On Tuesday, the MSL program organized an exclusive Q&A with Michael Deal, Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Amazon.com. Accompanied by Julius Chen (Senior Corporate Counsel), Khoury Cooper (Corporate Counsel), and Lauren Stubel (Recruiter), Deal spoke candidly to the MSL students about the inner workings of the company, the need for employees with interdisciplinary skills, and the challenges of navigating regulations when dealing with innovative products. Best of all, the panelists offered great career advice that our students can apply to almost any industry. Here are their 5 tips for becoming a successful candidate and employee:

Learn to communicate well

Amazon relies on professionals who are able to explain their areas of expertise to colleagues who may have very different academic backgrounds. “The way to be successful is to simplify complex concepts in your communications, so there’s no missteps and no misunderstanding,” said Michael, mentioning that he was excited about how the MSL program could help create candidates that are fluent in various disciplines.

Challenge yourself

The panel pointed out that a specific discipline can only get you so far; what makes you stand out is your ability to learn and grow within a company. “In any meaningful career,” said Michael, “you’re going to be valued based on the opportunities you had and the problems you solved.”

When starting a project, work backwards

Looking to launch your own product? Have a new startup idea? Michael recommends starting with a press release. His team envisions the press release they would write for a new product, so they have a clear idea of what they want to communicate to potential customers. They also create an FAQ because it clarifies the regulations, issues, and potential drawbacks their new product may encounter. Michael also encourages people to ask a lot of questions, even simple ones. “You’ll have a beginner’s mind,” he said,” you’ll come at it fresh.”

Use the interview to show you’re passionate

A lot of people can look good on paper. Use the interview to demonstrate that you care about your potential role and that you’re willing to grow in it. “We really want people that are lifelong learners,” Michael said. “That are excited about things, that are passionate about learning new things, that are willing to take risks.”

Talk about the MSL advantage in your resume

Lauren told the students to convey the importance of their degree in their resume and how their special skill-set can help the organization. “Write a sentence on why you chose it and what the program is,” she recommended. “This is why I did it, this is what I’m hoping it’s going to bridge and this is how it’s going to add value.” Don’t forget: always keep the resume to ONE page!