College Experiences That Helped a Sourcing Manager at a Food-Tech Company Succeed
Zack's undergraduate success stemmed from "networking," not for networking's sake, but for learning about diverse career paths and remaining open to different opportunities. This approach, combined with a willingness to "do random stuff," allowed for exploration and ultimately contributed to their current success as a Sourcing Manager in the food-tech industry.
Networking, Career Exploration, Openness to Opportunities, Structured Approach, Resourcefulness
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Zack Reilly
Sourcing Manager
Food-Tech Company
University of California, Berkeley
N/A
Economics
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Operations and Project Management
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Network actively, engaging in conversations to understand diverse career paths.
2. Remain open to various opportunities beyond traditional routes; explore diverse sectors like non-profit and entrepreneurship.
3. Embrace structured approaches alongside experimentation; view internships as learning experiences, not solely aiming for ideal placements.
Transcript
What did you do in your undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
Networking is huge. It's not about networking for the sake of networking, but about talking to people and understanding what they're doing. Whoever's listening to this is probably part of clubs and chatting with people. If you're not talking to anyone, you're not going to learn new things.
There are so many different career paths you can take. Don't just assume everything around you that people are doing is the only thing to do. I can only speak from a for-profit business perspective, but when everyone around you thinks there's only one way to make money, there are actually a million different things you could do.
I can't even speak to the nonprofit sector or entrepreneurship, which are entire worlds. But I think you should be open to all sorts of different opportunities. Try to be a little structured in how you approach them. Anything is achievable with a bit of gumption and thinking slightly differently than the person next to you. You'd be shocked at the opportunities that will open up.
At least in college, you can't go wrong. Just do random stuff. There are no bad internships or good internships. Everyone is doing random things, and you're having fun and learning.
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