Padmaja Iyer: Lecturer, San José State University
Name: Padmaja Iyer
Major: Economics
Current Position/Status: Lecturer, San José State University. I am also currently enrolled as a third year PhD candidate at UC Davis in the Geography Graduate Group.
Graduated: 1994
Can you describe your career path from your first job after UC Davis to your current position?
It was through the Washington DC program that I worked my senior year as an intern at the Federal Reserve Board. They offered me a full-time job but I went on to do my MBA instead. I worked as a product marketing manager after my MBA and then as a product manager for 10 years. After that I shifted to work in the environmental services department of the City of San Jose. I consulted with the City of Cupertino. Then I became a lecturer in 2020 at San Jose State University.
What do you do in your job? What is your work like?
As a product manager I handled the delivery of software products from customer feature requests all the way through testing and delivery. As an environmental services specialist I worked on a grant program for non-governmental agencies to build energy efficiency programs. I consulted on an environmental education program for middle schoolers. As a lecturer I create curriculum, teach environmental studies and humanities courses.
How did your program and experience at UC Davis prepare you for where you are today?
The economics program at Davis was instrumental in helping me understand how domestic and international money flows worked and got me interested in econometrics. I won best paper award on the community investment act during the Washington DC program. I had taken programming courses at Davis that helped me not only understand the SPSS program at the Federal Reserve Board but helped me get my first job in the software industry as a marketer.
What advice do you have for students interested in your career field?
Since I worked in the commercial, governmental and now I am in the educational sector, I would recommend that students think about combining their skill set with what they really enjoy. There are really fun and unique jobs out there. Don't pigeon hole yourself into one line or sector. Since the job market is tight right now, even if the pay is lower, as a fresh graduate go after gaining knowledge. Get as technical as you can in your field. Become as indispensable as possible.