Career Pivot - Opening to Connecting!

srivarre·Jun 04, 2022

Posted in:Product Women of Color Venture Capital Femtech Social Impact Early Career Job Hunting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Politics Tech

Hi all! I am currently in the job search process and would appreciate any advice/help.

My name is Sri, and I am a recent GW grad. After graduating from GW last Spring with a degree in International Affairs and Economics, I joined a fellowship program - Venture for America (a selective two-year entrepreneurship fellowship that serves to create economic opportunity in American cities by mobilizing the next generation of entrepreneurs and equipping them with the skills and resources they need to create jobs). Through this fellowship, I was placed at The Lip Bar where I worked in product development. I handled quality assurance for the entire assortment for TLB,

managed the 2022 Holiday offerings for .com and all of our retailers (Target, Walmart, and Meijer) for TLB and Thread (a new Gen-Z focused brand for BIPOC that formally launched today), and helped out with product testing in focus groups and general market research/product innovation strategy.

I enjoy the innovation aspects of product development but would like to explore other opportunities in other industries or at larger startups.

These are specifics of industries and roles I am looking into:

Company Size: 100+ (mid-size)

Industries: Wellness, Sports, Entertainment, Tech, Women's Health/Sexual Wellness, Beauty/Fashion (focus on and prioritizing sustainability), Venture Capital

Roles within: Public Policy, Trust & Safety, CSR, DEI, Product Development, Product Innovation/Creative, Ops/Supply Chain Management

If any of you know of or have seen any relevant opportunities or know of anyone that would be a good person to connect with, please let me know.

Thanks so much!

Iynna·Jun 04, 2022

Welcome Siri! Thank you for sharing your background! Have you considered rotational programs at some of the larger companies e.g L'Oreal, Pepsi etc have one that allows you to see multiple departments and be in a space you like. It is also good for folks who are more junior! We have a number of roles open that our partner companies are hiring for but the majority of these might be too small in size for what you're looking, though take a look here elpha.com/positionsAnd @navneetkaur is hiring for her own company in LA, seems like there could be some synergies too https://elpha.com/posts/l6sbpghl/la-recruiting-happy-hour

srivarre·Jun 06, 2022

Thank you so much Iynna! I will definitely look into these opportunities.

rachelserwetz·Jun 07, 2022

Hi @srivarre, at quick glance, I'd suggest you try to prioritize and narrow down your best fit role and industry. With so many options, it could potentially slow you down, be overwhelming, or be ineffective when trying to tell your story. If you're not sure which role is the best fit, I'd double down on networking as a means of learning, reflecting, comparing, and contrasting your options. It won't close you off, but in fact, it will make it easier to figure out exactly who you want/need to reach. BTW, I'm Rachel, a Career Coach (iamwoken.com). I help with: a) seeking clarity on your best fit/ideal career path or next step/direction, b) debating upskiling opportunities, c) improving your personal branding, d) pursuing a strategic job search (for similar roles or for bigger pivots) or e) advancing along your path and navigating your current workplace and more! Let me know if you'd like a free initial career coaching call -- my profile has a ton of info on where to book this, my website, and how/where to find me!

srivarre·Jun 08, 2022

Hi Rachel! Thank you so much for the advice, and I will definitely look into your brand services! Thanks!

riasharma·Jan 17, 2023

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