Alumni Profile Jaya Kandaswamy

Past employers and career progression: 

In the past, I worked for many different companies in various leadership roles mostly focused on technology and product. I was fortunate to lead challenging projects and initiatives that helped me gain expertise in product strategy, product design, and more importantly building and launching products that customers love. I now oversee key product launches and experiment with new technologies at Capital One.

Why was an MBA an important step in your career?

As I charted my career path, I realized I had gaps in my knowledge. I wanted to get better at understanding what helps the bottom line of organizations and also how to craft something that the market/customers will like. I felt that an MBA would give me the foundation I needed.

What attracted you to Booth’s Weekend MBA Program?

When I decided I needed to do an MBA, Booth was a no-brainer. I had followed Booth for a long time. I felt that Booth had what I needed from academic rigor and cultural fit. Weekend MBA gave me everything a full-time MBA did but with added flexibility. I don't think any other top ranked school offers so much flexibility and equality within their MBA programs.

Tell us about your career progression during and post MBA. How did the MBA, Booth network, etc. impact your opportunities and/or progression?

Booth has helped shape my thought process. In the past, I would read articles, accept the point of view (POV), and move on. At Booth, we are with classmates from different industries. During class discussions, a POV is viewed from different angles, questioned, analyzed and a new POV emerges. This is very important for business leaders so they can synthesize the information, separate out noise and chart out their vision.

Booth rigor has helped me ask more questions. I am still working on more active listening and refining my question, and I believe the ability to ask the right questions to bring out key insights to light is very important. Practicing this has helped me survive and eventually excel in a new role, new industry, and new environment. I started in a role launching a specific function for a portfolio, expanded to oversee a suite of products, and now I'm overseeing a full-fledged product launch for a card portfolio.

Booth’s network has been very integral to me professionally and personally. I took up the opportunity at Capital One because of my Booth classmates who worked there. We have a close knit Chicago Booth group that meets often and I also regularly keep in touch with my friends. Whenever I ping a Booth classmate, the first thing that comes up is "What's up? How can I help?". This giving back mentality keeps the alumni base so cohesive. I look forward to keeping in touch with Boothies and learning from their experiences.

What aspects of the MBA do you continue to use in your current role? (specific classes, faculty, frameworks, etc.)

New Venture Challenge (NVC) by Profs. Kaplan and Deutsch is my all time favorite. New Products and Services by Prof. Terrill is something I look into quite often. Technology strategy, digital marketing, and many more classes play an integral part in designing and defining products. I look forward to using my take 3 as a Booth alum to specialize in certain things.

Any advice for prospective students interested in the Evening MBA and Weekend MBA Program?

Do your research about what it is you want out of your MBA. The more you are clear the better your decision will be. Think about the type of culture that suits you. MBA is an investment. A big one. One needs to carefully choose and nurture the relationships to get the most out of it. Classroom knowledge is one thing, but what you learn from classmates as you grow in your career is priceless. So culture and laying the foundations for those relationships is an equally important factor in choosing the school. Booth had everything I needed. When I was exploring schools, the admissions office was very helpful. They put me in touch with current students and provided as many resources as possible to help me evaluate the program. The faculty is top notch - it goes without saying. The last piece is the culture… I felt welcomed and students were very helpful and personable. If you have questions, feel free to reach out. You can find me on LinkedIn.