Tasting Room > Business, Management, Admin Table > Patrick Lai
Interview conducted in June 2022
Appetizers
Starting with some basics.
Job Title + Years of Experience
Business Systems Analyst, 7 years
Areas of Expertise
Business Analysis, Project Management, IT
Company + Industry
Southern California Edison, Energy
Education
UC Irvine, Bachelor’s in Business Economics
Fun Starters
Getting to know the human side.
Favorite dessert?
Taiyaki ice cream
Favorite book or movie?
Limitless
Myers-Briggs personality type
ESTP
What do you like to do for fun?
Weightlifting
What's one thing you recommend doing in your city, Los Angeles, California?
Arts District (Lots of brews, dogs, food, games, and art haha)
Main Course
A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.
Tell us about yourself and your job.
I started my career in technology consulting which exposed me to many parts of the agile project methodology.
From solution planning to implementation, I was able to see ideas on paper be put into action and have a widespread impact on the client organization. As my career progressed, I began managing the same type of projects I used to work on.
How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?
My business analyst internship at Blizzard Entertainment gave me a lot of exposure to project-based work. I liked that I was able to solve a business problem and see the solution come to fruition.
What does a typical morning look like on the job?
I usually spend my mornings on daily stand-up calls.
Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?
In the afternoon, I am usually following up with stakeholders on milestones.
What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?
All my work has been IT project-based, so the type of work I am doing depends on the phase of the project. I'm usually involved in the stand-up calls, weekly updates, statement of work, requirements gathering, and trainings.
Who do you collaborate with in meetings and projects? Cross-functional teams? What's it like?
I usually collaborate with the client, developer, contractors, and upper management depending on the meeting or function.
Dessert
Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.
What's the most challenging thing about your job?
The most challenging thing about my role is planning through ambiguity.
What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?
Adapting to nothing going to plan and organization skills
Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?
Genuinely understand where your interviewer's pain points come from and communicate effectively how you are the solution. I also mentor on Firstly which provides a good starting point.
What's something that surprised you about your job?
I'm surprised how much communication I do on a daily basis.
What do you see your next step being?
I see myself either working for myself or working at a higher level within my company.
Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?
Obtain some certifications and put what you learned into your own passion project!