James Farrell, Vice President, International Originals, Amazon Studios
Graduation Year: 1999
Major: International Politics & Economics
Thank you, James, for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us. Could you briefly introduce your career path and any major transitions that you made? How do you believe that your Middlebury education impacted your career? My first job after college was at Bear Stearns. I quickly realized that I didn’t share the passion my colleagues had about the financial services industry, and so to pivot my career I went to business school at Columbia University. During business school, I did a few internships at media companies. These experiences gave me exposure to the entertainment industry and helped me to land a job at Sony Pictures after I graduated. I have stayed in the entertainment business ever since then.
I like to think about the Liberal Arts education as a long-term play. Concededly, if I had gone to a larger university, where I had taken classes in things like finance and marketing, I might have been better prepared for my first job. However, the education I had at Middlebury was much broader. It taught me how to think critically and collaborate with other people. In my job I often have to communicate with stakeholders from different countries and cultures. I feel fortunate that my time at Middlebury prepared me well to handle all types of interpersonal relationships. Sometimes students from Liberal Arts backgrounds may feel a bit behind in their technical skills when they get to their first job. But as they progress in their careers, the value of their education will become more and more obvious.
How do you suggest that students prepare for interviews? What quality do you usually look for when you have to interview a candidate? Generally, interviewers like to see candidates’ passion, as passion motivates people to work harder. I find that people with passion are usually willing to put in the extra hours to improve their skills, even if it may take them years to perfect at their jobs.
The Amazon interview process is especially interesting. The interview questions often revolve around our 14 leadership principles that echo throughout the company’s day-to-day practices. For instance, one of the principles is “Think Big.” We don’t make decisions purely based on financial metrics like quarterly earnings. Instead we focus on broader issues like if a strategy fits customers’ long-term interest. Another principle we have is “Bias for Action.” We want people who are comfortable making hard decisions, not people who habitually resort to inaction under challenging times. Our HR always remind candidates to familiarize themselves with these 14 principles before they go to an interview, but many people don’t take it seriously, only to regret when they are asked about exactly these principles in their interviews. My advice to students is to carefully read the companies’ value propositions and take time to prepare unique answers for each company you interview.
What do you suggest that students do to expand their network and ask for mentorship at the initial stage of their career? The easiest time to ask a person for mentorship is when you have an opportunity to spend 1 on 1 time with them. It could be during lunch , commuting, or even some casual company events. You may want to have a nice conversation with that person first as an icebreaker. If you then politely ask, “Would it be possible if we get together every few months, so that I can ask for your advice on my job?” Most people would say yes. Another important thing is to quickly follow up and lock in the opportunity you captured. As soon as the meeting is over you should send that person a thank-you email and set up some time for the next conversation.
This series is coordinated by Xiaoli Jin ’19. Look for more alumni profiles each week. You can connect with Xiaoli on LinkedIn.
If you are interested to interview alumni and contribute to this series, please contact Xiaoli Jin 2019′ on Midd2Midd.
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