VP Credits Psychology Degree For Career Advancement In San Francisco
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of jobs for psychologists is expected to increase by 12 percent through 2022. While this figure is as fast as the national average of all other occupations analyzed, those who possess a psychology degree don't necessarily enter into their area of study. Take Meg Sloan for example, who after graduating with a psychology degree, had successful management tenures at Bay Area tech companies such as Facebook and eBay before becoming vice president of marketing at Foundation Capital in the Silicon Valley.
What is your background and education?
"My father was a school administrator and professor, so we moved around a lot. I mostly grew up in Sacramento and Tucson. I also spent a year and a half at the National Academy of the Arts in Champaign, Illinois, studying and performing ballet. Leaving my family for boarding school at 13 was life changing - I gained confidence, independence and a love for adventure. I love working with people and organizing projects. One of my husband's favorite pictures of me is at sorority rush with a pager and a clipboard. Today, you'll often find me with a mobile phone and an iPad leading events – not too far from my college days. I graduated from the University of Arizona, Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in psychology."
How has your education helped you in your current position?
"I'm fascinated by social psychology – the power of advertising and how irrational human decision-making can be. Psychology's foundational theories encouraged me to jump out of sales and into market research. In my first market research role, I helped Raychem Corporation (now Tyco Industries), find new applications for their material science inventions and measure their customer satisfaction across the globe. I honed my market research skills at Raychem, and in subsequent roles, until I started focusing on marketing at eBay and Facebook. Today, I lead marketing at Foundation Capital."
What career advice can you share with psychology and marketing majors?
"First, take a wide variety of classes. I felt ready to take on many diverse business challenges because of my psychology background. Secondly, get experience. During my school days, I worked on and off-campus, held leadership positions, interned and volunteered. Lastly, get scrappy and be creative. When you deliver outsized impact, things will happen for you."
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.
