Selina Choo: ‘My work makes a difference in people’s lives’
When you work in tech, you know your work has real impact. For Selina Choo, Head of Strategy and Operations for Android Business Development at Google, this is one of the most important drivers in her work.
In this Q&A, we hear more about her passion for technology, her journey in the industry and advice for thriving in a career in tech.
You’ve probably lost count of the number of times you’ve heard you don’t need an engineering degree (or really, any degree) to work in the tech industry. There are many incredible tech professionals who show how passion and perseverance go much further than four years spent in a lecture hall. Selina Choo, Head of Strategy and Operations for Android Business Development at Google, is no exception.
In this Q&A, we hear more about her passion for technology and the impact it has, her journey in the industry and some advice for thriving in a job you can love.
This is an excerpt from a live Q&A. Join our community to make sure you don’t miss the next event!
What compelled you to start a career in tech?
I was interested in technology and connectivity from a young age – we’re talking pre-internet times – it just seemed very exotic and I had a general curiosity for it.
Later, I worked for a game company as a Game Tester, and they sent me to the Silicon Valley in the United States to work onsite for EA games for a few weeks. Being there blew my mind – there were so many amazing companies doing cool things, and I worked with people from all different backgrounds and cultures. From then, I knew I wanted to work in tech.
So I completed my degree in Digital Media back before the birth of social media and I really believed the internet was the future. I applied for a job at Google before it was anything like it is now and felt like I was a real part of its growth. I’ve never regretted it.
What brings you joy in what you do?
I love the role I’m in now because it allows me to solve very complex problems. Right now I work for Android, which is a product that touches literally billions of people in so many countries, so I need to adapt my thinking to different cultures and regions since they experience different problems. One day I might be asking how we can provide better affordability or accessibility for developing regions, and the next I’ll be wondering about how to deal with severe regulatory barriers.
Ultimately, my work has a real impact – it makes a difference in people’s lives and helps them to be better educated, find jobs, and do what they love.
It’s also inspiring working with so many intelligent people; I learn a lot from them – especially my direct team.
What is a common myth about your field you want to debunk?
I think some people are still surprised that you don’t need an engineering or technical degree to be successful in the tech industry. I know it seems like a commonplace answer, but there still seems to be some sort of a misunderstanding around the kinds of things you can do. For Google, and I assume for many other businesses, there’s room to move once you’re in the company. You just need to find the part that works for you.
Can you talk about the impact different managers had on your career growth?
I do believe a manager plays a key role in your career. The best managers I’ve had were the ones who supported me by giving me honest feedback, helped me find growth opportunities, gave me projects where I could really step up and stretch myself, and set me up for the next step of my career. They also had my back; so when I made a mistake, they never threw me under the bus but they defended me instead, which gave me the confidence to continue trying new things and learn from my mistakes.
I had some difficult bosses, too, and my approach to them has always been to understand their motivations because I knew this would be easier for me in the long run. I’d ask myself: what drives this person? And usually, the answer is that they want to build their own career, too. As a result, they want their teams to deliver on very ambitious projects. At least this was the case for me, and my response was to deliver on those projects. I tried to get on the same page as them while aligning my own goals with theirs. This made our working relationship a lot easier.
Can you name a few people who have been most influential to you throughout your career?
That’s a difficult question to answer because so many people cross your path who are influential in different ways. But to name a few: first is my dad. He moved to the Netherlands from Singapore when he was 15 years old – and completely alone! It’s inspiring because he took a giant leap of faith in pursuit of better opportunities and a different life; he left his comfort zone and that’s something I aspire to do, too.
Second is my partner, Viktor. He’s the CMO for Freetradeand I think he’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He’s a big thinking, long-term strategic visionary, which is very different to me in that I’m more operational and detail-oriented. He challenges me to look at things differently.
Finally, I’ll say Joy Chan, who was my finance professor in my MBA. She taught me not only basic financing skills but also personal finance, which wasn’t something I learned at home or in school. Having a grasp on my finances and understanding how to manage them well allows me more freedom to maximise my capabilities in my life. I consider this knowledge pretty life-changing.
What resources do you recommend to people looking for career support or ready to take their next career step?
First, have a support network around you, whether that’s close friends, or close or ex-colleagues, where you can share your struggles and doubts, your career goals, and vent. Having this throughout my career probably helped me the most, as I could get so many different opinions from people who could see situations much clearer than I could. The people in my network also pushed me to apply for jobs I wouldn’t have otherwise (which I received offers for!) and encouraged me to achieve my goals.
I also recommend reading biographies of successful people in your industry. There are many career development books out there, but personally, I’m inspired by people who have done it before.
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