Megen Vogel
Project Manager
Capital One
Milestones
My road in life has taken me all over.
Wanted to do a job that would help people.
Majored in Social Work because I thought I could make a difference.
Found part-time work and internships in the field during college but didn't like direct service work.
Decided I would focus on the Admin / Macro side of Social Work rather than direct service.
Found Macro Social Work and found my well-rounded skill set to be a great asset to the nonprofit.
Upon graduation realized I needed a Master's degree for most Social Work jobs that fit my interest.
Joined Capital One Community Affairs which was the perfect blend of business / community.
Tried many roles within Community Affairs and found my sweet spot in Operations work.
Education
Career
Project Manager
I manage systems, tools and processes that support corporate employee giving and volunteer programs.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Technology
Non-Profit Organizations
Problem Solving
Day to Day
I spend most of my day solving problems. I help community relations practitioners by recommending the best technical solutions to help them achieve goals and implement new programs. My work requires me to be able to discern what the practitioner really needs and then communicate that to our technical resources. I spend a lot of time asking questions! I document what I hear, translate that into technical requirements, oversee system updates, train users and provide ongoing support.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Interested in IT work? Don't forget to hone your communication skills. Many people think that having top notch technical skills is the most important aspect of IT work. Technical skills are important for development work but for many IT roles, having superb communication skills is far more important. You must listen to the business, ask the right clarifying questions and document clearly. In my case, I also must provide training. Speech and journalism would be great electives to take.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"Your post-college job should be specifically related to your college major - otherwise, why did you get your degree in that field?"
