Major: Electrical Engineering
Class: 1989
What is your current job title/name of the company?
CEO, Sidebar (www.sidebar.com). Sidebar is a leading cloud-based personalization and optimization platform that provides content recommendations, advertising optimization and social intelligence to consumer entertainment services such as App Stores, VOD offerings, music services and the like.
Has your MSOE education prepared you for the workforce? If so, how?
My MSOE education included both classroom and extracurricular groups and activities that together helped me develop the analytic toolset and interpersonal communication skills that, combined, have been a strong foundation for my professional career. The focus on practical application and the involvement of industry at MSOE is something I appreciated and that I also found in my graduate studies at Stanford.
Do you find that employers have a favorable image of MSOE graduates?
My first employer was the only company I actually worked for as an engineer. They had hired several MSOE graduates to work on highly critical space communications projects and were very impressed.
What advice do you have for current or prospective MSOE students?
Take advantage of opportunities to develop personal interests and skills through community service and extracurricular clubs. I was active in Toastmasters, Circle K (Kiwanis), the MSOE Sailing Club and the student newspaper, and those activities helped me enjoy my education and to forge friendships while building skills that have ultimately served me very well.
What are your tips for success?
- Get to interviews and sales meetings early.
- Always say please and thank you, and remember to clean up after yourself and push your chair back in when leaving a conference table.
- Engage receptionists and custodial staff the same way you would great the CEO.
- Never sell out your integrity. Character counts.