeed
Zach's undergraduate experience, marked by "a lot of different things," including three majors and extracurricular activities, initially seemed haphazard but ultimately proved valuable. The breadth of experience fostered flexibility and "a lot of ways of problem-solving," skills now essential in their current role as Head of Transformation, demonstrating that diverse experiences, beyond coursework, yield significant long-term career benefits.
Career Exploration, Problem-Solving, Communication, Resilience, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Zach Goldman
Head of Transformation
Optum
USC, 2007
UCLA Anderson MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Student Athlete, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Zach's diverse academic background (political science, cinema television, and business) enhanced his problem-solving skills and flexibility.
2. Extracurricular activities, such as being part of the triathlon team and running a videography business, contributed to his soft skills development.
3. A wide breadth of experiences, including coursework, clubs, internships, jobs, and volunteer opportunities, provides valuable dividends in one's career.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
A lot of different things, and my personal path was a little long and winding, as you may have heard in my response to the first question. I had three different majors. I studied political science, cinema television, and business, because I had no idea what I actually wanted to do when I grew up.
I had a lot of different experiences along the way, being part of the triathlon team, running my videography business, and who knows what else. It was a long time ago for me, and it took me a while for that sort of salad of experiences to become useful.
For a long time, I wondered whether I'd done the right thing, having such a breadth of things that I had studied and been interested in. Twenty years on in my career, I'm glad I had that breadth of experience because I think it gave me exposure to a lot of ways of looking at the world and problem-solving. That, in turn, has made me flexible with a lot of the soft skills that are required in the kinds of things that I do now.
Others take much more focused approaches, get an economics or engineering degree, and run with it. But I do think there's something to be said for a variety of experiences, for putting yourself in a variety of circumstances that will challenge you. It's not just coursework; it can be things that you do through clubs, internships, jobs, or volunteer opportunities. The wider breadth of experience you can get at this point in your life will pay dividends later on.