In this episode of “How’d You Do It and Why Should I Care?" Laila speaks with Megan Gao, a team member at Humu. They discuss her journey in the HR industry and how she's able to make people's live better through the work that she does.
In this episode of “How’d You Do It and Why Should I Care?" Laila speaks with Megan Gao, a team member at Humu. They discuss her journey in the HR industry and how she's able to make people's live better through the work that she does.
Hi, everyone. Welcome to the next episode of the Bay Street capital holdings podcast titled, How do you do it? And why should I care? This series aims to highlight women doing amazing work in various industries. So today, we are so lucky to be joined by Megan gow, who is team member at Humu. Hi, Megan, lovely to have you on the show.
Megan Gao:Thanks for having me.
Laila Arain:So I guess we can start off with a quick introduction as to who you are. And perhaps the main answer to the question, which is, how do you do it and why should I care?
Megan Gao:Yeah, totally. So my name is Megan. Currently, I work at Humu, which is an HR tech startup in Silicon Valley. My background, so I grew up in Canada. And then I studied psychology at Harvard. There, I did a lot of research with different industrial, organizational and leadership professors. And then I heard about Laszlo Bock, who led people operations at Google and made it the best place in the world to work. So I really wanted to go and learn from him. He started his own company, which is Humu. And so I joined that right after school. And yeah, have been able to work with the company ever since. And it's like, yeah, marrying a bunch of my interests, and just like, data, and science and tech, and then also with like, the human side of just like, trying to make HR and work and human capital better.
Laila Arain:That is awesome. So of I guess my next question that begs to ask me, What inspired you to join the HR industry specifically was a specific moment in your life or a series of experiences?
Megan Gao:Yeah, totally. So the whole premise behind Humu is that we spend so much of our time at work, we spend at least eight hours every single day at work. So it's such a big part of our lives. But it's one of my co workers phrase as like, it's this like forgotten problem of like, how do you make this part of people's lives better? So, yeah, it's been really hard, I think, in the past to be able to know how to even make that better. But now we have all these tools with data and science and all these different things where we can actually concretely find ways to make work better experience for people.
Laila Arain:That's great. And what would you say were the best resources to help you along in your career journey? Because I know that you're fresh out of college, and you know, your first role. So what kind of helped you, my guess transition into this role?
Megan Gao:Yeah, so the question like helps just like know how to work or like fine jobs, or
Laila Arain:just sort of like the help to kind of in your HR journey and working for a startup specifically, as well, any resources that you use?
Megan Gao:Yeah, totally. So one thing that piqued my interest in HR was Laszlo his book. So Laszlo had brand new book, it's called work rules. Shameless plug. But it's just about, like, how important work is and all the things that he and his team did at Google, to just like, make work a better experience there. So that was the book that really got me interested in HR. Um, yeah. And then in terms of just like, going to work at a startup and everything. So I had lived in Canada, my whole life, I'd like never been to the Bay Area, or like, no, ITT Tech was or anything like that. And the best thing was just like connecting with different people who have that experience. So I just like cold reached out to people who had went to law school that I went to, or I don't know, or family, friends or whatever, just to like, yeah, get a sense of even just like things that I don't know, things I had to learn for just like what a startups like, like, what or even just like the different jobs that have started up and like, how do they interact with each other? So connecting with people was like the thing that most helped me in kind of that journey.
Laila Arain:Yeah, that's great to hear. And it seems like your network really helped to when you were first getting this job, but I'm curious, what were some lessons or what was the lesson that you wish you would have known before joining the startup ecosystem?
Megan Gao:Yeah, that's a good question. I think it's that like, you learn everything on the job. Like there's I studied psychology and like all these things in undergrad, but to actually know what it's like to work at a start up and to like, work with customers and how to solve different problems in a startup. It just comes with like, having the experience so yeah, like, the most helpful thing for me was just like, get my foot in the door and startup, just like it like start being immersed in that ecosystem. And once you're there you can learn so much just by like spending so much for your time a day I guess at work like you were saying before, just like being in the system in the in the ecosystem. Unlike learning day by day by experience,
Laila Arain:most of us get to where I'm thinking about the font of your career, actually, what would you say this failure? And what did you learn from it?
