Building Connections and Confidence at HP Headquarters

Sometimes, the first step toward a new career opportunity isn’t submitting an application. It’s showing up. It’s asking a question. Sitting down with someone whose career looks like the one you’re working toward. Hearing how they got there—and realizing that their path may have more in common with yours than you expected.

That’s what our events are all about: creating opportunities for our Advisees to build connections, explore careers, and learn directly from professionals who can help them see what’s possible.

This summer, our Bay Area Advisees had the opportunity to visit HP’s headquarters and connect with executive staff members across a variety of roles within technology. For many, it was a chance to experience networking in a way that felt personal and approachable.

“For me the most valuable part undoubtedly is how I got to sit down with staff that play big roles in keeping HP successful. They weren’t just there because it was required, but they were there because they also wanted to teach us and put us on the right path. I had many good talks and each of them was something different for me but many upbringing stories sounded similar to mine, because of that I hold the advice I was given dearly,” shared Advisee Esrom Adhanom.

For Advisee Jesus Landa, the opportunity offered a closer look at what it takes to navigate a career at the highest levels of an organization. “Having the chance to actually learn from the leaders of HP, get insight into what they do, and the decisions they made to get to the position they are in now” was especially valuable. Jesus was able to ask leaders about how they approach stress and risk management, as well as the importance of workplace culture.

For our Advisees, experiences like this are about more than one afternoon at a company headquarters. They’re about building the connections, confidence, and career knowledge that can help turn an aspiration into a path forward. And sometimes, that path starts simply by showing up.

Encourage your FGLI students, alumni, and career seekers to take their next step and explore upcoming events on our Career Platform to find their next opportunity to connect, ask questions, and learn from professionals across industries.