Nicholas Mejia

Tell me about yourself and your journey into big tech.

After graduating from college, I sought out opportunities in marketing that would allow me to gain exposure to various aspects of the field. I landed a job with Delta Air Lines' marketing department, where I focused on cost analysis and paid media campaigns during their rebranding process. Later, I joined another agency and had a great manager who eventually moved to Amazon to help launch their Prime Video division. We stayed in touch, and when an opening arose on her team to manage marketing campaigns for their original shows, I jumped at the opportunity. It was a chance to move to the West Coast, work in tech, and collaborate with a colleague I admired.

After a few years, I decided to explore startup opportunities, but I learned that it's essential to ask about acquisition prospects during the hiring process. During my onboarding process, the company was acquired, which was not what I had anticipated. I reached out to a recruiter I knew at Meta to catch up and inquire about potential openings. As luck would have it, a role on the marketing team that aligned with my specialization had become available. After going through nine weeks of interviews, I secured a position that I couldn't resist.

Since joining Meta, I've had the privilege of working on exciting projects such as launching Covid-19 hubs, rebranding Facebook to Meta, and now contributing to the business strategy for our AI glasses in the Reality Labs division.

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

Reality Labs is a division within Meta that focuses on creating technologies to enhance human connection, regardless of physical distance. It includes a variety of products and technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, mobile applications, mixed reality applications, games, and developer platforms. The mission of Reality Labs is to build tools that help people feel connected anytime, anywhere, and to integrate digital and physical worlds to enhance people's lives and interactions.

As a Strategy Planning and Operations Manager within Reality Labs, your role involves developing and implementing strategic plans to achieve organizational goals. You oversee the day-to-day operations, review annual roadmaps, collaborate with teams on vision setting, and delve into campaign strategies to ensure successful business outcomes. Additionally, you work on organizational design and team health to foster talent growth and retention, aiming to build a sustainable organization for the future.

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

Always focus on driving value for the organization. This will provide you with more opportunities to grow outside of your own role. Additionally, don't be afraid to reach out and network with others in tech. Be specific about what you're looking for and how they can help you. The more specific you are in your conversation and skillset, the better the return you will get from someone who reaches out. I believe that networking is a two-way street, and understanding each other's intentions and how you can help each other goes a long way in ensuring you can work effectively together.

What’s your favorite thing about working at Meta?

There are two things that I love about my job. Firstly, it's the work itself. I get to work on emerging technology and learn in real time just as everyone else is, especially in the AI space. Secondly, it's the people. The folks here are resilient and always willing to do their best work whenever possible. It's truly incredible to work with such smart people and be able to experience the biggest successes of the company alongside them. 

Finish this sentence. Outside of the office, you can find me:

Outside of the office, you can find me on the trails running or cooking at home with my wife. I enjoy staying active and exploring new outdoor adventures, and I also love spending time in the kitchen trying out new recipes and experimenting with different flavors.

AMA (Ask Me Anything!)

“Is it okay if my resume is more than 1 page?”

“When applying, what’s the best way to stand out from the crowd?”

“What questions should I ask at the end of an interview?”

I’m excited to introduce this new section of the newsletter! Whether you have questions around job searching, interviewing, or working in big tech, feel free to submit them below. Each week, I will address one of them in an upcoming newsletter.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read today’s newsletter! If you have any feedback, please let me know down below. Have a great rest of the week and see you in the next one! Cheers, Brenna

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