Megan Gao:Seeing? Yeah, when I was applying for jobs, I just like kept on getting rejected from all these companies and everything. And yeah, I think like, that was, yeah, a really good lesson is just like, like being persistent. Like, there is a job out there. And like, I don't know, just have to, like, keep on trying and like, keep on applying to different. It's like a numbers game. Exactly. So just like not being afraid of like applying for your dream job. So like, who was my dream job from the start, but I like never thought I would be able to get in. But someone just encouraged me just like, email them and see. So just like not being afraid. And just like putting yourself out there. And just like going for it was yeah, really helps me in the end?
Laila Arain:Yeah, that's really helpful piece of advice. I think throughout this conversation, you've been dropping some really great pieces of advice. So what would you what would you say to somebody who is wanting to pursue a career in the startup sphere, no matter what kind of industry but any advice for them?
Megan Gao:Yeah, totally. I would say that. Yeah, networking is super helpful. Just to like, get both learn, like what's out there and like, what you might be interested in? And then also, just to like, help get your foot in the door? And then yeah, kind of what I was mentioning before, like, it's really hard to know, like, what the perfect role is for you, unless you just like, go and start working at a startup and to see like, what roles are available. So just like whatever you can do, just like get your foot in the door and just like start learning. And like getting that exposure is really helpful. And then yeah, just like not give up.
Laila Arain:Exactly, exactly. And then, obviously, I feel like there's a lot of hype around the startup sphere at the moment. A lot of people are talking about it. But what is one common myth about the field that you would like to debunk right here right now?
Megan Gao:Yeah. Yeah, I would say that, yeah, one common thing that people think about startups is that you have like, no work life balance, and it's like, super stressful, and everything like that, I would say, totally depends on the startup. So the startup I work for, like, really, really cares about that kind of stuff. And the bonus of working in your startup is that you have like, so much ownership over, like what you do, and a lot of like independence, which is like, really, really satisfying. But you can still get that in some places, while like still having that work life balance.
Laila Arain:Definitely. And then, um, you alluded to one of your favorite books a bit earlier in our conversation, but what have you read or listened to recently, this really inspired you?
Megan Gao:I would say it's just talking to different people at the company I work for who like working different functions, if that answers the question, but lately, yeah, I've been able to just like, learn, just like how other people like designers see the world. And like, what they care about, and just like the wisdom that they have. So just like talking to different folks, has been really helpful.
Laila Arain:Definitely. That's awesome. And you touched upon the power of the network, but earlier, and especially in the startup sphere, but I'm curious, who was three people in your life who have been the most influential to you?
Megan Gao:Yeah. Yeah, I would say one is a woman who I had cold reached out to on LinkedIn, to get career advice, and then she kind of took me under her wing. And that was when I was my last year of college, just to mentor me and helped me. And she's the person who like told me that I should just apply for Whoville if it wasn't for her, like I would have never gotten here. So that was huge. Yeah, I think like, yeah, we, yeah, like the, some of the people that I met who move so I'm like, personally, I'm really interested in like product design. And that's like, the field in the startup that I want to go into. And yeah, just talking to them. They like really helped me know, just like, what product design is and just like all these new things I need to know about before. Yeah, and then yeah, last one. Probably. My dad the most cliche che one who really instilled just like, the mentality of just like, keep, keep going and like don't give up Just like, stay encouraged and see resilient. Well, Sam
Laila Arain:Well, I'm so glad that you're surrounded by such encouraging people. And then finally to sort of round off our conversation, what is one piece of advice that you wish you gave yourself at any point in your life?
Megan Gao:Yeah, I would see. Everything's gonna work out and it's all good. And the most important thing is to the most important thing that lasts is like the relationships Yeah, that have with other folks and like not to take that for granted.
Laila Arain:Definitely. Well, yeah, what a lovely way to end our conversation. So thank you so much again for taking the time speak with me today.
Megan Gao:No problem.
Laila Arain:Thank you. Bye bye.
Megan Gao:Cool.