Betty Devich Oblak

Tell me about yourself and your journey into big tech.

My journey into big tech started in 2014 at Expedia in their B2B organization. The direct impetus was really just a referral from a friend who worked in the same org and had a lot of great things to say about the culture, the pay, the product, etc. Generally speaking, I landed in big tech because there were a lot of great opportunities there.

I’m also what I would call a generalist - I have had a wide range of roles and have never been singularly focused on one industry or skillset. I’ve always had this mindset of wanting to try everything, so I could hone in on what fits best or where I could be most successful. Honestly, I'm still figuring that out. Some people might see it as jumping around, but I see it as intentionally trying different things. I’ve had success in each area, though some more than others. I’ve also made plenty of mistakes. That's another important part of this - I’ve failed quite a few times. For me, it’s about having a "know better, do better" attitude. Mistakes and failures are okay, but you have to move forward and learn from them.

One of the things that is great about working in big tech is that there are so many roles available within these companies that you could build an entire career just moving around internally. For example, at Amazon, you could start in AWS sales, move to MGM Studios, or join the Prime Video partnerships team. Not that it's necessarily easy to just jump into a new role every few weeks, but there are so many avenues you can take, which makes working at Amazon pretty special.

In your current role, what does a typical day look like and what are your main job responsibilities?

There are no typical days at AWS. This can be thrilling and wonderful as well as exhausting. It all comes down to prioritization.

My general focus is business development and program management for the AWS MSP Partner Program. This includes developing benefits for validated partners, evangelizing the program to partners and customers, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to accelerate partners through their journey within the AWS Specialization Partner org overall.

On average, I switch between 5-10 different initiatives or projects per day. Luckily, I work with many sharp, intelligent, big-thinking people who are great to partner with and make it easier to determine the most pressing needs - whether they're customer needs or something internal.

What advice do you have for others who want to break into big tech or do what you do?

I have three pieces of advice:

1. A lot of folks say it and I will say it too: network. I continue to keep in contact with former colleagues, clients, managers, vendors and most everyone I have interacted with in a professional setting. This is primarily because I genuinely enjoy them as people but I also respect what they do and the careers they have built. Stay in touch, have a lunch here and there, and follow folks along their professional journeys - it may lead to your next referral in one direction or the other. Recently, several women I know have taken career breaks, and I celebrate that - it's wonderful to see people stepping back to focus on something important. Maintaining connections means you'll always have a network to lean on when you're ready to move forward again.

2. Treat every encounter you have as a mini-advertisement of your character, your dignity, your work ethic, and your hireability. I am not suggesting that every social engagement is an “opportunity to put your name in a hat” but instead, pretend that each person you meet or interact with will be asked about the experience they had with you and share that with your next hiring manager. Be bold, be authentic, and be kind. You never know when your impression on a person will be consequential (good or bad).

3. Keep a record of your achievements. I was a collegiate athlete and can remember most of my volleyball achievements because, to earn a full-ride scholarship at a Pac-10 school, I had to document those accomplishments, compile highlight tapes, and write letters to coaches outlining my playing experience, academics, and other qualifications. This documentation was crucial in my journey to earning that scholarship and is similar to jobseeking. Find a place to keep track of your professional achievements and be prepared to talk about the most relevant and impactful ones when you start your search for your next gig.

You’re a big advocate for working moms in tech. Can you share some of your thoughts and advice on the topic?

If you are a working mother in general, big tech or not, I would encourage you to set firm boundaries, communicate them clearly, and the hardest part: stick to them.

To be clear, my perspective isn’t that a parent's time is inherently more valuable than others', it’s just that parents generally have significantly less time and control over their schedules.

For instance, I can no longer join the 7am call because at that time, both of my children are awake: I am making breakfast, getting them ready for their respective childcares, packing lunches and snacks, getting myself ready for the day, and managing any emotional breakdowns or intergalactic battles that may occur.

Because of this, I've learned to communicate clearly with colleagues and set expectations around my availability. I tell my team, "I want to give you my undivided attention and be fully present. These are the hours when I’m available for meetings." If you’re clear about what you can and cannot do and come from a place of having your team’s best interest in mind, people will respect it.

Becoming a parent has opened my eyes to how few hours are in a day, week, month, and year. This is a work in progress for me, but generally, I set a hard rule to not work (phone or laptop) when my kids are around.

This is for two reasons:

1. It is not possible to multitask, despite our constant efforts to convince people otherwise. I am a psychology major and there are a few theories that back the notion that we cannot, as humans, actually multitask efficiently (bottleneck theory, cognitive load theory, and others).

2. If my kids are around and I’m looking at my phone or computer, it actually causes angst and chaos because I am not responding to them and they can feel that I am distracted and stressed trying to do too many things at once. In the end, no one wins. I acknowledge this is easier said than done but I’ve learned that the more clearly I set these boundaries, the more effective I can be both as a parent and as a professional.

I have this saying that my dear friend coined as my “brand” a few years ago: Happy to do it! While I say this a lot, I have also gotten really good at saying “Happy to not do it!” or “Happy to do it another time!” I love being a person that is high-achieving and that people want to go to and can trust to “get it done.” However, I’ve realized that if I don’t communicate my boundaries and risk under-delivering (at home or at work), the fall out would be even worse.

I may not have the same ability to take 10 work trips per year or be on calls at odd hours, but my teammates and customers know when I’m available and know that I’ll get my work done with integrity and high standards, within the new boundaries of my working-parent life. Setting boundaries and clearly communicating them has helped immensely.

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