Want to Work for HP? Here Are the Degrees You’ll Need.

As it turns out, the trope of garage-based startup turned mega-enterprise has roots in an era of American innovation that existed long before companies like Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft became household names. Take American software and computer services manufacturer, Hewlett Packard (HP). In 1938, the bare bones of the company hit the ground running a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California, with Bill Hewlett and David Packard holding the reigns.

From their start, the two Stanford University electrical-engineering graduates established their reputation as makers of sophisticated electronic test and measurement equipment, landing their first big contract providing audio oscillators for the production of Walt Disney Pictures’ iconic animated film “Fantasia.”

The success led Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard to formally establish Hewlett-Packard in January 1939. From here, the company grew into a multinational corporation widely respected for its products, management style, and culture. In Silicon Valley, you have HP to thank for flexible work hours, casual dress codes, employee stock options, and the leadership approach known as “management by walking around.”

With employees of all different backgrounds—spanning a range of ethnicities, professional experiences, and nationalities—HP values access to an array of unique perspectives, which in turn helps make it an exciting and interesting place to work. The company also houses one of the most diverse boards of directors in the tech industry with an understanding that diversity and inclusion start at the top.

The company believes that the ultimate driver of its success has been and will always be the power of its people. And people-powered it is. In 2019 alone, HP ranked #24 on Best Places to Work’s list of Best Workplaces in Technology (Large Companies), #32 in Best Workplaces in the Bay Area (Large Companies), #43 in Best Workplaces in Texas (Large Companies), and #12 in Best Workplaces for Diversity.

With a worldwide workforce ranging from sales experts to software engineers, how do you get your foot in the door? We’ve got you covered on the degrees you’ll need to catch the attention of corporate hiring managers—and boost your chances of forging a career with HP.

A Byte of HP History

Despite decades holding the title of one of the world’s leading technology companies, by 2010, the company failed to redirect and establish itself in the onset of new markets such as cloud and mobile services. In October 2014, the company announced its plans to split into two separate companies. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (or HP Enterprise), would handle data centers, software, and services while HP (also known as HP Inc.) would take on personal computers and printers.

The company’s fall from grace is now the stuff of business legend—mostly because, for the most part, the break up worked. HP Enterprise’s earnings topped projections in its first full quarter of results as a standalone entity and in 2019, pulled in $7.22 billion in revenue.

As for HP, it remains the world’s largest personal computer vendor, having regained its position in 2017 since it was overtaken by Lenovo in 2013. In 2018, the company recorded $58.5 billion in sales, underscoring that personal computers and printers are still a massive business.

Working at HP

Employees at the company’s Palo Alto, California headquarters make up teams in project and product management, information technology (IT), business planning, sales, consulting, and finance and accounting, among a variety of specialized departments.

__Some of the highest-paid roles include the following, listed by average base pay:__

• Product management director: $177,744
• Senior marketing manager: $173,318
• Director of operations: $153,698
• Finance manager: $150,182
• Software engineering manager: $142,795
• Senior program manager: $141,775
• Senior product manager: $134,429
• Senior software engineer: $125,452
• Solutions architect: $124,147
• Business development manager: $119,097

Want to Work for HP? Here Are the Degrees You’ll Need.

Scrolling through HP HQ’s job and career site gives way to hundreds of opportunities in business planning, engineering, information technology and information security (IS), as well as other areas.

Business planning jobs at HP

In the business planning sphere, positions are available for program managers and project managers. The company is also on the lookout for candidates to fill an assortment of leadership roles in this area, including director of market intelligence, senior associate – strategy and incubation, VP of pricing and analytics Coe, business planning manager, and lead data scientist. Across the board, these specializations focus on helping the company design a path to growth and profitability amid market competition and constant change.

Most opportunities in this category call out a need for advanced degrees in data science, computer science, applied math, statistics, or a related field. Many openings—like business planning manager, lead data scientist, and director of market intelligence—specify a preference for candidates with a master’s in business administration (MBA). Some positions require as little as two or more years of work experience, while others ask for 15 or more.

Engineering jobs at HP

HP has many listings across this department, spanning opportunities in innovation technology, eCommerce analytics, systems architecture, software development, and user experience design. The company also lists openings across a wealth of engineering specializations, such as research, data, cloud computing, software security, and electrical hardware. In any role among this team, you’ll play a hand in researching, designing, and testing HP’s next generation of processors, hardware, and software systems.

Many associate-level jobs in this branch name a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field as a must-have. Other opportunities, like those in software engineering, prefer either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field like computer science or information systems. Roles that are rooted in research science, such as information chemist and technologist, require a Ph.D. in a field like computer science, information systems, or chemical engineering.

IT and IS jobs at HP

In the vein of IT, HP is on the lookout for a technical IT lead, systems administrator, an IT developer, as well as senior infrastructure engineers in storage and network technologies. Overall, these roles will be involved in the design, administration, and support of computer and telecommunications systems.

This department also has plans to bring on cyber security engineers and cyber security threat intelligence analysts. Given their IS focus, these jobs are responsible for safeguarding the company’s sensitive digital information from potential security breaches.

Candidates in the IT realm will need ample work experience combined with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computers, information technology, or information systems management. On average, job seekers with a bachelor’s will need an additional two years of experience than those with a master’s degree.

Those pursuing cyber security-based jobs at HP will also need work experience combined with a bachelor’s or master’s degree—this time in a field like computer science, information security, or cyber security. As with opportunities in IT, the company notes that those with a master’s degree will need less experience in the field than those with a bachelor’s.

Interships at HP

HP hosts a wide range of internship opportunities for current students across all of its departments. These internships range from summer programs to year-round placements, during which students have the chance to be a part of HP’s unique culture, participate in a variety of projects, and receive coaching from mentors to grow their understanding of what it takes to be successful in the field.

Co-ops are also available and generally offer students an initial assignment that lasts one to two semesters. Following that, students have the option to return for additional semesters and rotate in and out of HP’s co-op program until graduation.

The company also has a graduate program for students who’ve recently completed a university degree and are on the search for a place to start their career while completing a master’s degree or higher. Opportunities in economics, finance, business administration, and sales development make up just a few of HP’s current openings.

Grow Your Career the “HP Way”

Since embarking on its 2014 plan to transform itself back into a market leader, HP hiring managers sort through applicant resumes with a more finely-toothed comb than ever before. Their interview process, however, remains somewhat conventional by starting with an introductory phone call evaluation. From here, the typical next step for candidates to visit one of HP’s offices for an in-person interview with the hiring manager and other members of the team.

Whether you’re fresh out of school, have a few years of experience under your belt, or a veteran in the field, it’s most important to know that employee-centric culture is essential to HP. Your expertise in a specialization may get your foot in your door, but only a knack for collaboration, and innovation, and a desire to make a difference will keep you around.

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