I have been working for Procter & Gamble for 1 year now. I specifically work in R&D for the Gillette brand, in a role called “products research” (which is a consumer insights role – I do consumer testing and learn about the consumer and what he/she wants, and then make recommendations to the product design team and marketing team).
I would say getting a Biology degree from Tech specifically has helped me so much more than if I had gotten a Biology degree elsewhere. A lot of classes at Tech are actually really innovative in that they don’t just make you memorize the material, they make you think creatively and sharpen your problem solving skills. I think that is one of the huge values of a Tech degree, because top employers really value people who can question their processes and find a better way to do something. I’ve learned that in industry, the specific degree doesn’t matter as much as the ability to be innovative (there are other biologists in my role, but also chemists and engineers). Plus, if I had gotten a degree elsewhere I for sure would not have the same job that I do today because top employers recruit at Tech.
If you’re interested in something, try it out, even if you don’t think it will mesh with your post-grad goals. In undergrad I tried a bunch of different things (I worked in 3 different labs, took 2 different internships, and was a part of several clubs) that at the time didn’t appear to be related to one other. I worried that a future employer or grad school would think that I was lost, or didn’t know what I wanted. But actually, by having a diverse set of interests and skills I demonstrated to P&G that I was a good fit to the company.
Also, one of the huge benefits of college is that there is a club or class for EVERYTHING, and it’s so much easier to try new things than after college, so take advantage of that!
