On May 6th, we hosted a spotlight event featuring guest speakers representing companies based in the Seattle area!
Meet the Panelists!
Associate Consultant at Slalom Consulting
Majored in Finance and graduated from Gonzaga
Accountant at Costco in Operations Support Department
Graduated from the University of Washington
Product Designer for Mojang
Majored in Graphic Design and has experiences working for a variety of companies
Q&A:
Can you please introduce yourself and share a little about your position and what led you to choose your position?
Linh: Linh is an associate consultant at Slalom Consulting, a management consulting firm primarily focused on tech. Her venture into consulting started while studying Finance at Gonzaga University. After gaining experience in a variety of roles across several companies, Linh discovered her fit at Slalom Consulting.
Nick: Nick works as an accountant in Costco's Operations Support Department, where he works with inventory managers and manages general ledger accounts. His career at Costco began in the warehouse before he transitioned to an accounting internship. Nick eventually secured a full-time position, marking the progression of his journey within the company.
Ro: Ro is a product designer for Mojang, the developer of Minecraft and a subsidiary of Microsoft. Ro’s responsibilities include website design and working with the franchise accounts team. His journey started as a graphic designer in 2006 and he now works in the UX industry at Mojang today.
Are there any specific interpersonal or technical skills valuable in your position?
Linh: Linh emphasizes being adaptable and proactive is important, especially in consulting. She recognizes that clients seek guidance, thus being proactive in identifying areas where assistance is needed is crucial. Linh also emphasizes the significance of adaptability, acknowledging the uniqueness of each client and the necessity of remaining open-minded and flexible to align with their goals.
Nick: Nick believes that efficiency is a valuable skill. He emphasizes the importance of efficiently managing tasks, knowing when to multitask effectively to maximize productivity. From a technical standpoint, Nick stresses the advantage of gaining proficiency in programs like G-suite and Excel, recognizing their widespread presence in the professional world.
Ro: Ro values interpersonal and communication skills. Ro emphasizes the pivotal role of effective communication in the workplace, highlighting the importance of understanding colleagues’ reactions and responses in day-to-day interactions.
Were there any experiences in college (ex: extracurriculars or projects) that helped you accelerate in your career?
Linh: Linh joined Alpha Kappa Psi, a business fraternity. She believes this experience has played a pivotal role in her personal and professional development. Through this experience, she has improved essential soft skills such as interviewing and public speaking. Additionally, Linh participated in New Venture Lab, a student organization and Gonzaga University dedicated to collaborating with local entrepreneurs.
Nick: Nick’s experience in stats classes has been important in his professional career. Learning the fundamentals of statistics and Excel has served him well, as many concepts he learned are applicable in his work today.
Ro: Ro understands the value of learning through trial and error. Recalling an early presentation in his career, Ro embraced constructive feedback as a catalyst for growth. By incorporating this feedback, he not only refined his presentation skills but also became a better communicator.
Why did you choose to work in Seattle? Do you think you will continue to work in Seattle or move locations in the future?
Linh: Linh grew up in Olympia and attended Gonzaga University in Spokane. She was attracted to working in Seattle because there are a lot of opportunities with many new, arising companies. She plans to stay in Seattle.
Nick: Nick was born and raised in Washington. He also was attracted to the opportunities Seattle offers, but he might move to Hawaii with his fiancée, especially with the remote opportunities that are offered today.
Ro: Ro is from the East Coast, but moved to the Pacific Northwest because his brothers attended college in Redmond. He doesn’t see himself moving and plans to build roots here, despite remote work being more common.
What does a day-to-day look like for your role? Are you working in-person, online, or hybrid?
Linh: Linh works a hybrid schedule at Slalom, alternating between in-person and online work depending on client requirements. Some weeks are entirely in-person, while others are conducted remotely. Additionally, she enjoys the perk of attending fun in-person events in the office, such as free lunches.
Nick: Nick works a hybrid schedule at Costco. He particularly values the in-person experience for its intimacy and the ability to pick up on nuances like body language, which are harder to recognize online. While he enjoys the in-person dynamic, he remains open to remote work options as well.
Ro: Ro prefers to work 100% remotely. While he acknowledges the benefits of face-to-face communication, he finds the convenience and comfort of remote work highly appealing. Ro envisions a future where he can continue to work entirely remotely.
What is the best piece of advice you have received during your career?
Linh: Linh emphasizes the importance of authenticity and being yourself. She also advises that success doesn't follow a linear path. Instead, she suggests viewing positions as stepping stones and not stressing if the first job after college isn't the ideal one.
Nick: Nick advocates for seizing every opportunity presented. He shares that by consistently stepping up when given tasks by management, he has gained confidence and experienced significant personal growth over the years. Nick also highlights how embracing opportunities has helped him overcome imposter syndrome, emphasizing the transformative impact of taking on new challenges.
Ro: Ro suggests reframing the concept of "fake it till you make it" into a more positive saying: "believe it till you achieve it." He emphasizes the power of positivity and maintaining a determined mindset, believing that this mentality can propel individuals towards success.
What is a fun fact about the company you work at that most people don’t know about?
Linh: Linh highlights the impressive trajectory of Slalom Consulting, which originated in Seattle in 2001 through the collaboration of fraternity brothers from Washington State University. Since its inception, Slalom has grown to a workforce of over 13,000 employees and has become a $4 billion dollar business.
Nick: Nick shares some interesting facts about Costco. The Costco in Iceland has a grass route because they believe in fairies. Costco also sells a lot of hot dogs, as their sales match the combined sales of the top seven selling baseball stadiums.
Ro: Ro highlights the vibrant gaming culture at Mojang, where employees enjoy weekly gaming sessions, including the popular Minecraft Tuesdays. This unique perk makes Mojang an ideal workplace for passionate gamers, fostering a dynamic and engaging environment centered around their shared love for gaming.
Linh Le (Slalom Consulting): A major aspect of consulting is the collaboration between the consultants and clients. How do you approach fostering strong relationships with clients and effectively collaborating with people that come from diverse backgrounds?
Linh: Linh emphasizes the significance of understanding clients’ strengths and weaknesses. Building trust and rapport is critical and can be achieved through bonding experiences like happy hours and games. Linh advocates for adaptability and flexibility to ensure effective collaboration and communication.
Nick Wong (Costco): What kinds of teams are there within the Costco Accounting department? How often do you work with other teams outside of the accounting department?
Nick: Nick has extensive experience collaborating with niche teams within the Costco Accounting department. He frequently partners with Buying department teams and Inventory Control Specialists, particularly focusing on pricing strategies. He also works with management to assist with decision making.
Ro Ocampo (Mojang): What is something unique about the video game industry, and how has the evolution of AI impacted Mojang’s future initiatives or goals in the upcoming years?
Ro: Ro highlights Mojang’s education pillar, which serves as a platform for teachers to integrate Minecraft into their curriculum. Through innovative features like the Minecraft AI, teachers can seamlessly incorporate lesson plans into the game, overcoming the challenge of student engagement.
Thanks for reading, see you at our next event!
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