From Hawaii to New York, Nashville to Seattle, acting to office management, Anna Soca’s path to a senior product manager at Amazon Web Services is the epitome of non-traditional. But, her diverse background is one of her greatest strengths. Seeking a change in careers, an MBA at Vanderbilt Owen was a natural step–empowering her to explore different career options while honing her skills. Her MBA internship at Amazon, which she calls a game-changer, cemented her post-MBA plans. Read on for more of Anna’s story, her advice on how to embrace your strengths and more in this Real Humans: Alumni.
Anna Soca, Vanderbilt Owen MBA ’23, Senior Product Manager, Amazon Web Services
Age: 34
Hometown: Kailua, Hawaii
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Texas Arlington, Psychology
Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration: Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Business, 2023, Strategy
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I went to business school to pivot my career. I loved working in tech, but my experience in workplace services—managing food programs, construction projects, and events—leaned more operational than strategic. I wasn’t entirely sure what my next move should be. When I applied, I thought consulting might be the right path, but one of the best parts of business school was the chance to explore different options before realizing that tech was where I really wanted to be—just in a different function than before. My background gave me a strong foundation in understanding people and the industry, and the MBA gave me the business skills, analytical tools, and network to step into leadership in a new way.
Why Vanderbilt Owen? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Owen stood out for its close-knit community, collaborative culture, and strong focus on leadership development. The small class size made it easy to build meaningful relationships with professors, classmates, and alumni, which had a huge impact on my growth. I also appreciated Owen’s strong career support (shoutout to the CDC!)—its personalized approach to recruiting, mentorship, and alumni engagement helped me pivot my career with confidence.
On a personal level, choosing Owen was also about being closer to my parents in Clarksville—it was a unique opportunity to spend more time with them while pursuing my MBA. Moving from New York City felt like a big change, but it turned out to be a great chance to experience a new city, and I really enjoyed my time in Nashville.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career?
Owen gave me the space and resources to explore different career paths while building the skills I needed to make a meaningful pivot. More than anything, its emphasis on collaboration and problem-solving helped me get comfortable navigating ambiguity—something that’s essential in my current job.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
My internship during my MBA was at Amazon Web Services (AWS) as part of the HR Leadership Development Program (HRLDP), where I worked on a project scoping out what it would take to connect employees to open roles within the company. That experience was a game-changer—it confirmed that I wanted to stay in tech, but transition into a role where I could use data and strategy to solve complex problems. It also helped me realize that I enjoyed working on internal products that drive impact at scale, ultimately leading me to my current job.
After graduation, I returned to Amazon as part of the full-time HRLDP rotational program, which allows me to rotate through three different roles over the course of three years.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
AWS was a great fit because it blended my interests in tech and strategy. I was drawn to the scale and impact of the work, as well as the opportunity to work on data-driven projects that shape how the company operates. I also liked that AWS gives people a lot of ownership and autonomy—there’s room to take on big challenges and really make an impact. The role felt like the perfect balance between applying what I learned in business school and continuing to grow in new ways.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Prepare a strong set of stories and get off-book. The Amazon interview prep process is intense, but it will prepare you for any interview. Lean in—make a nerdy spreadsheet with all your answers in STAR format, study, and practice until your responses feel natural. Being able to clearly articulate your impact, problem-solving approach, and leadership skills makes all the difference—not just in landing the job, but in building confidence for any career move.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
I would have cast a wider net beyond the traditional MBA recruiting channels. It’s easy to focus on the roles that come through your school’s career site or recommended coffee chats, but some of the best opportunities aren’t always part of structured recruiting. If I could do it again, I’d spend more time reaching out to companies that genuinely excited me—even if they didn’t have an internship or MBA-specific role posted. Networking early and having exploratory conversations can open doors in unexpected ways, and sometimes the best roles come from making connections before a job even exists.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
How much storytelling mattered. It’s not just about technical skills or frameworks—it’s about how well you can communicate your experience and approach. I also learned how valuable it is to deeply understand the business: what the latest 10K or news reveals about the company’s direction, how they make money, and where you can add value. Those insights help you connect the dots in interviews and position yourself as someone who gets it.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
1. Embrace your background from day one. Early on, I hesitated to talk about my experience in facilities and office management because I worried it didn’t fit the traditional MBA mold. But those roles gave me invaluable skills—negotiation, navigating ambiguity and change, and handling tough conversations with grace. In those roles, you’re often the recipient of other people’s bad days, and learning to de-escalate and problem-solve on the fly is an underrated superpower. Similarly, my past as an actor? That’s a huge asset. Having a unique backstory sets you apart, as long as you can pitch the story that connects the dots between your skills and the role you’re going for. Looking back, I wish I had owned my story more confidently from the start.
2. Invest in your public speaking skills—it’s a game-changer. We had a great public speaking class at Owen in the first term, and it paid off. Being able to speak confidently and compellingly sets you apart, puts you in front of the right people, and allows you to shine. Great speakers get noticed, and that visibility can open doors in ways you might not expect.
