A Strong Foundation: An Interview with Fernando Rodriguez ‘16

 

For Fernando Rodriguez ‘16, an English degree prepared him for a wide range of career paths since graduating. He spoke with us about how current students can leverage their own English skills to transition into any industry and not be limited to a single path.

Fernando Rodriguez ‘16 knows a thing or two about thinking quick on your feet and making the best of your situation. Since graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English, Rodriguez has experienced multiple different career fields, including education, freelance editing, and web design. Currently, he works as a Program Manager at Amazon where he uses his writing skills on a regular basis in a seemingly unconventional industry.

Originally from Laredo, Texas, Rodriguez was a member of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M, and played baritone and tuba for the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. He majored in English with a focus in rhetoric and creative writing, and worked at the University Writing Center.

Speaking about his experiences at A&M, Rodriguez said, “I think I’m ahead because of the leadership opportunities that were afforded to me through the Corps, through my experience working at the University Writing Center, and studying what I wanted to study.”

The start of Rodriguez’s many career paths began when he met his wife at Texas A&M, also a member of the Corps of Cadets, who planned to join the Army after graduating. As a military-husband, Rodriguez had to be ready to move where his wife was stationed. To him, few careers were more portable than working in education. He returned to Laredo, Texas where he taught at a high school for one year as an English teacher. Then, his wife was stationed in South Korea where they both lived for two years.

While abroad, Rodriguez worked as a freelance editor while working towards another degree in web design. Even in an industry that seems far away from his English degree, Rodriguez continued to find similarities between what he learned at Texas A&M and the work he was doing in web design.

“Coding is similar in a sense because when you’re learning a language, you understand the basics of picking up language, and how to write and that fundamental understanding of how to organize yourself to get something done,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez and his wife eventually moved back to the United States where they now live in Washington. Rodriguez started to work for Amazon, first as a temporary Recruiting Coordinator, and later as a full-time Program Manager. In his current role, Rodriguez works with members of the military community to prepare them for new roles at Amazon.

“I currently manage a job placement program that helps service members transition to the private sector after leaving the military,” Rodriguez said. With this position, Rodriguez continues to use his English degree to fit in with Amazon and its “Writing Culture.”

According to Rodriguez, the “Writing Culture” started when Jeff Bezos asked for the notes to a top business leader’s presentation in lieu of a PowerPoint. The idea behind this request is that the notes contain a more comprehensive review of all the important information needed to make a decision.

“Pretty much, it’s compiling what’s important for the audience that you’re speaking to,” Rodriguez said. “When you put everything on paper, when everything’s organized, it’s quicker to get through a decision and understand all the context, and then people can question things that you might not be thinking of.”

To get to his current position, Rodriguez had to learn how to leverage his English education along with the skills, knowledge, and career experience he picked up along the way. In all of his positions, the ability to communicate clearly and influence others through writing has been a constant.

“I think what’s cool about the English major is that it crosses into so many areas. The best thing that you learn is writing, and how to communicate with people. Being able to write in different styles about different things is an underrated skill. In the tech industry, I guess what I’ve learned is that there’s a lot of people that just don’t know how to write effectively,” Rodriguez said.

Knowing what he knows now, Rodriguez says that current English students, especially ones that are graduating soon, should try to avoid being weighed down by the pressure of comparing themselves to others.

“Your early 20s are tough because you’re trying to figure everything out, and it’s difficult. There’s a whole bunch of pressure from a lot of people to do these specific things,” Rodriguez said. “There’s a big element of just blocking out the noise. It’s okay to not judge yourself against other people, especially early on.”

For many graduating students, life after college feels daunting and uncontrollable, especially if they don’t have a job offer in hand when they walk across the graduation stage. According to Rodriguez, students have more control than they think.

“You make your own value and your own skills. Put your ego aside, cut out the noise, do what you want to do and make sure that you’re secure doing it,” Rodriguez said. “There’s a strong foundation, now you go build the house.”