22 | Studying at UC Berkeley and working in Product Management
Raaghav Goel | Art Curator, Smithsonian
Raaghav enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley undeclared but with a passion for engineering.
Through his time there, he found out that his interest lay in between technology and non-technology related subjects, eventually finding his career in Product Management.
Episode Takeaways
Going to UC Berkeley
For him, UC Berkeley had its highs and lows, however it did not match his expectations. In his time in GD Goenka, he was used to small class sizes. Coming from there, a lecture hall of 1700 students shocked him and it took him a while to get used to it. Berkeley is known for being real and straightforward and he loved the experience. As an institution, Berkeley starts preparing you for world outside. It teaches life skills needed to succeed. It has been difficult because of curriculum and extracurriculars, but he found communities of people to resonate with and take on opportunities to learn in the most unique ways
Choosing Subjects and Areas of Interest
His story to UC Berkeley was unique. He went in undeclared and didn’t know what type of engineering he wanted to do. He knew that he wanted to study something involving science and math to solve real life problems. He noticed the contrast between the teaching in India - where teachers hold you accountable - and Berkeley - where you are responsible for your own academics. He went from undeclared to an Electrical Engineering Computer Science (EECS) major, exploring opportunities in the world of engineering. He took different introductory courses and talked to professors, alumni and people on LinkedIn to gain insight into their careers. He eventually realised that Computer Science interested him through a small epiphany moment. When taking higher level classes, he realised that his personality did not align with the classes. Eventually, he spoke to peers about his struggles and someone mentioned taking Product Management as a possible future career. In the end, having a fusion of technology and non-technology related subjects made him seek out to work in entrepreneurship.
Working in Product Management
To Raaghav, it’s like a venn diagram: one is engineering and the other includes non-technological work like design or sales, product management is in between. It involves learning how to build a brand and company, figuring out how products are going to be on the market and interacting with all the roles in getting the product to the market
His 3 Strengths
Perseverance, open-mindedness and having fun
His Inspiration
He feels most inspired by his family and peers. His sources of inspiration come from people in and out of the industry, which is great in Berkeley because his class of peers are always engaging in new, exciting activities. He gains inspiration in product management by learning from his mentors, professors and his aunt who are product managers. One mentor, at salesforce got him to read Zero to One by Peter Theil.
Giving Back to the Berkeley Community
He is working with the South Asian Queer and Trans Group on campus to create a platform for queer individuals of South-asian descent. The group helps to host events including alumni panels and TedTalks for members to help them find job opportunities after college.
Advice to High-Schoolers Today
Raaghav suggests that students not stress out about it. It’s okay to be rejected from colleges because it doesn’t matter where you end up. He advises that it’s important to make the most of wherever you are; you’ll be set up for success if you to make the most of it. One should be authentic in their essay writing (advice he got when applying). Raaghav recalls how initially he would write things that he thought colleges wanted to hear, but Edbrand helped him realise that being oneself helps you find the place perfect for you. He didn’t think Berkeley was perfect but now sees it as the only place for him. He also advises that students take extracurriculars one at a time otherwise they may be overwhelmed. One should not do a project or extracurricular just because they think they have to. Having passion for your work will make your writing about it 100 times better.
Life Post-Pandemic
Raaghav believes that until a vaccine comes out, it will be impossible to expect life to return to normalcy. Instead, he believes that restricted movement and semi-lockdown is the only way to survive it until then. Technology will be of great help in helping us track the movement of the virus between people and places. Google has already developed a type of tracker designed for that purpose.
Dealing with Uncertainty
“Make the most of it” is what Raaghav firmly suggests to students facing today’s uncertainty. Even if internships, work and celebrations like graduations have been cancelled, it’s more important to look to the future and finding ways to gain experience in the meantime. Whether it’s enrolling into classes or focusing on hobbies, students should try to take their free time and make it productive in their own way.