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Eric Charran

Eric Charran

Microsoft

Career Roadmap

Eric's work combines: Technology, Travel, and Being Creative

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Day In The Life

Chief Architect

I design complex software solutions using Artificial Intelligence.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    Hatboro Horsham Senior High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Computer Science

    Temple University

  • Graduate Degree

    Business Administration and Management, General

    Temple University

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Software Quality Assurance Analysts & Testers:

High School

Bachelor's Degree: Computer Science

Graduate Degree: Business Administration and Management, General

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    First, I got into programming late in college.

  • 2.

    Then I got a marketing job and rewrote the entire interviewing system in Microsoft Access and VB.

  • 3.

    Then I got into Data Warehousing which was REALLY hard.

  • 4.

    Then I branched into consulting, which I loved.

  • 5.

    Then I focused on app development and reporting.

  • 6.

    Then I began focusing on the way that technology systems interact and should be designed.

  • 7.

    Then I got really good at communicating to technical and business decision makers.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Parents:

    You should just get a business degree and go be an accountant or marketing associate. Work to get a 401K and then retire.

  • How I responded:

    Be fearless. Try things as if you couldn't fail. Don't accept no for an answer. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities. Know what you are good at and what you have to work on. Invest in yourself and make choices. Begin with "what you want" and work backwards from there to get it.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • Son of an immigrant who worked extremely hard to afford his kids opportunities he didn't have. Growing up was very hard as we moved to an affluent neighborhood from Queens, New York.

  • My mother had schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder. Growing up in that environment was very challenging. It wasn't until later in life that we discovered her illness.