In this last part of Kaushik’s interview, he tells us of his latest stint, which is at #Facebook. Conventional wisdom is that people who enter #McKinsey don’t leave. Yet, Kaushik left that legacy business within a year and a half, to join a relatively new company, #Facebook. What prompted this decision? What has been his journey with Facebook? Watch this video and find out!
He begins his interview by explaining why he made the shift. Once at Facebook, there was a lot that was different about the work culture and people. For beginners, he says, ‘hey man’ was an acceptable form of greeting. Unlike formal emails, at Facebook, people used the messenger app to communicate. All in all, the environment at Facebook was very ‘chill’. From there, he goes on to talk about his role and responsibilities at Facebook, which include managing the ‘Ad Auction’, working with the tech teams, and so much more. He talks of the kind of attitude you need to have to be able to succeed in such a role, as well as what you can expect from this job.
He later goes on to compare his experience in London with India, and talks of how different the work cultures are in both places. To be able to succeed in an international role, you have to let go of your biases and prejudices. He tells us of what you need to do to be successful in international organizations, where you are surrounded by people from different backgrounds. To put it simply, you might have all the relevant hard skills, but you still need to have soft skills and the ability to connect with people to truly make it big. If you aspire to work abroad, with some of the top companies, then this video is certainly for you.
This is Part 3 of Kaushik’s full interview.
Watch Part 1: I Wanted To Quit My First Job Within 10 Days Of Joining, Ft. Kaushik S, GMAT 730, INSEAD Alum
Watch Part 2: I Was Looking For Champagne, Got A Job With McKinsey Instead Ft. Kaushik S, INSEAD Alum
What's This?
This is a new series of talks that we are doing amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the lockdowns and the curfews, we are making all the efforts to ensure that you keep getting insightful and relevant content. So sit back and make the most of your social distancing with this episode of ‘Konversations in Quarantine'!
Key Takeaways:
1. Facebook work culture is casual, with ‘hey man’ being an acceptable greeting.
2. In your job, you need to optimise for 3 things: role, money and people. In most cases, you get 2 out of 3.
3. Engineers and tech professionals might not have the same business insights as an #MBA grad. Giving them the context and insights will further help them develop the product you want.
4. Constant comparisons to people who have not had the same background and experience as you will get you nowhere.
5. You can be good at hard skills, but you need to be able to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds to be truly successful in international roles.
6. The sooner you get rid of your biases, the better it is for you.
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